Alert archive / Alabama / Special Weather Statements in 2012

Special Weather Statement, NWS Birmingham, AL

May 7, 2012Shelby County, Talladega County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this special weather statement at May 7, 2012, 4:29 PM CDT for Shelby County, Talladega County, Alabama. It was in force for 46 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
May 7, 2012, 4:29 PM CDT (21:29 UTC)
Expired
May 7, 2012, 5:15 PM CDT
In force
46 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL

Counties Shelby County, AL, Talladega County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 52 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:31 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 9.5 hours before the alert went out and 52 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2012-05-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 215 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2012-05-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -17 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
215 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-91 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
950 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
13 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-17 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-2 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

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What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this special weather statement went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Birmingham, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this special weather statement went out at May 7, 3:33 PM CDT, 56 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 7, 3:33 PM CDT, 56 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, May 7, 11:59 AM CDT, 4 hours 30 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1159 AM CDT MON MAY 7 2012

ALZ011>015-017>050-081700-
AUTAUGA-BARBOUR-BIBB-BLOUNT-BULLOCK-CALHOUN-CHAMBERS-CHEROKEE-
CHILTON-CLAY-CLEBURNE-COOSA-DALLAS-ELMORE-ETOWAH-FAYETTE-GREENE-HALE-
JEFFERSON-LAMAR-LEE-LOWNDES-MACON-MARENGO-MARION-MONTGOMERY-PERRY-
PICKENS-PIKE-RANDOLPH-RUSSELL-SHELBY-ST CLAIR-SUMTER-TALLADEGA-
TALLAPOOSA-TUSCALOOSA-WALKER-WINSTON-
1159 AM CDT MON MAY 7 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

THERE IS A RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING ACROSS
CENTRAL ALABAMA. THE HAZARDOUS THREATS INCLUDE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS. THE AREA WITH THE GREATEST CHANCE OF SEVERE STORMS IS NORTH
AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 59. THE STORMS SHOULD REACH THEIR PEAK
STRENGTH AND COVERAGE BETWEEN 4PM AND 7 PM...ALTHOUGH STORMS COULD
OCCUR AT JUST ABOUT ANY TIME THROUGH 10 PM.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

THERE IS A THREAT OF ADDITIONAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...WITH DAMAGING
WINDS AND LARGE HAIL...ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...AS A COLD FRONT
APPROACHES AND SLOWLY MOVES THROUGH THE STATE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MAY BE NEEDED
AT TIMES THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY...DUE TO THE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM THREAT.

75

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 7, 3:15 PM CDT, 1 hour 14 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
315 PM CDT MON MAY 7 2012

ALZ015-017-023>025-033-034-072100-
BIBB AL-BLOUNT AL-JEFFERSON AL-PERRY AL-SHELBY AL-TUSCALOOSA
AL-WALKER AL-
315 PM CDT MON MAY 7 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN WALKER...SOUTHEASTERN
TUSCALOOSA...WESTERN SHELBY...NORTHEASTERN PERRY...JEFFERSON...BIBB
AND SOUTHWESTERN BLOUNT COUNTIES UNTIL 400 PM CDT...

AT 312 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM ARKADELPHIA TO MAYTOWN TO
OAK GROVE TO 6 MILES WEST OF LOW GAP...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30
MPH.

PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  HUEYTOWN...
  FAIRFIELD...
  BESSEMER...
  GARDENDALE...
  FULTONDALE...

&&

LAT...LON 3380 8656 3380 8658 3376 8656 3324 8664
      3307 8677 3307 8688 3292 8688 3284 8693
      3284 8702 3274 8701 3267 8706 3285 8743
      3300 8742 3301 8758 3351 8721 3387 8706
      3387 8693 3390 8693 3399 8653
TIME...MOT...LOC 2015Z 300DEG 27KT 3384 8698 3357 8705
          3346 8710 3297 8747

56
Local storm report, May 7, 3:46 PM CDT, 43 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 7, 3:54 PM CDT, 35 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 7, 3:56 PM CDT, 33 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 7, 4:07 PM CDT, 22 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
407 PM CDT MON MAY 7 2012

ALZ017-026-072145-
BLOUNT AL-ST. CLAIR AL-
407 PM CDT MON MAY 7 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN ST. CLAIR AND
SOUTHEASTERN BLOUNT COUNTIES UNTIL 445 PM CDT...

AT 403 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM LOCUST FORK TO BARBER
MOTORSPORTS PARK...AND MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  ODENVILLE...
  COOSA ISLAND...
  PLEASANT GROVE...
  ST. CLAIR SPRINGS...
  MACEDONIA...

&&

LAT...LON 3398 8633 3394 8637 3394 8633 3398 8629
      3352 8627 3346 8631 3346 8638 3350 8638
      3350 8648 3355 8648 3356 8655 3372 8652
      3376 8655 3376 8665 3379 8668 3402 8668
      3403 8633
TIME...MOT...LOC 2107Z 272DEG 29KT 3393 8645 3354 8644

GRANTHAM
Special weather statement, May 7, 4:29 PM CDT, 0 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
429 PM CDT MON MAY 7 2012

ALZ025-027-072215-
SHELBY AL-TALLADEGA AL-
429 PM CDT MON MAY 7 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR TALLADEGA AND SHELBY COUNTIES
UNTIL 515 PM CDT...

AT 426 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM BALD ROCK TO MONTEVALLO...
AND MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  COLUMBIANA...
  WILSONVILLE...
  CHILDERSBURG...
  TALLADEGA SPRINGS...
  TALLADEGA...

&&

LAT...LON 3350 8590 3338 8598 3329 8598 3330 8612
      3320 8612 3319 8617 3310 8618 3310 8649
      3302 8655 3307 8662 3306 8691 3355 8650
      3350 8648 3350 8638 3339 8638 3352 8627
      3349 8626 3354 8619 3362 8620 3352 8582
TIME...MOT...LOC 2130Z 286DEG 26KT 3357 8635 3305 8678

GRANTHAM

The office that day

Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 6, 7:04 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Walker41 min
May 6, 7:20 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXJefferson40 min
May 6, 7:44 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXJefferson, Tuscaloosa46 min
May 6, 7:54 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXRandolph51 min
May 6, 8:19 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXPickens41 min
May 6, 8:30 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXShelby45 min
May 6, 9:29 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXChambers46 min
May 6, 9:56 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXWalker49 min
May 6, 10:13 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXLee47 min
May 6, 10:27 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXCalhoun48 min
May 6, 10:41 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXMacon49 min
May 6, 11:26 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXElmore49 min
May 7, 12:54 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXFayette, Lamar51 min
May 7, 1:20 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXPickens40 min
May 7, 1:42 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXMarion48 min
May 7, 1:44 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXFayette, Pickens46 min
May 7, 2:15 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXGreene, Sumter45 min
May 7, 2:29 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXTuscaloosa, Walker46 min
May 7, 2:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWalker45 min
May 7, 3:05 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXGreene, Hale, Sumter40 min
May 7, 3:15 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXBibb, Blount, Jefferson, Shelby45 min
May 7, 3:54 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXJefferson51 min
May 7, 3:56 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXBlount3 hr
May 7, 3:56 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXJefferson49 min
May 7, 4:07 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXBlount, St. Clair38 min
May 7, 4:55 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXCalhoun50 min
May 7, 5:16 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXClay, Coosa, Talladega44 min

Nearby

Special Weather Statements in Alabama, 2012Every special weather statement in 2012

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.