Alert archive / Alabama / Special Weather Statements in 2012

Special Weather Statement, NWS Birmingham, AL

May 22, 2012Tuscaloosa County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this special weather statement at May 22, 2012, 12:52 AM CDT for Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. It was in force for 38 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 22, 2012, 12:52 AM CDT (05:52 UTC)
Expired: May 22, 2012, 1:30 AM CDT
In force: 38 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL

County Tuscaloosa County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 51 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 05:53 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 00:00Z, 5.9 hours before the alert went out and 50 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 174 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -24 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1734 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 9 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -8 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 12 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 21, 11:50 PM CDT, 1 hour 2 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 21, 11:50 PM CDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1150 PM CDT MON MAY 21 2012

.UPDATE...
FOR 06Z AVIATION.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

I'D LIKE TO SAY WE ARE OUT OF THE WOODS FOR THE REST OF THE
EVENING...BUT I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE.  AFTER GOING OVER
SOME OF THE MESOSCALE PARAMETERS HERE'S THE SKINNY FOR THE REST OF
THE EVENING...

THE FRONT IS STILL WELL BACK OVER CENTRAL ARKANSAS.  THIS IS EVIDENT
IN THE 850MB TEMPERATURES.  THE REASON WE ARE NOT SEEING MORE
COVERAGE OF CONVECTION IS BECAUSE THE UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT IS WELL
OUT AHEAD OF THE FRONT...BASICALLY OVER US OR JUST TO THE EAST OF
US.  THIS IS HELPING TO SPARK WHAT DEVELOPMENT WE ARE SEEING OVER NE
MS AND NORTHERN ALABAMA.  THE ACTIVITY OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN
MISSISSIPPI IS BEING HELPED BY A MID-LEVEL WAVE...WHICH COULD ALSO
HELP TO SPARK MORE ACTIVITY FOR US THROUGH THE MIDNIGHT HOUR...
ESPECIALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20.  I WOULD NOT BE
SURPRISED TO SEE SOME STRONG STORMS WITH PEA TO PENNY SIZED HAIL
OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS AS THE MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES ARE PRETTY
STEEP...AND THE 500MB TEMPERATURES OVER NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI...WHICH
WILL ADVECT INTO ALABAMA OVERNIGHT...ARE -15C.  OUTFLOWS COULD
BECOME OUR WORST ENEMY THOUGH...AS TYPICALLY THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE
FOR STORMS THAT BECOME SEVERE IN THESE ENVIRONMENTS OF LITTLE
SYNOPTIC FORCING.  WE WILL HAVE TO SCOUR THE AREA FOR THESE TONIGHT.

SO LOOK FOR ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO
CONTINUE THROUGH AT LEAST MIDNIGHT...AND MAYBE LATER...WITH A FEW OF
THEM BECOMING STRONG.

I HAVE ADDED IN SOME PATCHY FOG TOO AS THERE WERE QUITE A FEW AREAS
THAT SAW RAIN TODAY.  SATURATED GROUNDS AND FROPA WILL LEAD TO
FOG...ESPECIALLY WITH LIGHT BOUNDARY WINDS TO CALM SURFACE WINDS...
WHICH WE SHOULD SEE.

27

&&

.AVIATION...
06Z TAF DISCUSSION.

VFR TO MVFR CONDITIONS AT ISSUANCE.  A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS
MOVING IN FROM THE NORTHWEST HAS CHANGED THINGS UP SLIGHTLY...AND I
HAVE ADDED THESE IN FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS AT OUR NORTHERN SITES.
THEY WILL LIKELY BRING MVFR VIS WITH SOME OF THE HEAVIER RAINFALL.

NOT SURE HOW TO HANDLE THE THUNDERSTORMS FOR KMGM AND KTOI AS THEY
MAY FALL APART OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS.  WILL AMEND AS NECESSARY.

HAVE KEPT IN THE FOG WORDING FOR EARLY MORNING HOURS.  STILL DEALING
WITH A SIMILAR SET UP AS I SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER...WITH THE SATURATED
GROUNDS AND FRONTAL PASSAGE.  THIS SHOULD LOWER VIS/CIG FOR A COUPLE
OF HOURS INTO THE DAYLIGHT...RETURNING TO VFR BY 15-16Z.

SIMILAR SET UP FOR TOMORROW...ESPECIALLY FOR KMGM...KTOI AND KANB.

27

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.

&&

27

Hazardous weather outlook, May 21, 11:55 PM CDT, 57 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1155 PM CDT MON MAY 21 2012

ALZ011>015-017>050-230145-
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-
1155 PM CDT MON MAY 21 2012

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

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH 2 AM CDT...MAINLY
ALONG THE I-20 CORRIDOR WEST OF I-65. THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE
DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.

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

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS NOT
EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 21, 11:11 PM CDT, 1 hour 41 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1111 PM CDT MON MAY 21 2012

ALZ012-013-022-023-220500-
FAYETTE AL-LAMAR AL-PICKENS AL-TUSCALOOSA AL-
1111 PM CDT MON MAY 21 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN TUSCALOOSA...NORTHERN
PICKENS...SOUTHERN LAMAR AND FAYETTE COUNTIES UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT...

AT 1107 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES SOUTH OF KANSAS TO
BANKSTON TO KENNEDY TO ETHELSVILLE...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  REFORM...
  GORDO...
  BANKSTON...
  ASHCRAFT CORNER...
  BERRY...

TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED
ROADWAY.

&&

LAT...LON 3370 8826 3378 8821 3392 8778 3391 8764
      3387 8763 3386 8753 3370 8753 3369 8742
      3361 8742 3359 8732 3352 8732 3351 8726
      3348 8729 3349 8733 3347 8734 3342 8726
      3336 8728 3328 8770 3325 8831
TIME...MOT...LOC 0411Z 315DEG 27KT 3380 8757 3363 8771
          3355 8792 3345 8818

MA

Special weather statement, May 21, 11:15 PM CDT, 1 hour 37 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1115 PM CDT MON MAY 21 2012

ALZ015-220500-
WALKER AL-
1115 PM CDT MON MAY 21 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WALKER COUNTY UNTIL MIDNIGHT
CDT...

AT 1112 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM NEAR JASPER...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.

HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  JASPER...
  CORDOVA...
  LYNNS PARK...
  PARRISH...
  SIPSEY...

TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED
ROADWAY.

&&

LAT...LON 3385 8704 3365 8723 3387 8749 3400 8737
      3400 8732
TIME...MOT...LOC 0415Z 309DEG 7KT 3389 8734

MA

Special weather statement, May 21, 11:52 PM CDT, 1 hour before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1152 PM CDT MON MAY 21 2012

ALZ022-023-220530-
PICKENS AL-TUSCALOOSA AL-
1152 PM CDT MON MAY 21 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL TUSCALOOSA AND NORTHERN
PICKENS COUNTIES UNTIL 1230 AM CDT...

AT 1149 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF
SAMANTHA TO REFORM TO NEW HOPE...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  PICKENSVILLE...
  GORDO...
  CARROLLTON...
  NORTHPORT...
  TUSCALOOSA...

&&

LAT...LON 3342 8830 3343 8805 3353 8778 3352 8774
      3352 8766 3327 8732 3320 8763 3317 8832
TIME...MOT...LOC 0452Z 302DEG 17KT 3347 8768 3338 8796
          3338 8830

MA

Special weather statement, May 22, 12:10 AM CDT, 42 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1210 AM CDT TUE MAY 22 2012

ALZ015-220600-
WALKER AL-
1210 AM CDT TUE MAY 22 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WALKER COUNTY UNTIL 100 AM CDT...

AT 1206 AM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM SMITH DAM TO 6 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF BOLEY SPRINGS...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH
HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  CORDOVA...
  DORA...
  SUMITON...
  LYNNS PARK...
  SIPSEY...

TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED
ROADWAY.

&&

LAT...LON 3392 8708 3390 8710 3386 8696 3380 8696
      3377 8703 3369 8704 3363 8710 3362 8717
      3355 8719 3352 8725 3351 8731 3359 8732
      3361 8742 3369 8743 3370 8753 3386 8753
      3387 8764 3400 8764 3399 8720 3401 8717
TIME...MOT...LOC 0510Z 293DEG 15KT 3388 8710 3358 8742

Special weather statement, May 22, 12:24 AM CDT, 28 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1224 AM CDT TUE MAY 22 2012

ALZ022-220630-
PICKENS AL-
1224 AM CDT TUE MAY 22 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN PICKENS COUNTY UNTIL 130
AM CDT...

AT 1220 AM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF LAKE
LURLEEN STATE PARK TO 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ALICEVILLE...AND MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH
FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  BENEVOLA...
  PIONEER...

&&

LAT...LON 3310 8833 3346 8785 3345 8784 3315 8784
      3311 8794 3308 8797 3306 8803 3304 8805
      3305 8807 3304 8808 3304 8814 3299 8818
      3299 8834
TIME...MOT...LOC 0525Z 309DEG 17KT 3333 8774 3306 8821

Special weather statement, May 22, 12:52 AM CDT, 0 minutes before

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The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 21, 8:55 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Marion	50 min
May 21, 9:42 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Marion	48 min
May 21, 10:26 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Lamar, Marion	49 min
May 21, 10:45 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Lamar	30 min
May 21, 11:11 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Pickens	49 min
May 21, 11:15 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Walker	45 min
May 21, 11:17 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Tuscaloosa	28 min
May 21, 11:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	36 min
May 21, 11:52 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Pickens, Tuscaloosa	38 min
May 22, 12:10 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Walker	50 min
May 22, 12:14 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker	46 min
May 22, 12:24 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Pickens	66 min
May 22, 12:40 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson	40 min
May 22, 1:07 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Tuscaloosa	26 min
May 22, 1:13 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Shelby	47 min
May 22, 1:32 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Hale	43 min
May 22, 1:45 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Chilton	45 min
May 22, 1:59 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Perry	31 min
May 22, 2:39 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Dallas	51 min
May 22, 5:41 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Barbour	49 min

Nearby

Special Weather Statements in Alabama, 2012 Every 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.