Alert archive / Alabama / Special Weather Statements in 2012

Special Weather Statement, NWS Birmingham, AL

May 31, 2012Lamar County, Marion County, Pickens County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this special weather statement at May 31, 2012, 6:02 PM CDT for Lamar County, Marion County, Pickens County, Alabama. It was in force for 43 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 31, 2012, 6:02 PM CDT (23:02 UTC)
Expired: May 31, 2012, 6:45 PM CDT
In force: 43 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL

Counties Lamar County, AL, Marion County, AL, Pickens County, AL

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 11.0 hours before the alert went out and 122 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: 12 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -234 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1911 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -12 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 122 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 31, 3:45 PM CDT, 2 hours 17 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 31, 3:45 PM CDT, 2 hours 17 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
345 PM CDT THU MAY 31 2012

.DISCUSSION...
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED IN ASSOCIATION WITH AN UPPER
LEVEL TROUGH/LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AXIS/LEFTOVER BOUNDARY FROM PREVIOUS
CONVECTION/CLOUD LINE HEATING DIFFERENTIAL. THIS ACTIVITY HAS KEPT
CLOUD COVER ACROSS THE AREA TODAY LIMITING THE OVERALL INSTABILITY.
ADDITIONALLY...THIS ACTIVITY HAS DELAYED THE RETURN MOISTURE FROM
THE SOUTH. AN MCV WAS MOVING NORTHEASTWARD INTO WESTERN GEORGIA AND
THE MORE STABLE ATMOSPHERE HAS NOT INTERACTED WITH THIS FEATURE MUCH
AT ALL. THEREFORE...CAN NOT RULE OUT AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM
ANYWHERE THIS AFTERNOON...BUT THESE SHOULD BE SOMEWHAT LIMITED TO
AREAS THAT HAVE HEATED UP SOUTH AND WEST. THE THREATS WILL BE
DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN.

SEVERAL LARGE SCALE AND SMALL SCALE FEATURES HAVE COMBINED TO KICK
OFF THUNDERSTORMS FROM SOUTHERN LOUISIANA TO SOUTHERN INDIANA THIS
AFTERNOON. THE AREA FROM NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI INTO NORTHEAST
ARKANSAS HAS ORGANIZED A BIT AND DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL HAVE BEEN
REPORTED. ANOTHER AREA IN LOUISIANA REMAINS STRONG TO SEVERE WITH
ACTIVITY FILLING IN INBETWEEN THESE AREAS. ON THE CURRENT
TRAJECTORY THE STORMS WILL BEGIN MOVING INTO WESTERN ALABAMA BETWEEN
4 PM AND 7 PM. THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED INHIBITIONS HAVE CREATED A
GREAT CHALLENGE ON HOW MUCH INSTABILITY WILL BE AVAILABLE AS THE
MEAN TROUGH PUSHES THE ACTIVITY THIS WAY. WILL GO WITH THE IDEA
THAT THE GREATEST SEVERE RISK WILL BE WEST OF A LINE FROM UNIONTOWN
TO ALABASTER TO ONEONTA FROM 4 PM UNTIL MIDNIGHT. EVEN WITH THE
SYNOPTIC LIFT AND HEIGHT FALLS ALOFT APPROACHING...THE STORMS
SHOULD EXHIBIT A WEAKENING TREND LATE TONIGHT. SO ALL OTHER AREAS
MAY STILL RECEIVE AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM AT SOME POINT OVERNIGHT...
BUT THE INTENSITY SHOULD STILL OVERALL GO DOWN.

A LINGERING STRONG TO SEVERE STORM MAY STILL BE SOUTH OF INTERSTATE
20 ON FRIDAY MORNING...BUT WITH LIMITED SURFACE HEATING...COVERAGE
OF THESE STORMS WILL BE VERY LIMITED AND CONFIDENCE IS LOW. BELIEVE
THE COLD FRONT WILL PUSH EASTWARD FAR ENOUGH BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON THAT
STORMS WILL BE VERY LIMITED BY AFTERNOON TO AREAS NEAR TROY AND
EUFAULA AT BEST. REMOVED ANY MENTION INTO FRIDAY EVENING.

MEDIUM RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO BE IN GOOD AGREEMENT AND ARE
EXHIBITING GOOD RUN TO RUN CONTINUITY. THE LARGE EAST COAST UPPER
TROUGH WILL HAVE A GREATER INFLUENCE THAN THE WESTERN RIDGE AS
MENTIONED YESTERDAY. A WEAK SURFACE FRONT ENTERS THE AREA ON MONDAY
AND VERY SLOWLY MOVES SOUTHWARD. THIS BOUNDARY MAY BE THE FOCUS OF
A FEW STORMS BUT THE AMOUNT OF AVAILABLE MOISTURE IS STILL IN
QUESTION. KEPT 15-30 POPS IN EACH PERIOD NEXT WEEK. TEMPERATURES
COOL OFF BELOW NORMAL THIS WEEKEND AND BOUNCE BACK TO JUST
ABOVE NORMAL NEXT WEEK.

75

&&

.AVIATION...
18Z TAF DISCUSSION.

A VERY COMPLICATED FORECAST WILL BE UPON US DURING THE EVENING HOURS
AND OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. FIRST...DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND STORMS
ACROSS THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE STATE WILL SLOWLY BEGIN TO MOVE
EASTWARD AND WILL AFFECT KBHM AND KEET BY 21Z WITH POSSIBLE TSRA.
THE SAME SHOWERS AND STORMS COULD BEGIN TO AFFECT KMGM AFTER 22Z. A
FEW SHOWERS AND STORMS HAVE ALSO DEVELOPED ALONG A SEABREEZE
BOUNDARY MOVING NORTHWARD INTO SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA...AND INCLUDED A
VCTS FOR KTOI THIS AFTERNOON AS WELL. ONCE THE BATCH OF SHOWERS AND
STORMS DISSIPATES THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS WE SHOULD OBSERVE A
BREAK IN ACTIVITY UNTIL LATE THIS EVENING. UNCERTAINTY THEN
INCREASES WITH THE FORECAST DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AS SHOWERS
AND STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ONCE AGAIN. AS A COLD FRONT MOVES
INTO THE STATE FROM THE NORTHWEST...LINE OF SHOWERS AND STORMS IS
ANTICIPATED TO DEVELOP OUT AHEAD OF THE FRONT. CURRENTLY...THERE IS
MUCH UNCERTAINTY AS TO WHEN THE LINE WILL DEVELOP AND THE TIMING
ASSOCIATED WITH THE STORMS IN THE TAFS. FOR NOW...WENT AHEAD AND
ADDED RA WITH VCTS FOR ALL SITES FROM 02 TO 04Z INSTEAD OF
PREVAILING TSRA FOR THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE ACTUAL THUNDERSTORM
TIMING. BASED ON WHERE THE STORMS FORM...EXPECT AMENDMENTS
THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT FOR REFINEMENTS OF TIMING FOR CERTAIN TERMINAL
LOCATIONS. WINDS WILL REMAIN FROM THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST THROUGH THE
PERIOD...AND COULD BE GUSTY WITH ANY LINE OF STORMS THAT DEVELOPS.
THE COLD FRONT LOOKS TO MOVE THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING WITH A WIND
SHIFT TO THE NORTHWEST AND WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE 00Z TAF PERIOD.

56/GDG

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
AS MENTIONED IN PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS...LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN REMAINS A
POSSIBILITY THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY. ISOLATED SPOTS
RECEIVED 2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN OVERNIGHT WHILE OTHERS MEASURED
NOTHING. EXPECTED A FAIRLY WIDESPREAD RAIN EVENT OVERNIGHT INTO
FRIDAY. AT THIS TIME IT APPEARS THAT CUMULATIVE RAINFALL TOTALS WILL
AVERAGE AROUND AN INCH OR LESS BUT LOCALIZED HIGHER AMOUNTS OF TWO
INCHES OR MORE WILL BE POSSIBLE. ONCE THE FRONT MOVES EAST OF THE
AREA DRIER AIR WILL OVERSPREAD CENTRAL ALABAMA THROUGH MUCH OF THE
WEEKEND WITH DRY CONDITIONS RETURNING. SINCE CENTRAL ALABAMA
STREAMFLOWS REMAIN LOW AT THIS TIME...WIDESPREAD FLOODING ISSUES
ARE NOT EXPECTED. BUT IF ANY AREAS RECEIVE MULTIPLE STORMS OR HEAVY
RAIN...A FEW MINOR PROBLEM AREAS MAY DEVELOP IN POOR DRAINAGE ZONES.

75/41

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GADSDEN     68  77  54  80  59 /  80  40  10  10  10
ANNISTON    68  79  59  81  62 /  70  40  10  10  10
BIRMINGHAM  68  78  54  81  64 /  80  30   0  10  10
TUSCALOOSA  70  79  56  83  62 /  80  20   0  10  10
CALERA      68  80  58  79  64 /  80  30   0  10  10
AUBURN      69  80  60  82  66 /  50  60  10  10  10
MONTGOMERY  70  83  60  85  65 /  60  40  10  10  10
TROY        67  82  58  84  62 /  50  60  10  10  10

&&

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

&&

75/75/56

Hazardous weather outlook, May 31, 1:56 PM CDT, 4 hours 6 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
156 PM CDT THU MAY 31 2012

ALZ011>015-017>050-011900-
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-
156 PM CDT THU MAY 31 2012

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS ALL OF
CENTRAL ALABAMA. ANY STORM THAT DEVELOPS WILL POSE A THREAT OF
DAMAGING STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT COULD AFFECT WESTERN
COUNTIES AS EARLY AS 4 PM AND LAST UNTIL MIDNIGHT. THIS ACTIVITY WILL
SPREAD EASTWARD OVERNIGHT...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS LASTING THROUGH 6 AM FRIDAY MORNING. THE GREATEST
SEVERE STORM THREAT EXISTS WEST OF A LINE FROM UNIONTOWN...TO
ALABASTER...TO ONEONTA. THE PRIMARY THREAT IS DAMAGING STRAIGHT-
LINE WINDS...WITH A SECONDARY THREAT OF LARGE HAIL AND LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINFALL. THE THREAT OF TORNADOES IS VERY LOW. SOME
WEAKENING OF STORMS IS EXPECTED AFTER MIDNIGHT...BUT ISOLATED
SEVERE STORMS ARE STILL POSSIBLE

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE FRIDAY THROUGH 6 PM
GENERALLY FOR AREAS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20. THE GREATEST SEVERE
STORM THREAT EXISTS ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM MONTGOMERY TO
ROANOKE. THE PRIMARY THREAT IS DAMAGING STRAIGHT-LINE
WINDS...WITH A SECONDARY THREAT OF LARGE HAIL AND LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINFALL. THE THREAT OF TORNADOES IS VERY LOW.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS NECESSARY
THIS AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY.

75

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 31, 3:43 PM CDT, 2 hours 19 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
343 PM CDT THU MAY 31 2012

ALZ042-044-312130-
LOWNDES AL-MONTGOMERY AL-
343 PM CDT THU MAY 31 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN MONTGOMERY AND
NORTHEASTERN LOWNDES COUNTIES UNTIL 430 PM CDT...

AT 341 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM NEAR LOWNDESBORO...OR NEAR HAYNEVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 25 MPH.

HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  MONTGOMERY...
  LOWNDESBORO...
  CANTELOUS...
  DANNELLY FIELD...
  HOPE HULL...

THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS... FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

&&

LAT...LON 3210 8668 3234 8668 3237 8655 3234 8653
      3234 8650 3236 8649 3238 8646 3239 8646
      3242 8632 3223 8616
TIME...MOT...LOC 2043Z 236DEG 21KT 3224 8659

61

Local storm report, May 31, 4:39 PM CDT, 1 hour 23 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
439 PM CDT THU MAY 31 2012

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0413 PM     TSTM WND GST     2 NW MONTGOMERY         32.38N 86.31W
05/31/2012  M58 MPH          MONTGOMERY         AL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            ON RSA CAMERA IN DOWNTOWN MONTGOMERY.

&&

AG

Special weather statement, May 31, 4:44 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
444 PM CDT THU MAY 31 2012

ALZ037-043-045-312245-
ELMORE AL-MACON AL-TALLAPOOSA AL-
444 PM CDT THU MAY 31 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN TALLAPOOSA...WESTERN
MACON AND ELMORE COUNTIES UNTIL 545 PM CDT...

AT 441 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM NEAR WAUGH...OR 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MILSTEAD...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  WETUMPKA...
  MILSTEAD...
  TALLASSEE...
  TUSKEGEE...
  EMERALD MOUNTAIN...

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A
STURDY BUILDING.

&&

LAT...LON 3226 8587 3230 8590 3228 8590 3229 8594
      3232 8596 3234 8599 3242 8603 3240 8605
      3243 8619 3246 8619 3247 8623 3250 8625
      3248 8629 3265 8642 3275 8602 3276 8572
      3231 8570
TIME...MOT...LOC 2144Z 229DEG 20KT 3238 8604

61

Special weather statement, May 31, 6:02 PM CDT, 0 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
602 PM CDT THU MAY 31 2012

ALZ011-012-022-312345-
LAMAR AL-MARION AL-PICKENS AL-
602 PM CDT THU MAY 31 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR PICKENS...MARION AND LAMAR
COUNTIES UNTIL 645 PM CDT...

AT 559 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES NORTHEAST OF
TREMONT TO PANOLA...AND MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  SULLIGENT...
  VERNON...
  ALICEVILLE...
  MILLPORT...
  CARROLLTON...

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A
STURDY BUILDING.

&&

LAT...LON 3431 8818 3431 8764 3392 8767 3392 8795
      3389 8796 3353 8794 3352 8784 3315 8784
      3304 8805 3304 8814 3299 8818 3299 8834
TIME...MOT...LOC 2302Z 270DEG 25KT 3429 8814 3300 8829

61

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 31, 3:43 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Lowndes	47 min
May 31, 3:49 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lowndes, Montgomery	41 min
May 31, 4:04 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Elmore, Montgomery	41 min
May 31, 4:44 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Elmore	61 min
May 31, 6:11 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Sumter	49 min
May 31, 6:35 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Marengo	55 min
May 31, 6:50 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene	40 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.