Alert archive / Alabama / Special Weather Statements in 2012

Special Weather Statement, NWS Birmingham, AL

July 11, 2012DeKalb County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this special weather statement at Jul 11, 2012, 8:11 PM CDT for DeKalb County, Alabama. It was in force for 34 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: Jul 11, 2012, 8:11 PM CDT (01:11 UTC)
Expired: Jul 11, 2012, 8:45 PM CDT
In force: 34 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL

County DeKalb County, AL

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 79 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:12 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

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 1.2 hours before the alert went out and 148 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: 564 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -24 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1486 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 15 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 32 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 47 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 Jul 11, 6:50 PM CDT, 1 hour 21 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 11, 6:50 PM CDT, 1 hour 21 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
650 PM CDT WED JUL 11 2012

.UPDATE...

FOR 00Z AVIATION.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

ACTIVE AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHAPING UP ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA.
UPPER LOW CONTINUES TO SPIN ACROSS THE LOWER MS RIVER VALLEY...WITH
A SURFACE REFLECTION EVIDENT IN CENTRAL MS SURFACE OBS. WITH PW
VALUES NOW OVER 2.00 INCHES ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA...EXPECT
WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. SOME
STRONGER STORMS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GUSTY WINDS...BUT SHOULD REMAIN
BELOW SEVERE LIMITS. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LIKELY CAUSE PONDING ON
ROADWAYS. SEVERAL WAVES OF ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH
NORTHEASTWARD FROM MS...THE FIRST CURRENTLY APPROACHING THE
INTERSTATE 65 CORRIDOR FROM CHILTON COUNTY NORTHWARD. DEVELOPMENT
ALONG THE SEA BREEZE IS PUSHING NORTHWARD FROM THE NORTH FL GULF
COAST...AND WILL BE APPROACHING THE INTERSTATE 85 CORRIDOR WITH IN A
COUPLE HOURS. HAVE INCREASED POPS IN THE NEAR TERM AND FOR
TONIGHT...WITH MOST LOCATIONS AT OR NEAR 100 PERCENT. RAINFALL
TOTALS WILL AVERAGE 0.50-1.00 INCH THROUGH TONIGHT. CONVECTIVE CELLS
WILL PUT DOWN HIGHER AMOUNTS.

THE WET PATTERN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TOMORROW NIGHT. THE UPPER
TROUGH TO OUR WEST WILL STRENGTHEN TONIGHT...CAUSING WIND FIELDS TO
INCREASE RESULTING IN ADDITIONAL LIFT...AND SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPS
ALOFT WILL HELP INCREASE LAPSE RATES. A DECREASE IN ACTIVITY IS
EXPECTED LATE TONIGHT...BUT WITH HELP FROM DAYTIME HEATING AND THE
STRENGTHENING UPPER LOW...ACTIVITY WILL INCREASE AGAIN TOMORROW.
WOULD EXPECT THE RADAR MAP TO LOOK SIMILAR TOMORROW AFTERNOON AS IT
DOES TODAY. WHILE HIGHEST RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL REMAIN TO OUR
NORTHWEST...AVERAGE QPF ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA WILL BE BETWEEN 2-4
INCHES THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK.

THE UPPER LOW WHICH HAS BEEN ROTATING TO OUR WEST FOR SEVERAL DAYS
NOW WILL LIFT NORTHEASTWARD FRIDAY IN ADVANCE OF A SHORT WAVE
CROSSING THE NORTHERN CONUS. IT WILL TAKE MUCH OF THE DEEPER
MOISTURE CURRENTLY ACROSS THE AREA WITH IT...AS UPPER LEVEL RIDGING
BUILDS BACK INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN CONUS FROM THE ATLANTIC. POPS WILL
RETURN TO NEAR NORMAL FOR THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK WITH THE MORE
TYPICAL AFTERNOON CONVECTION EXPECTED EACH DAY. COOLER TEMPERATURES
OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS WILL RISE BACK INTO THE LOW TO MID 90S.

&&

.AVIATION...

00Z TAF DISCUSSION.

ONGOING SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE
EARLY EVENING HOURS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. RAINFALL IS EXPECTED
TO END OR AT LEAST BECOME MUCH MORE ISOLATED WITHIN THE NEXT FEW
HOURS. EXPECT SOME CEILINGS IN THE MVFR RANGE AGAIN BY THE MORNING
HOURS WITH MORE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BY TOMORROW AFTERNOON.
WINDS MAY BE VARIABLE FOR A WHILE THIS EVENING DUE TO MULTIPLE
OUTFLOWS ASSOCIATED WITH RAIN AREAS...BUT GENERALLY A LIGHT SOUTH
TO SOUTHWEST FLOW.

&&

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

&&

14/88

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 11, 1:02 PM CDT, 7 hours 9 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
102 PM CDT WED JUL 11 2012

ALZ011>015-017>050-121815-
MARION-LAMAR-FAYETTE-WINSTON-WALKER-BLOUNT-ETOWAH-CALHOUN-CHEROKEE-
CLEBURNE-PICKENS-TUSCALOOSA-JEFFERSON-SHELBY-ST. CLAIR-TALLADEGA-
CLAY-RANDOLPH-SUMTER-GREENE-HALE-PERRY-BIBB-CHILTON-COOSA-TALLAPOOSA-
CHAMBERS-MARENGO-DALLAS-AUTAUGA-LOWNDES-ELMORE-MONTGOMERY-MACON-
BULLOCK-LEE-RUSSELL-PIKE-BARBOUR-
102 PM CDT WED JUL 11 2012

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

HEAVY RAINFALL FROM SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT COULD CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN SMALL STREAMS AND LOW
LYING AREAS WITH POOR DRAINAGE. THE MAIN AREA OF CONCERN WILL BE
NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20 AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 65 BETWEEN 3 PM AND
MIDNIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

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, Jul 11, 6:22 PM CDT, 1 hour 49 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
622 PM CDT WED JUL 11 2012

ALZ043>045-112345-
ELMORE AL-MACON AL-MONTGOMERY AL-
622 PM CDT WED JUL 11 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN MONTGOMERY...WESTERN
MACON AND SOUTHEASTERN ELMORE COUNTIES UNTIL 645 PM CDT...

AT 619 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF WAUGH...OR 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
MILSTEAD...MOVING NORTH AT 15 MPH.

HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  MILSTEAD...
  TALLASSEE...
  WAUGH...
  TYSONVILLE...
  VICTORYLAND...

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 3222 8608 3258 8614 3259 8589 3250 8589
      3249 8585 3223 8586 3225 8588 3229 8588
      3230 8590 3228 8590 3227 8598 3222 8600
TIME...MOT...LOC 2322Z 176DEG 12KT 3231 8597

56

Special weather statement, Jul 11, 6:42 PM CDT, 1 hour 29 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
642 PM CDT WED JUL 11 2012

ALZ037-043>045-120030-
ELMORE AL-MACON AL-MONTGOMERY AL-TALLAPOOSA AL-
642 PM CDT WED JUL 11 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN TALLAPOOSA...
NORTHEASTERN MONTGOMERY...WESTERN MACON AND EASTERN ELMORE COUNTIES
UNTIL 730 PM CDT...

AT 638 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM NEAR VICTORYLAND...OR NEAR MILSTEAD...MOVING NORTH AT 15
MPH.

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

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  MILSTEAD...
  TALLASSEE...
  REEVES AIRPORT...
  TALLAPOOSA CITY...
  KENT...

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 3236 8609 3275 8606 3276 8603 3272 8577
      3234 8588
TIME...MOT...LOC 2342Z 189DEG 14KT 3244 8597

56

Special weather statement, Jul 11, 6:43 PM CDT, 1 hour 28 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
643 PM CDT WED JUL 11 2012

ALZ043-120030-
ELMORE AL-
643 PM CDT WED JUL 11 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL ELMORE COUNTY UNTIL 730
PM CDT...

AT 642 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM NEAR WETUMPKA...MOVING NORTH AT 20 MPH.

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

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  WETUMPKA...
  SANTUCK...
  DEXTER...
  TEN CEDAR ESTATES...
  WEOKA MILLS...

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 3244 8619 3246 8619 3247 8623 3248 8622
      3250 8626 3247 8629 3249 8631 3245 8632
      3246 8636 3275 8636 3277 8633 3275 8631
      3275 8609 3244 8615
TIME...MOT...LOC 2343Z 185DEG 17KT 3254 8625

56

Special weather statement, Jul 11, 7:13 PM CDT, 58 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
713 PM CDT WED JUL 11 2012

ALZ036-120100-
COOSA AL-
713 PM CDT WED JUL 11 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN COOSA COUNTY UNTIL
800 PM CDT...

AT 710 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM NEAR TEN CEDAR ESTATES...OR 9 MILES NORTH OF WETUMPKA...
MOVING NORTH AT 15 MPH.

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

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  EQUALITY...
  ROCKFORD...
  KELLYTON...
  SPEED...
  PENTONVILLE...

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 3275 8609 3276 8632 3277 8633 3302 8628
      3299 8601 3295 8601
TIME...MOT...LOC 0013Z 196DEG 12KT 3269 8623

56

Special weather statement, Jul 11, 7:40 PM CDT, 31 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 11, 8:11 PM 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
Jul 11, 7:13 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Coosa	47 min
Jul 11, 7:40 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Tallapoosa	50 min
Jul 12, 3:42 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Etowah	3 hr
Jul 12, 5:37 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Chambers, Cleburne, Randolph	23 min
Jul 12, 5:59 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Barbour	46 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.