Alert archive / Alabama / Special Weather Statements in 2012

Special Weather Statement, NWS Birmingham, AL

July 31, 2012Marion County, Winston County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this special weather statement at Jul 31, 2012, 2:40 AM CDT for Marion County, Winston County, Alabama. It was in force for 65 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 31, 2012, 2:40 AM CDT (07:40 UTC)
Expired: Jul 31, 2012, 3:45 AM CDT
In force: 65 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL

Counties Marion County, AL, Winston County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 60 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:41 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, 7.7 hours before the alert went out and 135 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: 771 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -144 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1852 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 28 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 39 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 145 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 1.5

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 31, 12:04 AM CDT, 2 hours 36 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 31, 12:04 AM CDT, 2 hours 36 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1204 AM CDT TUE JUL 31 2012

.UPDATE...
AVIATION DISCUSSION.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

MONITORING CONVECTIVE TRENDS UPSTREAM ACROSS TENNESSEE AND
MISSOURI TO SEE IF AN MCS DEVELOPS. NORTHWEST FLOW EVENTS ARE VERY
TRICKY AND CONFIDENCE IS LOW IN TONIGHT'S FORECAST. A FEW STORMS
HAVE DEVELOPED UPSTREAM ALONG A MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY GRADIENT
THAT EXTENDS FROM THE BOOTHEEL OF MISSOURI INTO WEST ALABAMA.
EXPECTING THIS AXIS TO CONTINUE TO BE THE FOCUS FOR DEVELOPMENT.
MIXED LAYER CAPE IN EXCESS OF 3000 J/KG STILL EXISTS ACROSS
NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI ALONG WITH 30-35 KT 0-6 KM BULK SHEAR.
THINKING THAT STORMS WILL STRENGTHEN AS THEY MOVE INTO THE REGION
OF ENHANCED INSTABILITY. OVERALL EVOLUTION AND INTENSITY OF
WHATEVER DEVELOPS IS HIGHLY UNCERTAIN...BUT DECIDED TO GO WITH
LIKELY POPS ACROSS THE NORTHWESTERN HALF OF THE AREA. IF A SOLID
MCS DEVELOPS WE COULD BE LOOKING AT A WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WIND
EVENT STARTING AS EARLY AS 2 AM ACROSS THE NORTHWESTERN COUNTIES.
IF STORMS REMAIN MORE SCATTERED IN NATURE THERE WILL STILL BE A
THREAT FOR ISOLATED DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL.

87/GRANTHAM

&&

.AVIATION...
06Z TAF DISCUSSION.

THE AFTERNOON/EVENING CONVECTION DOWN AROUND TROY WAS PERSISTENT...
BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THAT HAS FINALLY SETTLED DOWN. OUR ATTENTION IS
NOW TURNED TO THE NORTHEAST...WHERE ANOTHER CLUSTER OF STORMS HAS
SLOWLY RAMPED UP THE LAST COUPLE OF HOURS. THE STRONGEST CELL IN THE
THUNDERSTORM CLUSTER (AT 05Z) WAS JUST SOUTHWEST OF MSL...MOVING
SOUTHEAST. THAT PUTS IT ON COURSE TO HEAD RIGHT FOR BHM. THUS...THE
06Z TAFS WILL BE BASED ON THE IDEA THAT THAT STRONGEST CELL WILL
CONTINUE ITS CURRENT MOTION...AND ADDITIONAL (LESS STRONG) CELLS
WILL DEVELOP ON EITHER FLANK. SO...I'VE HIT THE STORMY CONDITIONS
HARDEST AT BHM AND EET...LESS SO AT TCL AND ANB. ADDITIONAL
DEVELOPMENT AHEAD OF THE MAIN CELL...AND/OR STRENGTHENING ON THE
FLANKS...WILL OBVIOUSLY LEAD TO AMENDMENTS TO THIS THINKING.

ONCE THE STORMS MOVE THROUGH OVERNIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY MORNING...I
THINK THAT WILL PRETTY MUCH STABILIZE THE ATMOSPHERE FOR THE REST OF
THE DAY. THUS...I'VE KEPT CONDITIONS WITH CUMULUS-ONLY VFR AFTER
ENDING THE RAIN.

/61/

&&

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

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 31, 2:39 AM CDT, 1 minute before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
239 AM CDT TUE JUL 31 2012

ALZ011>015-017>050-311500-
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-
239 AM CDT TUE JUL 31 2012

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

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY OVERNIGHT ACROSS A LARGE PORTION
OF CENTRAL ALABAMA. DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND FLASH FLOODING
ARE POSSIBLE.

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

ONGOING THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY FROM THE OVERNIGHT HOURS MAY BRING
A CONTINUED THREAT FOR DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL FOR PORTIONS
OF CENTRAL ALABAMA ON TUESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MAY BE
NECESSARY TONIGHT AND TUESDAY.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 30, 10:07 PM CDT, 4 hours 33 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1007 PM CDT MON JUL 30 2012

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

0815 PM     FLASH FLOOD      2 E HENDERSON           31.67N 86.04W
07/30/2012                   PIKE               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            COUNTY ROAD 2262 EAST OF HENDERSON BECAME IMPASSIBLE AND
            WAS CLOSED.

&&

GRANTHAM

Special weather statement, Jul 31, 12:15 AM CDT, 2 hours 25 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1215 AM CDT TUE JUL 31 2012

ALZ014-015-310600-
WALKER AL-WINSTON AL-
1215 AM CDT TUE JUL 31 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WINSTON AND NORTHERN WALKER
COUNTIES UNTIL 100 AM CDT...

AT 1214 AM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM WINSTON FREE STATE BARN TO
7 MILES NORTHWEST OF JASPER...AND MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.

HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  JASPER...
  ARLEY...
  CORDOVA...
  DORA...
  SUMITON...

&&

LAT...LON 3427 8756 3413 8710 3399 8710 3399 8713
      3397 8713 3396 8710 3392 8708 3390 8708
      3389 8705 3377 8702 3371 8704 3384 8746
TIME...MOT...LOC 0516Z 292DEG 16KT 3415 8743 3390 8738

GRANTHAM

Special weather statement, Jul 31, 12:27 AM CDT, 2 hours 13 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1227 AM CDT TUE JUL 31 2012

ALZ026-310615-
ST. CLAIR AL-
1227 AM CDT TUE JUL 31 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN ST. CLAIR COUNTY
UNTIL 115 AM CDT...

AT 1225 AM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM NEAR MOODY...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  PELL CITY...
  BALD ROCK...
  COOSA ISLAND...
  CAMP WINNATASAKA...
  CHULA VISTA...

&&

LAT...LON 3355 8618 3352 8623 3350 8623 3349 8626
      3352 8627 3344 8632 3348 8638 3350 8638
      3350 8642 3355 8648 3357 8653 3371 8649
TIME...MOT...LOC 0527Z 306DEG 16KT 3358 8646

GRANTHAM

Local storm report, Jul 31, 2:35 AM CDT, 5 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 31, 2:40 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
Jul 30, 7:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pike	27 min
Jul 30, 7:25 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Pike	3 hr
Jul 30, 8:13 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Pike	3 hr
Jul 30, 11:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion	78 min
Jul 31, 12:15 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Walker, Winston	45 min
Jul 31, 12:27 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	St. Clair	48 min
Jul 31, 12:32 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount	43 min
Jul 31, 12:34 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Winston	56 min
Jul 31, 12:48 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, St. Clair	57 min
Jul 31, 12:57 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Walker	48 min
Jul 31, 1:01 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Walker	74 min
Jul 31, 1:24 AM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Winston	2 hr
Jul 31, 1:36 AM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, Walker	3 hr
Jul 31, 1:40 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Shelby, Talladega	65 min
Jul 31, 1:53 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Jefferson	3 hr
Jul 31, 2:10 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Shelby	3 hr
Jul 31, 2:20 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Chilton, Coosa	70 min
Jul 31, 3:01 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga	74 min
Jul 31, 3:06 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Winston	24 min
Jul 31, 3:14 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Elmore	44 min
Jul 31, 3:20 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion, Walker, Winston	55 min
Jul 31, 3:37 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Lowndes, Montgomery	53 min
Jul 31, 4:09 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Shelby, Walker	71 min
Jul 31, 4:38 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Shelby	3 hr
Jul 31, 4:40 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chilton, Jefferson, Shelby, Walker	39 min
Jul 31, 6:11 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Dallas, Hale, Perry	49 min
Jul 31, 6:36 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Blount, Etowah, St. Clair	39 min
Jul 31, 7:28 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Shelby	3 hr
Jul 31, 8:32 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Lowndes	2 hr
Jul 31, 8:44 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, Talladega, Walker	46 min
Jul 31, 9:08 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chilton, Coosa, Shelby, Talladega	26 min
Jul 31, 10:30 AM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Shelby	6 hr

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.