Alert archive / Alabama / Special Weather Statements in 2012

Special Weather Statement, NWS Birmingham, AL

December 25, 20124 counties in Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this special weather statement at Dec 25, 2012, 6:33 PM CST for 4 counties in Alabama. It was in force for 57 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: Dec 25, 2012, 6:33 PM CST (00:33 UTC)
Expired: Dec 25, 2012, 7:30 PM CST
In force: 57 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL

Counties Bibb County, AL, Chilton County, AL, Jefferson County, AL, Shelby County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 32 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:33 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, 0.6 hours before the alert went out and 31 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: 22 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -78 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 563 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 63 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 696 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 921 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 Dec 25, 5:31 PM CST, 1 hour 2 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 25, 5:31 PM CST, 1 hour 2 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
531 PM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

.UPDATE...
FOR AVIATION DISCUSSION.

&&

SHORT TERM...

PDS TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 692 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR SEVERAL COUNTIES
IN OUR SOUTHWESTERN CWA...IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM. OUR CURRENT
THINKING IS THAT WE'VE GOT AT LEAST A COUPLE HOURS BEFORE THE
SEVERE THREAT STARTS TO RAMP UP IN THE BMX CWA. THE MAIN THING TO
WATCH BETWEEN NOW AND THEN IS THE PROGRESS OF THE SURFACE LOW (NOW
IN LA) AND ITS ASSOCIATED WARM FRONT (NOW STRETCHING WEST TO EAST
ACROSS THE SOUTHERN FIFTH OF AL).

AT 18Z...THE SURFACE LOW WAS A BIT FARTHER EAST THAN BOTH THE (12Z
RUNS OF THE) NAM AND GFS HAD PREDICTED IT TO BE. IN FACT...THE
NAM POSITION AND STRENGTH FORECAST AT 21Z WAS CLOSER TO THE ACTUAL
AT 18Z...SO THE NAM IS ALREADY ABOUT 3 HOURS TOO SLOW. THE GFS WAS
PRETTY GOOD ON STRENGTH...AND JUST A BIT SLOW (TOO FAR WEST). THE
SURFACE PRESSURE FALLS BULLSEYE WAS NEAR GREENVILLE MS...WHICH
SUGGESTS THE NORTHWEST MOVEMENT PREDICTED BY THE MODELS IS STILL
VALID.

SO...EVERYTHING BASICALLY HINGES ON THE WARM FRONT. ALL THE
SURFACE  BASED INSTABILITY WAS (AT 18Z) STILL SOUTH OF OUR CWA.
BUT AS THE CURRENT LARGE RAIN MASS MOVES NORTHWARD...AND THE
SURFACE LOW DEEPENS AND MOVES CLOSER TO ALABAMA...SOUTH WINDS
SHOULD HELP PUSH THAT WARM FRONT NORTHWARD. THAT IS LIKELY TO LEAD
TO DESTABILIZATION...WHICH IS ALSO EXPECTED TO SPREAD A GOOD BIT
TO THE NORTH. THERE IS NO LACK OF SHEAR. THE MISSING INGREDIENT
RIGHT NOW IS INSTABILITY.

TIMING FOR THE HIGHEST SEVERE THREAT LARGELY DEPENDS ON STORM
MODE. IF THERE IS NO SEVERE CELL DEVELOPMENT AHEAD OF THE MAIN
LINE OF STORMS...THEN THE SEVERE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY IS
RELATIVELY DECREASED. I'VE ROUGHLY TIMED IT OUT TO START AROUND 5
PM IN THE FAR WEST AND LAST AT LATE AS 2 AM IN THE EAST. IF
DISCRETE CELLS WERE TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE MAIN LINE...THEN THAT
WOULD ADD TIME ON TO THE BEGINNING OF THE PRECEDING TIMING.

/61/

LONG TERM...

THE COLD FRONT WILL PUSH TO THE EAST OF CENTRAL ALABAMA BY 12Z
TOMORROW. IN ITS WAKE...LIGHT RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE...AS THE LOW
MOVES TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE AREA. A STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT
WILL CAUSE WINDS TO BE SUSTAINED ABOVE 20 MPH...WITH GUSTS ABOUT
30 MPH...SO A WIND ADVISORY SEEMS APPROPRIATE FOR ALL OF CENTRAL
ALABAMA THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL SETTLE INTO THE
AREA...WITH MUCH COLDER AIR FILTERING IN FROM THE NORTHWEST.
MOVING INTO FRIDAY...LOW PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE NORTHERN
GULF COAST AND THEN MOVE TO THE NORTHEAST...PULLING MOISTURE INTO
CENTRAL ALABAMA. A SHORTWAVE WILL ALSO MOVE THROUGH AND AID IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. THE COLD FRONT WILL
PUSH THE SHOWERS THROUGH THE AREA DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS
FRIDAY AND INTO SATURDAY. STILL DOES NOT LOOK LIKE TEMPERATURES
WILL BE LOW ENOUGH TO SUPPORT FROZEN PRECIP. BEYOND SATURDAY...THE
FORECAST THROUGH REMAIN DRY THROUGH THE REST OF THIS PACKAGE.

73

&&

.AVIATION...
00Z TAF DISCUSSION

WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS ALL OF
THE SITES ENDING FROM WEST TO EAST THROUGH 08Z. EXPECTING MVFR TO
IFR CIGS AT TIMES FOR ALL SITES AS WELL. THUNDERSTORMS WILL POSE A
RISK FOR VERY STRONG WINDS AS WELL. WINDS WILL SHIFT BEHIND THE
COLD FRONT OVERNIGHT TO WEST-SOUTHWEST WITH MVFR CIGS CONTINUING
THROUGH TOMORROW.

87/GRANTHAM

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GADSDEN     45  45  29  46  27 / 100  30  10  10  10
ANNISTON    46  44  29  48  29 / 100  30  10  10  10
BIRMINGHAM  41  44  29  47  30 / 100  20  10  10  10
TUSCALOOSA  40  45  30  50  33 / 100  20  10  10  10
CALERA      42  44  30  49  32 / 100  20  10  10  10
AUBURN      48  48  32  49  35 / 100  20  10  10  10
MONTGOMERY  46  49  31  52  31 / 100  10   0  10  10
TROY        45  49  29  51  31 / 100  10   0  10  10

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES: 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.

&&

61/73/87

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 25, 5:31 PM CST, 1 hour 2 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
531 PM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

ALZ011>015-017>050-262345-
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-
531 PM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

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

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

FOR THIS EVENING THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING...TORNADOES...
DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS...AND LARGE HAIL ARE ALL POSSIBLE.
SOME OF THE TORNADOES COULD BE STRONG. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL
IMPACT AREAS IN THE WEST AND SOUTH THROUGH EARLY EVENING AND THEN
SLIDE EAST...APPROACHING EASTERN ALABAMA BY 8 PM. THE THREAT COULD
LAST THROUGH 3 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR AREAS NEAR THE GEORGIA
STATE LINE. WHILE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE
AREA WIDE ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA...THE GREATEST THREAT AREA WILL
BE ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM EUTAW...TO BILLINGSLEY...TO
TUSKEGEE..

WITH ALL THAT SAID...A SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER EVENT IS EXPECTED
FOR ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA THROUGH TONIGHT. PERSONS ACROSS
CENTRAL ALABAMA SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR SEVERE WEATHER...AS
CHRISTMAS PLANS WILL BE IMPACTED.

ADDITIONALLY...WINDS OUTSIDE THUNDERSTORM AREAS MAY BECOME GUSTY
WITH A FEW GUSTS INTO THE 30 -35 MPH RANGE OVERNIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

WINDS WILL BE RATHER BREEZY WEDNESDAY ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA
BEHIND A STRONG COLD FRONT. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH...WITH
GUSTS 30 TO 40 MPH...ARE POSSIBLE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WILL BE
NECESSARY THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Dec 25, 3:58 PM CST, 2 hours 35 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
358 PM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

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

0320 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 W DIXONS MILL         32.06N 87.82W
12/25/2012                   MARENGO            AL   PUBLIC

            TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN ALONG MARENGO ROAD 8 BETWEEN
            SWEETWATER AND DIXONS MILL.

&&

LINHARES

Local storm report, Dec 25, 4:01 PM CST, 2 hours 32 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
401 PM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

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

0126 PM     TSTM WND DMG     GEIGER                  32.87N 88.31W
12/25/2012                   SUMTER             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            A FEW TREES AND POWER LINES WERE BLOWN DOWN IN GEIGER
            ALONG HIGHWAY 17. A FEW MOBILE HOMES HAD THEIR
            UNDERPINNED REMOVED. WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AT 40 TO 50
            MPH.

0149 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 S MOUNDVILLE          32.97N 87.63W
12/25/2012                   HALE               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            SEVERAL TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN IN A SMALL AREA ALONG
            HIGHWAY 69 SOUTH OF MOUNDVILLE. WINDS WERE ESTIMATED 50
            TO 55 MPH.

0320 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 W DIXONS MILL         32.06N 87.82W
12/25/2012                   MARENGO            AL   PUBLIC

            TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN ALONG MARENGO ROAD 8 BETWEEN
            SWEETWATER AND DIXONS MILL.

&&

LINHARES

Special weather statement, Dec 25, 4:13 PM CST, 2 hours 20 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
413 PM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

ALZ030-252245-
SUMTER AL-
413 PM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL SUMTER COUNTY UNTIL 445
PM CST...

AT 408 PM CST...STORM SPOTTERS REPORTED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES
NORTHEAST OF KINTERBISH...OR 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF YORK...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  LIVINGSTON...
  COATOPA...
  BOYD...
  THE UNIVERSITY OF WEST ALABAMA...
  BLUFFPORT...

THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY....AND A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THIS
AREA. 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 3287 8830 3284 8816 3283 8817 3284 8814
      3279 8810 3280 8806 3277 8808 3278 8811
      3271 8808 3269 8811 3269 8804 3264 8806
      3264 8808 3259 8806 3260 8800 3234 8815
      3236 8835
TIME...MOT...LOC 2213Z 203DEG 39KT 3246 8821

61

Local storm report, Dec 25, 5:55 PM CST, 38 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
555 PM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

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

0536 PM     TSTM WND DMG     HAMILTON CROSSROADS     31.64N 85.81W
12/25/2012                   PIKE               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            MULTIPLE TREES DOWN ON CR 4425

&&

SUNGER

Local storm report, Dec 25, 6:14 PM CST, 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
614 PM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

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

0557 PM     TSTM WND DMG     GALLION                 32.50N 87.72W
12/24/2012                   HALE               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES DOWN AND PROPERTY DAMAGE NEAR GALLION.

&&

SUNGER

Special weather statement, Dec 25, 6:33 PM CST, 0 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
633 PM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

ALZ024-025-034-035-260130-
BIBB AL-CHILTON AL-JEFFERSON AL-SHELBY AL-
633 PM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SHELBY...JEFFERSON...NORTHERN
CHILTON AND BIBB COUNTIES UNTIL 730 PM CST...

AT 628 PM CST...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM WEST JEFFERSON TO WEST
BLOCTON TO 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MERTZ...AND MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  HUEYTOWN...
  BRENT...
  BESSEMER...
  CENTREVILLE...
  FAIRFIELD...

&&

LAT...LON 3377 8665 3377 8654 3366 8653 3356 8655
      3355 8652 3338 8651 3284 8669 3284 8732
      3323 8717 3324 8712 3322 8711 3325 8706
      3327 8707 3331 8715 3365 8709 3366 8706
      3373 8704 3379 8667
TIME...MOT...LOC 0033Z 254DEG 35KT 3364 8697 3320 8706
          3285 8726

14

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Dec 25, 6:10 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas, Marengo, Perry	37 min
Dec 25, 6:15 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chilton, Hale, Perry	45 min
Dec 25, 6:40 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Pike	35 min
Dec 25, 6:44 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Barbour, Bullock, Pike	46 min
Dec 25, 6:45 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Chilton, Perry, Shelby	30 min
Dec 25, 7:00 PM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Bibb, Chilton, Dallas, Jefferson, Perry, Shelby	3 hr
Dec 25, 7:08 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Bibb, Chilton, Dallas, Perry, Shelby	52 min
Dec 25, 7:31 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas, Lowndes	59 min
Dec 25, 7:34 PM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Sumter	7 hr
Dec 25, 7:38 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Chilton, Clay, Coosa, Talladega	41 min
Dec 25, 7:58 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Clay, Talladega	47 min
Dec 25, 8:07 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Lowndes	46 min
Dec 25, 8:40 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Autauga, Elmore, Montgomery	65 min
Dec 25, 9:51 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Montgomery	39 min
Dec 25, 10:18 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Pike	42 min
Dec 25, 10:22 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock	38 min
Dec 25, 10:45 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Macon	45 min
Dec 25, 10:48 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock, Pike	42 min
Dec 25, 11:24 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Barbour, Lee, Russell	66 min
Dec 26, 12:14 AM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Barbour	31 min
Dec 26, 8:57 AM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo	24 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.