Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 17, NWS Birmingham, AL

January 26, 2012Autauga County, Chilton County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Jan 26, 2012, 12:39 PM CST for Autauga County, Chilton County, Alabama. It was in force for 36 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
Jan 26, 2012, 12:39 PM CST (18:39 UTC)
Expired
Jan 26, 2012, 1:15 PM CST
In force
36 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Autauga County, AL, Chilton County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 55 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:42 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 watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jan 26, 9:55 AM CSTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 6.7 hours before the alert went out and 56 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2012-01-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 274 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2012-01-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 126 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
274 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-8 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
478 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
58 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
126 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
127 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.2
Supercell composite
1.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

320 
WFUS54 KBMX 261839
TORBMX
ALC001-021-261915-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0017.120126T1839Z-120126T1915Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1239 PM CST THU JAN 26 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN AUTAUGA COUNTY IN ALABAMA...
  SOUTHEASTERN CHILTON COUNTY IN ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 115 PM CST

* AT 1237 PM CST...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS STORM
  WAS LOCATED NEAR MULBERRY...OR 12 MILES EAST OF VALLEY GRANDE...AND
  MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  CLANTON...VIDA JUNCTION...BILLINGSLEY...MARBURY...VERBENA...HIGGINS
  FERRY PARK...DAWSON MILL...NEW PROSPECT...ENTERPRISE AND COOPER.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 65 EXIT NUMBERS 193 THROUGH 212...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW. FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE
LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING.

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR
THE TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW.

&&

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...
CALL 1-800-856-0758.

LAT...LON 3245 8675 3252 8684 3295 8658 3289 8648
      3287 8648 3286 8645 3282 8646 3276 8639
      3275 8640 3275 8641 3271 8641 3263 8643
TIME...MOT...LOC 1839Z 216DEG 33KT 3253 8676

$$

27
3 follow-up statements
067 
WWUS54 KBMX 261851
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1251 PM CST THU JAN 26 2012

ALC001-021-261915-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0017.000000T0000Z-120126T1915Z/
CHILTON AL-AUTAUGA AL-
1251 PM CST THU JAN 26 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN AUTAUGA AND
SOUTHEASTERN CHILTON COUNTIES UNTIL 115 PM CST...

AT 1248 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS 
STORM HAS STRENGTHENED.  IT WAS LOCATED NEAR VIDA JUNCTION...OR 17 
MILES EAST OF VALLEY GRANDE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  CLANTON...BILLINGSLEY...MARBURY...VERBENA...HIGGINS FERRY PARK...
  NEW PROSPECT...ENTERPRISE...COOPER AND MITCHELL DAM.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 65 EXIT NUMBERS 193 THROUGH 208...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR 
THE TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW.  AGAIN...PLEASE TAKE COVER NOW.

&&

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CALL 1-800-856-0758.

LAT...LON 3260 8678 3295 8658 3289 8648 3287 8648
      3286 8645 3282 8646 3276 8639 3275 8641
      3271 8641 3263 8643 3252 8670
TIME...MOT...LOC 1850Z 216DEG 31KT 3260 8670

$$

27
832 
WWUS54 KBMX 261858
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1258 PM CST THU JAN 26 2012

ALC001-021-261915-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0017.000000T0000Z-120126T1915Z/
CHILTON AL-AUTAUGA AL-
1258 PM CST THU JAN 26 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEASTERN AUTAUGA AND
SOUTHEASTERN CHILTON COUNTIES UNTIL 115 PM CST...

AT 1252 PM CST...THE PUBLIC REPORTED A TORNADO ON THE GROUND NEAR 
COUNTY 82 AND COUNTY ROAD 37...JUST SOUTHWEST OF BILLINGSLEY... 
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  CLANTON...MARBURY...VERBENA...HIGGINS FERRY PARK...NEW PROSPECT...
  ENTERPRISE...COOPER AND MITCHELL DAM.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 65 EXIT NUMBERS 193 THROUGH 208...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR
THE TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW.

&&

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CALL 1-800-856-0758.

LAT...LON 3261 8675 3295 8658 3289 8648 3287 8648
      3286 8645 3282 8646 3276 8639 3275 8641
      3271 8641 3263 8643 3256 8667
TIME...MOT...LOC 1857Z 216DEG 31KT 3265 8666

$$

27
220 
WWUS54 KBMX 261905
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
105 PM CST THU JAN 26 2012

ALC001-021-261915-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0017.000000T0000Z-120126T1915Z/
CHILTON AL-AUTAUGA AL-
105 PM CST THU JAN 26 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTH CENTRAL AUTAUGA AND
EAST CENTRAL CHILTON COUNTIES UNTIL 115 PM CST...

AT 101 PM CST...THE PUBLIC REPORTED A TORNADO ON THE GROUND.  THIS 
TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR BILLINGSLEY...OR 11 MILES SOUTH OF 
CLANTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  VERBENA...HIGGINS FERRY PARK...ENTERPRISE...COOPER AND MITCHELL
  DAM.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 65 EXIT NUMBERS 200 THROUGH 208...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR
THE TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW.

&&

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CALL 1-800-856-0758.

LAT...LON 3263 8661 3268 8670 3295 8658 3289 8648
      3287 8648 3286 8645 3282 8646 3279 8643
      3270 8651
TIME...MOT...LOC 1905Z 216DEG 31KT 3270 8661

$$

27

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 26, 9:59 AM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXGreene, Pickens, Sumter3 hr
Jan 26, 10:23 AM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXHale, Marengo, Pickens, Tuscaloosa3 hr
Jan 26, 11:11 AM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXBibb, Jefferson3 hr
Jan 26, 11:29 AM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXDallas, Perry3 hr
Jan 26, 12:33 PM CSTRiver Flood WarningBMXSumter8 hr
Jan 26, 1:31 PM CSTRiver Flood WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Marengo4 days
Jan 26, 1:32 PM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXCalhoun, Etowah, St. Clair3 hr
Jan 26, 2:00 PM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXClay, Randolph, Tallapoosa3 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 2012Every tornado warning in 2012Tornadoes 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.