Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2012
Tornado Warning 4, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Jan 23, 2012, 3:02 AM CST for Jefferson County, Tuscaloosa County, Walker County, Alabama. It was in force for 43 min. 6 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- Jan 23, 2012, 3:02 AM CST (09:02 UTC)
- Expired
- Jan 23, 2012, 3:45 AM CST
- In force
- 43 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
Counties Jefferson County, AL, Tuscaloosa County, AL, Walker County, AL
The radar
The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 53 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 09:03 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.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 23, 3:09 AM CST | TORNADO 2 | 3 Wnw Bull City, AL | *** 1 FATAL *** THE TORNADO STARTED IN EXTREME EASTERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY AND MOVED INTO JEFFERSON COUNTY. NUMEROUS TREES WERE SNAPPED OFF AND UPROOTED ALONG THE PATH. ONE FATALITY OCCURRED WHEN A MOBILE HOME WAS DESTROYED. SEVERAL OTHER STRUCTURES RECEIVED VAR |
| Jan 23, 3:23 AM CST | TSTM WND DMG | 5 Sw Short Creek, AL | REPORTS OF TREES DOWN AND POSSIBLE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE NEAR SMITHVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH ON TOADVINE ROAD NEAR OAK GROVE. POSSIBLE TORNADO. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR. |
| Jan 23, 3:24 AM CST | TSTM WND DMG | 3 Sw Short Creek, AL | MULTIPLE TREES DOWN ON TAYLORS FERRY ROAD. |
| Jan 23, 3:26 AM CST | TSTM WND DMG | Oak Grove, AL | TREES DOWN ON TOADVINE ROAD. POSSIBLE TORNADO. |
| Jan 23, 3:31 AM CST | TSTM WND DMG | 3 Sw Short Creek, AL | TREES DOWN ACROSS TAYLORS FERRY ROAD. POSSIBLE TORNADO. |
| Jan 23, 3:43 AM CST | TSTM WND DMG | 2 W Oak Grove, AL | TREES DOWN BLOCKING CAMP OLIVER ROAD BY STRINGFELLOW HILL ROAD WEST OF OAK GROVE. |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
The watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 22, 10:59 PM CST | Tornado Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
| Jan 23, 2:44 AM CST | Tornado Watch | SPC | 9 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 9.0 hours before the alert went out and 52 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 223 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -30 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 453 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 40 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 267 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 298 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 1.2
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
490 WFUS54 KBMX 230902 TORBMX ALC073-125-127-230945- /O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0004.120123T0902Z-120123T0945Z/ BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 302 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR... NORTHWESTERN JEFFERSON COUNTY IN ALABAMA... NORTHEASTERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA... SOUTHEASTERN WALKER COUNTY IN ALABAMA... * UNTIL 345 AM CST * AT 257 AM CST...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING A CONFIRMED TORNADO 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BANKHEAD LOCK AND DAM...OR 11 MILES NORTH OF HOLT. DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED THIS TORNADO MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. SEVERAL REPORTS OF DAMAGE HAVE BEEN REPORTED...THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION! * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... FAIRFIELD...BIRMINGHAM...BANKHEAD LOCK AND DAM...BULL CITY...OAK GROVE...SYLVAN SPRINGS...WEST JEFFERSON...QUINTON...MAYTOWN AND MULGA. THIS INCLUDES... INTERSTATE 65 EXIT NUMBERS 261 THROUGH 275... US 78 EXIT NUMBERS 78 THROUGH 91... INTERSTATE 20 EXIT NUMBERS 118 THROUGH 128... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TORNADOES ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE AND CONFIRM AT NIGHT. TAKE COVER NOW. && TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER... CALL 1-800-856-0758. LAT...LON 3378 8688 3352 8675 3335 8733 3352 8739 TIME...MOT...LOC 0901Z 248DEG 40KT 3342 8740 $$ 17/KLAWS
2 follow-up statements
493
WWUS54 KBMX 230916
SVSBMX
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
316 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012
ALC125-127-230925-
/O.CAN.KBMX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120123T0945Z/
TUSCALOOSA AL-WALKER AL-
316 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012
...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN WALKER AND NORTHEASTERN
TUSCALOOSA COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...
THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED
AREA.
TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CALL 1-800-856-0758.
LAT...LON 3352 8675 3343 8706 3339 8725 3349 8733
3348 8729 3350 8728 3350 8727 3352 8728
3351 8725 3354 8723 3355 8719 3357 8720
3363 8710 3364 8709 3378 8688
TIME...MOT...LOC 0915Z 253DEG 41KT 3346 8723
$$
ALC073-230945-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120123T0945Z/
JEFFERSON AL-
316 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN JEFFERSON COUNTY
UNTIL 345 AM CST...
AT 311 AM CST...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED DAMAGE WITH A TORNADO
MOST LIKELY ON THE GROUND. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR BULL
CITY...OR 16 MILES WEST OF HUEYTOWN...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
FAIRFIELD...BIRMINGHAM...OAK GROVE...SYLVAN SPRINGS...WEST
JEFFERSON...MAYTOWN...MULGA...MINOR...ADAMSVILLE AND GRAYSVILLE.
THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 65 EXIT NUMBERS 260 THROUGH 275...
US 78 EXIT NUMBERS 81 THROUGH 91...
INTERSTATE 20 EXIT NUMBERS 118 THROUGH 128...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TORNADOES ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE AND CONFIRM AT NIGHT. TAKE COVER NOW.
&&
TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CALL 1-800-856-0758.
LAT...LON 3352 8675 3343 8706 3339 8725 3349 8733
3348 8729 3350 8728 3350 8727 3352 8728
3351 8725 3354 8723 3355 8719 3357 8720
3363 8710 3364 8709 3378 8688
TIME...MOT...LOC 0915Z 253DEG 41KT 3346 8723
$$
17194
WWUS54 KBMX 230926
SVSBMX
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
326 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012
ALC073-230945-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120123T0945Z/
JEFFERSON AL-
326 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTY
UNTIL 345 AM CST...
AT 321 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A THUNDERSTORM WITH A HISTORY OF PRODUCING DAMAGE FROM A POSSIBLE
TORNADO. THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR OAK GROVE...OR 10 MILES
WEST OF HUEYTOWN...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BIRMINGHAM...SYLVAN SPRINGS...WEST JEFFERSON...MAYTOWN...MULGA...
MINOR...ADAMSVILLE...GRAYSVILLE...ENSLEY AND FORESTDALE.
THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 65 EXIT NUMBERS 261 THROUGH 275...
US 78 EXIT NUMBERS 81 THROUGH 91...
INTERSTATE 20 EXIT NUMBERS 120 THROUGH 128...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TORNADOES ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE AND CONFIRM AT NIGHT. TAKE COVER NOW.
&&
TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CALL 1-800-856-0758.
LAT...LON 3352 8675 3345 8717 3354 8723 3355 8719
3357 8720 3363 8709 3364 8709 3378 8688
TIME...MOT...LOC 0925Z 250DEG 41KT 3351 8711
$$
17The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 23, 12:22 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marion | 23 min |
| Jan 23, 1:19 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marion | 41 min |
| Jan 23, 1:56 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Pickens, Tuscaloosa | 49 min |
| Jan 23, 2:09 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Pickens | 36 min |
| Jan 23, 2:23 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Greene, Sumter | 52 min |
| Jan 23, 2:31 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Tuscaloosa | 44 min |
| Jan 23, 3:04 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Greene, Sumter | 41 min |
| Jan 23, 3:32 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Blount, Jefferson, St. Clair | 58 min |
| Jan 23, 3:33 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Bibb, Greene, Hale, Perry | 42 min |
| Jan 23, 3:50 AM CST | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker | 115 min |
| Jan 23, 4:15 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Blount, Calhoun, Etowah, Jefferson, St. Clair | 60 min |
| Jan 23, 4:27 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Bibb, Chilton, Dallas, Hale, Perry | 48 min |
| Jan 23, 5:11 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Chilton, Coosa | 34 min |
| Jan 23, 5:24 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Clay, Shelby, Talladega | 26 min |
| Jan 23, 5:37 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Chilton, Coosa, Talladega | 38 min |
| Jan 23, 6:01 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Clay, Coosa, Tallapoosa | 44 min |
| Jan 23, 6:22 AM CST | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Chilton, Coosa | 3 hr |
| Jan 23, 6:34 AM CST | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Dallas, Perry | 116 min |
| Jan 23, 6:36 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Autauga, Chilton, Coosa, Elmore | 39 min |
| Jan 23, 7:12 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Coosa, Elmore, Tallapoosa | 48 min |
| Jan 23, 7:15 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Chambers, Randolph, Tallapoosa | 17 min |
| Jan 23, 7:24 AM CST | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Talladega | 111 min |
| Jan 23, 7:32 AM CST | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Chambers, Clay, Randolph, Tallapoosa | 3 hr |
| Jan 23, 7:42 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Chambers, Tallapoosa | 33 min |
| Jan 23, 8:09 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Elmore, Tallapoosa | 36 min |
| Jan 23, 8:14 AM CST | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Autauga, Dallas, Lowndes | 3 hr |
| Jan 23, 8:20 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lowndes, Montgomery | 25 min |
| Jan 23, 8:34 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Elmore, Lee, Macon, Tallapoosa | 41 min |
| Jan 23, 8:38 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Chambers, Randolph | 4 hr |
| Jan 23, 8:44 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Montgomery | 31 min |
| Jan 23, 8:45 AM CST | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Chambers, Lee, Macon, Tallapoosa | 3 hr |
| Jan 23, 9:09 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bullock, Elmore, Macon, Montgomery | 36 min |
| Jan 23, 9:12 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lowndes, Montgomery | 48 min |
| Jan 23, 9:19 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lee, Macon, Russell | 41 min |
| Jan 23, 10:20 AM CST | Areal Flood Warning | BMX | Clay, Tallapoosa | 4 hr |
| Jan 23, 10:32 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lee, Russell | 28 min |
| Jan 23, 12:12 PM CST | River Flood Warning | BMX | Chambers, Elmore, Macon, Randolph, Tallapoosa | 2 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.