Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Huntsville, AL

January 23, 2012Jackson County, Madison County, Marshall County, Alabama

NWS Huntsville, AL issued this tornado warning at Jan 23, 2012, 2:11 AM CST for Jackson County, Madison County, Marshall 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
Jan 23, 2012, 2:11 AM CST (08:11 UTC)
Expired
Jan 23, 2012, 2:45 AM CST
In force
34 min
Issued by
NWS Huntsville, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Jackson County, AL, Madison County, AL, Marshall County, AL

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 57 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:14 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 22, 10:59 PM CSTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 8.2 hours before the alert went out and 149 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 00:00Z on 2012-01-23Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 223 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 00:00Z on 2012-01-23The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 267 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
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

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

995 
WFUS54 KHUN 230811
TORHUN
ALC071-089-095-230845-
/O.NEW.KHUN.TO.W.0003.120123T0811Z-120123T0845Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
211 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN MADISON COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...    
  SOUTHWESTERN JACKSON COUNTY IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA...
  NORTHERN MARSHALL COUNTY IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 245 AM CST

* AT 211 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR UNION
  GROVE...OR ABOUT 8 MILES NORTH OF ARAB...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50
  MPH.

* LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO INCLUDE...
  HEBRON.
  GRANT.
  LANGSTON.
  SECTION.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO
NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 AM CST MONDAY MORNING FOR
NORTHERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

&&

LAT...LON 3432 8654 3439 8658 3452 8656 3474 8602
      3454 8591
TIME...MOT...LOC 0811Z 245DEG 44KT 3444 8649

$$

BCC
2 follow-up statements
137 
WWUS54 KHUN 230823
SVSHUN

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
223 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012

ALC071-089-095-230845-
/O.CON.KHUN.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-120123T0845Z/
JACKSON AL-MADISON AL-MARSHALL AL-
223 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 245 AM CST FOR NORTHERN
MARSHALL...SOUTHEASTERN MADISON AND SOUTHWESTERN JACKSON COUNTIES...

AT 223 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR HEBRON...OR ABOUT
9 MILES NORTHWEST OF GUNTERSVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
COLUMBUS CITY...GRANT...WOODVILLE...LANGSTON...LARKINSVILLE...
SCOTTSBORO AND SECTION.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO
NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 AM CST MONDAY MORNING FOR
NORTHERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

&&

LAT...LON 3454 8592 3439 8640 3454 8650 3474 8602
      3454 8591
TIME...MOT...LOC 0823Z 247DEG 48KT 3450 8631

$$

BCC
880 
WWUS54 KHUN 230845
SVSHUN

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
245 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012

ALC071-089-095-230853-
/O.EXP.KHUN.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-120123T0845Z/
JACKSON AL-MADISON AL-MARSHALL AL-
245 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHERN MARSHALL...SOUTHEASTERN MADISON
AND SOUTHWESTERN JACKSON COUNTIES EXPIRES AT 245 AM CST...

HOWEVER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR 
SOUTHEASTERN JACKSON COUNTY UNTIL 330 AM.

WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATES THE THUNDERSTORM THAT
PROMPTED THE TORNADO WARNING HAS WEAKENED AND IS NO LONGER SEVERE. 
THEREFORE THE TORNADO WARNING IS BEING ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 AM CST MONDAY MORNING FOR
NORTHERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

LAT...LON 3454 8592 3439 8640 3454 8650 3474 8602
      3454 8591
TIME...MOT...LOC 0843Z 247DEG 48KT 3459 8601

$$

BCC

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 22, 11:38 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNColbert, Franklin, Lauderdale37 min
Jan 22, 11:49 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNColbert, Franklin, Lauderdale41 min
Jan 23, 12:03 AM CSTTornado WarningHUNColbert, Franklin, Lauderdale27 min
Jan 23, 12:09 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNColbert, Franklin26 min
Jan 23, 12:28 AM CSTTornado WarningHUNLauderdale21 min
Jan 23, 12:53 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLawrence, Limestone37 min
Jan 23, 1:21 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLimestone, Madison, Morgan39 min
Jan 23, 1:33 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNFranklin27 min
Jan 23, 1:35 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningHUNColbert, Lauderdale, Lawrence3 hr
Jan 23, 1:50 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningHUNColbert, Franklin, Lawrence3 hr
Jan 23, 1:59 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNFranklin, Lawrence31 min
Jan 23, 2:03 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNMadison, Marshall, Morgan27 min
Jan 23, 2:22 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningHUNLimestone, Madison, Morgan3 hr
Jan 23, 2:30 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMadison30 min
Jan 23, 2:42 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNDeKalb, Jackson48 min
Jan 23, 3:01 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMadison44 min
Jan 23, 3:09 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningHUNCullman, Morgan3 hr
Jan 23, 3:22 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMorgan23 min
Jan 23, 4:02 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNCullman28 min
Jan 23, 4:33 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMarshall42 min
Jan 23, 4:56 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningHUNJackson, Madison, Marshall3 hr
Jan 23, 5:12 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNDeKalb48 min
Jan 23, 5:25 AM CSTAreal Flood WarningHUNMadison6 hr
Jan 23, 7:39 AM CSTRiver Flood WarningHUNMadison28 hr
Jan 23, 7:54 AM CSTAreal Flood WarningHUNJackson2 hr
Jan 23, 8:23 AM CSTRiver Flood WarningHUNJackson, Madison, Marshall5 days
Jan 23, 8:49 AM CSTAreal Flood WarningHUNMarshall3 hr
Jan 23, 9:36 AM CSTRiver Flood WarningHUNLawrence43 hr
Jan 23, 10:00 AM CSTAreal Flood WarningHUNJackson2 hr
Jan 23, 11:31 AM CSTAreal Flood WarningHUNMadison9 hr
Jan 23, 1:22 PM CSTAreal Flood WarningHUNLawrence20 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.