Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 8, NWS Huntsville, AL

March 2, 2012Jackson County, Madison County, Alabama; Franklin County, Lincoln County, Tennessee

NWS Huntsville, AL issued this tornado warning at Mar 2, 2012, 9:59 AM CST for Jackson County, Madison County, Alabama; Franklin County, Lincoln County, Tennessee. It was in force for 31 min. 10 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
Mar 2, 2012, 9:59 AM CST (15:59 UTC)
Expired
Mar 2, 2012, 10:30 AM CST
In force
31 min
Issued by
NWS Huntsville, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Emergency
Tornado emergency

Counties Jackson County, AL, Madison County, AL, Franklin County, TN, Lincoln County, TN

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 35 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 16:02 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 2, 10:01 AM CSTTORNADO5 Wsw Meridianville, ALRAIN WRAP TORNADO
Mar 2, 10:03 AM CSTFUNNEL CLOUD4 Sse Harvest, ALFUNNEL CLOUD WAS REPORTED AT THE INTERSECTION OF NICK DAVIS AND JEFF ROAD.
Mar 2, 10:05 AM CSTHAIL 1.75Meridianville, AL
Mar 2, 10:06 AM CSTTORNADO 21 E Meridianville, ALAN EF-2 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN JUST SOUTH OF THE MADISON COUNTY EXECUTIVE AIRPORT IN MERIDIANVILLE AND TRACKED EAST-NORTHEAST FOR 7.3 MILES BEFORE LIFTING JUST EAST OF BUCKHORN HIGH SCHOOL. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OCCURRED ALONG DARWIN ROAD AND MOORES MILL R
Mar 2, 10:07 AM CSTTORNADO1 E Meridianville, ALRAIN WRAP TORNADO
Mar 2, 10:08 AM CSTTORNADO3 E Meridianville, ALTORNADO ON GROUND
Mar 2, 10:15 AM CSTTORNADO4 Ene Moores Mill, ALTORNADO ON GROUND
Mar 2, 10:19 AM CSTTORNADO4 Ene Moores Mill, ALPEOPLE TRAPPED IN RUBBLE WITH INJURIES
Mar 2, 10:19 AM CSTTORNADO5 Ne Meridianville, ALHOUSE DESTROYED
Mar 2, 10:32 AM CSTTORNADO4 Ene Moores Mill, ALTREES DOWN...CARS DAMAGED AND FARM HOUSE DESTROYED NEAR BUCKHORN HIGH SCHOOL

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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Mar 2, 9:25 AM CSTTornado WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 12:00Z, 4.0 hours before the alert went out and 138 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 12:00Z on 2012-03-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1667 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 12:00Z on 2012-03-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 175 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
1667 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-25 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
523 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
68 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
175 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
169 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
6.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

749 
WFUS54 KHUN 021559
TORHUN
ALC071-089-TNC051-103-021630-
/O.NEW.KHUN.TO.W.0008.120302T1559Z-120302T1630Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
959 AM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHWESTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY IN TENNESSEE...
  SOUTHEASTERN LINCOLN COUNTY IN TENNESSEE...
  NORTHERN MADISON COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  NORTHWESTERN JACKSON COUNTY IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 1030 AM CST

* AT 959 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
  A TORNADO NEAR MERIDIANVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH.

* LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO INCLUDE...
  MOORES MILL.
  NEW MARKET.
  PLEVNA.
  ELORA.
  FRANCISCO.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT OR STORM
SHELTER. IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A
CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY
AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM CST FRIDAY AFTERNOON
FOR NORTHERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

&&

LAT...LON 3485 8613 3476 8673 3489 8679 3490 8678
      3511 8625
TIME...MOT...LOC 1559Z 249DEG 47KT 3485 8663

$$

KDW
2 follow-up statements
297 
WWUS54 KHUN 021606
SVSHUN

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
1006 AM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

ALC071-089-TNC051-103-021630-
/O.CON.KHUN.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-120302T1630Z/
JACKSON AL-MADISON AL-FRANKLIN TN-LINCOLN TN-
1006 AM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1030 AM CST FOR
SOUTHEASTERN LINCOLN...SOUTHWESTERN FRANKLIN...NORTHERN MADISON AND
NORTHWESTERN JACKSON COUNTIES...

AT 1005 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR AND STORM 
SPOTTERS WERE TRACKING A LARGE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TORNADO.  THIS
TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR MERIDIANVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH. THIS 
IS A TORNADO EMGERGENCY FOR NORTHERN MADISON COUNTY AND THE 
MERIDIANVILLE AREA. TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY!

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO NEW
MARKET...PLEVNA...ELORA...PRINCETON...FRANCISCO...LARKIN...
HUNTLAND...BEANS CREEK AND ESTILLFORK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM CST FRIDAY AFTERNOON
FOR NORTHERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

&&

LAT...LON 3485 8613 3480 8660 3488 8667 3494 8667
      3511 8625
TIME...MOT...LOC 1605Z 251DEG 46KT 3487 8654

$$

KDW
113 
WWUS54 KHUN 021613
SVSHUN

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
1013 AM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

ALC071-089-TNC051-103-021630-
/O.CON.KHUN.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-120302T1630Z/
JACKSON AL-MADISON AL-FRANKLIN TN-LINCOLN TN-
1013 AM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1030 AM CST FOR
SOUTHEASTERN LINCOLN...SOUTHWESTERN FRANKLIN...NORTHEASTERN MADISON
AND NORTHWESTERN JACKSON COUNTIES...

AT 1012 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR AND STORM
SPOTTERS WERE TRACKING A LARGE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TORNADO.  THIS
TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR MOORES MILL ROAD AND EAKIN ROAD...JUST EAST 
OF THE MERIDIANVILLE AIRPORT MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. THIS IS A 
TORNADO EMERGENCY...TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY!

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO NEW
MARKET...PLEVNA...ELORA...PRINCETON...FRANCISCO...LARKIN...
HUNTLAND...BEANS CREEK AND ESTILLFORK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO REPEAT...A LARGE...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY
TORNADO IS ON THE GROUND. TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE...TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE
TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING AND
AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR OUTDOORS...MOVE TO
THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING 
DEBRIS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM CST FRIDAY AFTERNOON
FOR NORTHERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

&&

LAT...LON 3487 8661 3494 8661 3511 8625 3485 8613
      3480 8656
TIME...MOT...LOC 1612Z 251DEG 44KT 3489 8645

$$

KDW

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 2, 4:44 AM CSTWind AdvisoryHUNColbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale and 5 more11 hr
Mar 2, 7:21 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLawrence39 min
Mar 2, 8:09 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLawrence, Limestone51 min
Mar 2, 8:51 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison24 min
Mar 2, 9:12 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLimestone, Madison33 min
Mar 2, 9:15 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLawrence30 min
Mar 2, 9:18 AM CSTTornado WarningHUNLimestone, Madison27 min
Mar 2, 9:35 AM CSTTornado WarningHUNLimestone, Madison25 min
Mar 2, 9:41 AM CSTTornado WarningHUNJackson, Madison34 min
Mar 2, 10:10 AM CSTTornado WarningHUNJackson35 min
Mar 2, 10:24 AM CSTTornado WarningHUNJackson, Madison36 min
Mar 2, 1:01 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLawrence, Limestone44 min
Mar 2, 1:26 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNFranklin34 min
Mar 2, 1:30 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone30 min
Mar 2, 1:31 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNFranklin, Lawrence29 min
Mar 2, 1:55 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLimestone, Madison50 min
Mar 2, 2:00 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNLimestone30 min
Mar 2, 2:06 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNColbert, Lauderdale24 min
Mar 2, 2:29 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNColbert, Lauderdale31 min
Mar 2, 2:41 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNColbert, Lauderdale, Lawrence34 min
Mar 2, 3:07 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNLimestone23 min
Mar 2, 3:16 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNColbert, Lawrence29 min
Mar 2, 3:26 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNLimestone, Madison34 min
Mar 2, 3:27 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNLawrence33 min
Mar 2, 3:44 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLimestone31 min
Mar 2, 3:58 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNJackson, Madison14 min
Mar 2, 4:00 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLawrence, Morgan30 min
Mar 2, 4:10 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNJackson, Madison50 min
Mar 2, 4:15 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNCullman, Morgan30 min
Mar 2, 4:21 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNMadison24 min
Mar 2, 4:33 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNCullman, Morgan27 min
Mar 2, 4:51 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNJackson, Madison24 min
Mar 2, 4:55 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNMorgan15 min
Mar 2, 5:14 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNJackson46 min
Mar 2, 5:49 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNCullman26 min
Mar 2, 5:57 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNJackson18 min
Mar 2, 9:55 AM CSTTornado WarningHUNFranklin9 min
Mar 2, 2:28 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNFranklin, Lincoln, Moore32 min
Mar 2, 2:38 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNLincoln18 min
Mar 2, 2:58 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNFranklin, Lincoln, Moore47 min
Mar 2, 3:16 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNFranklin19 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 2012Tornado Warnings in Tennessee, 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.