Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 1, NWS Mobile, AL

January 23, 2012Choctaw County, Alabama

NWS Mobile, AL issued this tornado warning at Jan 23, 2012, 3:34 AM CST for Choctaw County, Alabama. It was in force for 40 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, 3:34 AM CST (09:34 UTC)
Expired
Jan 23, 2012, 4:14 AM CST
In force
40 min
Issued by
NWS Mobile, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon

County Choctaw County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 164 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 09:35 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 23, 2:44 AM CSTTornado WatchSPC9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 9.6 hours before the alert went out and 163 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.

650 
WFUS54 KMOB 230934
TORMOB
ALC023-231030-
/O.NEW.KMOB.TO.W.0001.120123T0934Z-120123T1030Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN CHOCTAW COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 430 AM CST

* AT 331 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 7 MILES NORTH OF
  QUITMAN...OR 7 MILES EAST OF STONEWALL...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  PENNINGTON...         LISMAN...

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.

IF IN MANUFACTURED HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 AM CST MONDAY MORNING
FOR SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.

&&

LAT...LON 3230 8799 3228 8801 3226 8800 3220 8801
      3211 8845 3228 8843 3231 8842 3231 8799
TIME...MOT...LOC 0934Z 251DEG 37KT 3215 8865

$$
3 follow-up statements
355 
WWUS54 KMOB 230947
SVSMOB

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
347 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012

ALC023-231030-
/O.CON.KMOB.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-120123T1030Z/
CHOCTAW AL-
347 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 430 AM CST FOR NORTHERN
CHOCTAW COUNTY...

AT 340 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED 8 MILES WEST OF
CYRIL...OR 14 MILES NORTHEAST OF QUITMAN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50
MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO 
YANTLEY...LISMAN...AND PELHAM.

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.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 AM CST MONDAY MORNING
FOR SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.

&&

LAT...LON 3230 8799 3228 8801 3226 8800 3220 8801
      3214 8844 3228 8843 3231 8842 3231 8799
TIME...MOT...LOC 0946Z 247DEG 44KT 3222 8848

$$
537 
WWUS54 KMOB 230957
SVSMOB

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
357 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012

ALC023-231030-
/O.CON.KMOB.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-120123T1030Z/
CHOCTAW AL-
357 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 430 AM CST FOR NORTHERN
CHOCTAW COUNTY...

AT 354 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR YANTLEY...OR 16
MILES NORTHWEST OF BUTLER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO MOLLIE 
AND HALSELL.

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.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 AM CST MONDAY MORNING
FOR SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.

&&

LAT...LON 3218 8843 3219 8844 3228 8843 3231 8842
      3231 8805
TIME...MOT...LOC 0957Z 247DEG 40KT 3226 8837

$$
436 
WWUS54 KMOB 231014
SVSMOB

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
414 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012

ALC023-231024-
/O.CAN.KMOB.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-120123T1030Z/
CHOCTAW AL-
414 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHERN CHOCTAW COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

AT 414 AM CST...THE STORM THAT PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS BOTH 
WEAKENED AND MOVED OUT OF CHOCTAW COUNTY...THUS THE TORNADO WARNING 
HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 AM CST MONDAY MORNING
FOR SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.

LAT...LON 3218 8843 3219 8844 3228 8843 3231 8842
      3231 8805
TIME...MOT...LOC 1014Z 247DEG 40KT 3233 8816

$$

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.