Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2013

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 37, NWS Birmingham, AL

March 18, 2013Calhoun County, Talladega County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 18, 2013, 3:46 PM CDT for Calhoun County, Talladega County, Alabama. It was in force for 44 min. 5 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 18, 2013, 3:46 PM CDT (20:46 UTC)
Expired: Mar 18, 2013, 4:30 PM CDT
In force: 44 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Calhoun County, AL, Talladega County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 85 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:46 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
Mar 18, 3:51 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	Lincoln, AL	NUMEROUS TREES WERE DOWN AND DAMAGE TO ONE RESIDENCE.
Mar 18, 3:55 PM CDT	HAIL 2	Lincoln, AL
Mar 18, 4:03 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	Jacksonville State Univ, AL	THE ROOF OF THE LIBRARY AT JACKSONVILLE STATE WAS PARTIALLY REMOVED. THE TRANSMITTER FOR THE RADIO STATION ON THE ROOF WAS DESTROYED.
Mar 18, 4:09 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	Jacksonville, AL	ROOF DAMAGE TO CAMPUS INN
Mar 18, 4:11 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	Saks, AL	ROOF OF ACKER ELECTRIC CO BUILDING PARTIALLY REMOVED. WINDS ESTIMATED AT 70-80 MPH BY TRAINED NWS SPOTTER.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched 6 storm reports to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 5 minutes after it went out.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

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

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Mar 18, 1:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 8.8 hours before the alert went out and 85 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 196 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -139 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 520 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 298 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 281 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

937 
WUUS54 KBMX 182046
SVRBMX
ALC015-121-182130-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0037.130318T2046Z-130318T2130Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
346 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN CALHOUN COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  NORTH CENTRAL TALLADEGA COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 430 PM CDT

* AT 341 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL...AND DAMAGING
  WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR HONDA
  MANUFACTURING OF ALABAMA...OR 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF PELL CITY...AND
  MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  WEST END-COBB TOWN...COBB TOWN...SAKS...ANNISTON...FORT
  MCCLELLAN...JACKSONVILLE...ALEXANDRIA AND BLUE MOUNTAIN.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

FOR YOUR PROTECTION...MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF
YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.

&&

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...
CALL 1-800-856-0758 OR TWEET YOUR REPORT USING HASHTAG ALWX

LAT...LON 3360 8601 3360 8619 3362 8620 3362 8617
      3363 8616 3369 8620 3369 8617 3368 8617
      3367 8615 3370 8615 3387 8565 3366 8565
TIME...MOT...LOC 2046Z 260DEG 32KT 3365 8608

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Birmingham, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Mar 18, 3:29 PM CDT, 17 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 18, 3:29 PM CDT, 17 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
329 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

.DISCUSSION...

ONGOING STORMS WILL GRADUALLY PUSH EASTWARD OUT OF AREA THROUGH
THE EVENING.

THE REST OF THE 7 DAY FORECAST PERIOD WILL BE LARGELY DOMINATED BY
EASTERN STATES TROUGHINESS...KEEPING OUR AREA NEAR OR BELOW
SEASONAL TEMPERATURE AVERAGES. THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FREEZING
TEMPERATURES WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. NEXT
GOOD CHANCES OF RAIN WILL COME LATE IN THE WEEK INTO NEXT WEEKEND.

/61/

&&

.AVIATION...
18Z TAF DISCUSSION.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY IDEALIZED TAF FORECAST...ESPECIALLY FOR
THE FIRST 6 TO 8 HOURS.  WITH MVFR CIGS BECOMING THINNER AND
THINNER...SUNSHINE IS STARTING TO SQUEEZE THROUGH THE CLOUD DECK.
THIS WILL LIKELY HELP TO DESTABILIZE THINGS...ALLOWING FOR SCATTERED
TS DEVELOPMENT ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON.  PREVAILING
TAF LINES REALLY REVOLVE AROUND THE LINE OF TS OVER NORTHERN
MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA...WHICH WILL CONTINUE PUSHING TO THE SOUTH
AND EAST THROUGH 00Z.  MAY HAVE TO ADJUST A BIT IF THESE SCATTERED
STORMS BEGIN POPPING UP AHEAD OF THE LINE.

WINDS WILL GRADUALLY VEER THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AS WELL...GIVING US
SOUTHWESTERLY SURFACE FLOW AHEAD OF FROPA...WHICH WILL TRANSLATE
THROUGH CENTRAL ALABAMA DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.  CLEARING IS
LIKELY A FEW HOURS AFTER DAYBREAK ON TUESDAY.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GADSDEN     42  63  40  60  30 / 100   0  10  10   0
ANNISTON    44  63  41  59  32 / 100   0  10  10   0
BIRMINGHAM  44  64  43  61  32 / 100   0  10   0   0
TUSCALOOSA  45  66  44  63  36 /  70   0  10   0   0
CALERA      46  65  43  62  34 / 100   0  10  10   0
AUBURN      51  67  44  61  35 /  90   0  10  10   0
MONTGOMERY  52  69  46  62  37 /  70   0  10  10   0
TROY        55  70  46  62  37 /  60   0  10  10   0

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 18, 1:08 PM CDT, 2 hours 38 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
108 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

ALZ011>015-017>050-191815-
MARION-LAMAR-FAYETTE-WINSTON-WALKER-BLOUNT-ETOWAH-CALHOUN-CHEROKEE-
CLEBURNE-PICKENS-TUSCALOOSA-JEFFERSON-SHELBY-ST. CLAIR-TALLADEGA-
CLAY-RANDOLPH-SUMTER-GREENE-HALE-PERRY-BIBB-CHILTON-COOSA-TALLAPOOSA-
CHAMBERS-MARENGO-DALLAS-AUTAUGA-LOWNDES-ELMORE-MONTGOMERY-MACON-
BULLOCK-LEE-RUSSELL-PIKE-BARBOUR-
108 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH 10 PM...
FOR ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA. THE PRIMARY THREATS WILL BE DAMAGING
STRAIGHT LINE WINDS AND LARGE HAIL...POSSIBLY UP TO TWO INCHES IN
DIAMETER.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

A DRY AIRMASS WILL WORK INTO THE AREA ON TUESDAY. THERE IS A LOW
CONFIDENCE THAT RELATIVE HUMIDITIES MAY DROP BELOW 25 PERCENT
ACROSS THE EAST FOR SEVERAL HOURS DURING THE AFTERNOON. THIS WOULD
HELP CREATE A POTENTIAL HIGH FIRE DANGER. OUTDOOR BURNING IS
DISCOURAGED WITH THIS TYPE OF AIRMASS.

THERE IS A CHANCE FOR TEMPERATURES TO FALL BELOW THE FREEZING MARK
WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. SENSITIVE VEGETATION WILL
NEED TO BE PROTECTED DUE TO THE FREEZING TEMPERATURES.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WILL BE
NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

27

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 18, 3:29 PM CDT, 17 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
329 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0322 PM     HAIL             3 NW BIRMINGHAM         33.56N 86.84W
03/18/2013  E0.88 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   PUBLIC

            IN THE AREA OF MCDONALD CHAPEL.

&&

SUNGER

Local storm report, Mar 18, 3:33 PM CDT, 13 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
333 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0329 PM     TSTM WND DMG     5 W TRUSSVILLE          33.62N 86.67W
03/18/2013                   JEFFERSON          AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            ROOF DAMAGE TO HOME

&&

SUNGER

Local storm report, Mar 18, 3:36 PM CDT, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
336 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0328 PM     TSTM WND DMG     ONEONTA                 33.95N 86.47W
03/18/2013                   BLOUNT             AL   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO A BUSINESS IN TOWN

&&

SUNGER

Local storm report, Mar 18, 3:38 PM CDT, 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
338 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0330 PM     TSTM WND DMG     CLAY                    33.70N 86.60W
03/18/2013                   JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            TREES ON HOUR 2184 SELF CREEK RD CENTER POINT. ADDITIONAL
            TREES CLAYTON RD AND OLD SPRINGVILLE RD IN CLAY.

&&

BAER

Local storm report, Mar 18, 3:44 PM CDT, 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
344 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0328 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 NW HUEYTOWN           33.47N 87.03W
03/18/2013                   JEFFERSON          AL   PUBLIC

            TREES DOWN AND SHINGLES OFF ROOF

&&

SUNGER

Local storm report, Mar 18, 3:46 PM CDT, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
346 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0346 PM     TSTM WND DMG     N FULTONDALE            33.62N 86.80W
03/18/2013                   JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            MULTIPLE TREES DOWN STOUTS ROAD ELKWOOD RD

&&

BAER

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Mar 18, 4:58 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Marion	32 min
Mar 18, 1:06 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Marion	39 min
Mar 18, 1:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion	41 min
Mar 18, 1:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion	44 min
Mar 18, 1:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar, Marion	54 min
Mar 18, 2:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Winston	39 min
Mar 18, 2:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Pickens, Winston	57 min
Mar 18, 2:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa, Walker	62 min
Mar 18, 3:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	St. Clair	27 min
Mar 18, 3:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount, Jefferson	39 min
Mar 18, 3:20 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Greene, Sumter	55 min
Mar 18, 3:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	47 min
Mar 18, 3:34 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Etowah, St. Clair, Shelby	56 min
Mar 18, 3:38 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chilton, Coosa	52 min
Mar 18, 3:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Chilton	66 min
Mar 18, 4:01 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cherokee, Talladega	59 min
Mar 18, 4:09 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chambers, Tallapoosa	66 min
Mar 18, 4:12 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Clay, Cleburne, Randolph	63 min
Mar 18, 4:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Coosa	31 min
Mar 18, 4:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Chilton, Perry	57 min
Mar 18, 4:24 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Russell	36 min
Mar 18, 4:35 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tallapoosa	55 min
Mar 18, 4:43 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Dallas, Marengo, Perry	62 min
Mar 18, 4:49 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas, Marengo, Perry, Sumter	56 min
Mar 18, 4:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Elmore	62 min
Mar 18, 5:05 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tallapoosa	40 min
Mar 18, 5:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chambers, Lee	57 min
Mar 18, 5:30 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Lowndes, Montgomery	60 min
Mar 18, 5:32 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Macon	58 min
Mar 18, 5:38 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Russell	52 min
Mar 18, 6:11 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Lowndes, Montgomery	49 min
Mar 18, 6:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lee	15 min
Mar 18, 6:21 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Barbour, Bullock, Pike, Russell	54 min
Mar 18, 6:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Barbour, Bullock, Pike	53 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2013 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2013

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.