Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2013

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 4, NWS Birmingham, AL

January 30, 2013Tuscaloosa County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jan 30, 2013, 6:49 AM CST for Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. It was in force for 56 min. 1 report 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 30, 2013, 6:49 AM CST (12:49 UTC)
Expired: Jan 30, 2013, 7:45 AM CST
In force: 56 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Tuscaloosa County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 58 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 12:51 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 30, 6:53 AM CST	TSTM WND DMG	4 Sw Coker, AL	TREES DOWN ON ROMULUS ROAD NEAR SIPSY HIGH SCHOOL.

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 one storm report to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 4 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
Jan 30, 1:46 AM CST	Tornado Watch	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 0.8 hours before the alert went out and 56 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: 916 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 468 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 62 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 296 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 364 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 1.9
Supercell composite: 9.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

105 
WUUS54 KBMX 301249
SVRBMX
ALC125-301345-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0004.130130T1249Z-130130T1345Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
649 AM CST WED JAN 30 2013

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  TUSCALOOSA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 745 AM CST

* AT 647 AM CST...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A LINE OF
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS
  OF 60 MPH.  THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM
  LAKE TUSCALOOSA BINION CREEK LANDING TO KNOXVILLE...AND MOVING
  NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  NORTHPORT...TUSCALOOSA...HOLT...BRYANT DENNY STADIUM...UNIVERSITY
  MALL...SHELTON STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE...BANKHEAD LOCK AND DAM AND
  MCFARLAND MALL.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 20 EXIT NUMBERS 62 THROUGH 89...

WINDS OF 60 TO 70 MPH WILL BREAK LARGE TREE LIMBS AND CAUSE SOME
DAMAGE...ESPECIALLY TO SMALLER STRUCTURES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. TORNADOES CAN
DEVELOP QUICKLY FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. ALTHOUGH NOT IMMEDIATELY
LIKELY...IF A TORNADO IS SPOTTED...ACT QUICKLY AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF
SAFETY INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE...SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR SMALL
INTERIOR ROOM.

&&

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 AM CST WEDNESDAY MORNING
FOR NORTHWESTERN ALABAMA.

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

LAT...LON 3360 8762 3359 8732 3352 8732 3350 8726
      3348 8729 3349 8733 3346 8734 3339 8723
      3337 8723 3331 8716 3330 8713 3313 8723
      3313 8728 3311 8730 3302 8732 3300 8763
      3302 8783
TIME...MOT...LOC 1248Z 247DEG 36KT 3339 8756 3303 8777

$$

61

1 follow-up statement

207 
WWUS54 KBMX 301302
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
702 AM CST WED JAN 30 2013

ALC125-301312-
/O.CAN.KBMX.SV.W.0004.000000T0000Z-130130T1345Z/
TUSCALOOSA AL-
702 AM CST WED JAN 30 2013

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR TUSCALOOSA COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

THE LINE OF STORMS WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED BELOW
SEVERE LIMITS...AND NO LONGER POSES AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO LIFE OR
PROPERTY.

ADDITIONAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL POSSIBLE...AND A TORNADO 
WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CALL 1-800-856-0758.

LAT...LON 3360 8762 3359 8732 3352 8732 3350 8726
      3348 8729 3349 8733 3346 8734 3339 8723
      3337 8723 3331 8716 3330 8713 3313 8723
      3313 8728 3311 8730 3302 8732 3300 8763
      3302 8783
TIME...MOT...LOC 1302Z 247DEG 36KT 3343 8740 3307 8761

$$

61

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 Jan 30, 6:46 AM CST, 3 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 30, 6:46 AM CST, 3 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
646 AM CST WED JAN 30 2013

.UPDATE...
MESOSCALE UPDATE.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE SQUALL LINE/QLCS HAS NOW BECOME VERY BROKEN
IN APPEARANCE...AND CELLS ARE FORMING OUT AHEAD OF THE LINE. LIGHTNING
HAS REALLY INCREASED WITH AN INTENSIFYING LINE OF STORMS ACROSS
SOUTHEASTERN MISSISSIPPI...AND SURFACE MESOANLYSIS HAS REVEALED
THAT A WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE HAS NOW BEGUN TO FORM NEAR
HATTIESBURG MISSISSIPPI. THIS WILL BECOME VERY PROBLEMATIC
THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS FOR OUR SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF THE
CWA...WHERE 68+ DEWPOINTS ARE BEGINNING TO GET ADVECTED NORTHWARD.
DEWPOINTS OF 66 HAVE BEEN ADVECTED AS FAR NORTH AS WINSTON AND
CULLMAN COUNTY. FRESH OFF THE PRESS...THE 12Z KBMX SOUNDING
MODIFIED FOR THE CURRENT SURFACE CONDITIONS REVEALS OVER 1000 J/KG
OF CAPE WITH A VERY WEAK CAP ABOUT TO BE BROKEN...WHICH WILL MEAN
THE LIKELIHOOD FOR TORNADIC DEVELOPMENT WILL CONTINUE OUT AHEAD OF
THE BROKEN LINE OF SHOWERS AND STORMS. THE ADDITION OF THE WEAK
AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ACROSS SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI WILL NO DOUBT
CONTINUE TO INCREASE SHEAR ACROSS THE AREA AS WELL. SO THE FIRST
THREAT THAT WE WILL SEE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS...WILL BE THE
ROTATING CELLS OUT AHEAD OF THE LINE AND WITHIN THE OLD QLCS
STRETCHING NORTHEASTWARD FROM SUMTER COUNTY NORTHEAST TO CULLMAN
COUNTY. BASED ON RADAR TRENDS...THE BEST DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE
WIND THREAT LOOKS TO BE MATERIALIZING ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN
MISSISSIPPI...AND THAT LINE OF STORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE
SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF OUR CWA THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. ALSO...THE
DAMAGING WIND THREAT WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE IN ANY STORM THAT IS
CAPABLE OF MIXING DOWN THE EXTREMELY STRONG WINDS ALOFT.

56/GDG

&&

.AVIATION...
12Z TAF DISCUSSION.

MVFR CIGS ARE PREVAILING FOR MOST LOCATIONS...AND HAVE DECIDED TO GO
WITH PREVAILING MVFR FOR ALL TERMINALS THROUGH THE PERIOD IN THE
NEAR TERM. AS HEAVIER RAINFALL PASSES OVER ANY TERMINAL
LOCATION...CIGS AND VIS COULD SUDDENLY DROP AT ANY TIME. WITH CELLS
DEVELOPING OUT AHEAD OF THE SQUALL LINE...HAVE ADDED IN VCTS FOR
KBHM AND KEET THROUGH THE NEAR TERM. WINDS WILL REMAIN VERY GUSTY
THROUGH THE MORNING WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 KNOTS POSSIBLE FROM THE
SOUTH.

AS FAR AS THE TIMING OF THE SQUALL LINE...THE LINE ITSELF IS
BECOMING MORE BROKEN THAN IT WAS EARLIER THIS MORNING...BUT HAVE
STILL TRIED TO TIME THE ARRIVAL OF STRONGER WINDS AND SQUALLS AT
KTCL...KBHM...AND KEET. IF THE LINE BECOMES MORE BROKEN...WILL AMEND
BASED ON A WESTERLY WIND SHIFT THROUGH THE MORNING INSTEAD OF A
SQUALL...WITH TSRA CONTINUED TO BE MENTIONED.

DUE TO SO MANY FORECAST CHALLENGES WITHIN THE FIRST 12 HOURS OF THE
PERIOD...DID NOT SPEND MUCH TIME ON THE SECOND HALF OF THE PERIOD.
AS A HEADS UP...WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE W/SW BEHIND THE LINE OF
STORMS BUT WILL REMAIN GUSTY.

56/GDG

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES: AUTAUGA...BARBOUR...BIBB...BLOUNT...BULLOCK...
CALHOUN...CHAMBERS...CHEROKEE...CHILTON...CLAY...CLEBURNE...
COOSA...DALLAS...ELMORE...ETOWAH...FAYETTE...GREENE...HALE...
JEFFERSON...LAMAR...LEE...LOWNDES...MACON...MARENGO...MARION...
MONTGOMERY...PERRY...PICKENS...PIKE...RANDOLPH...RUSSELL...
SHELBY...ST. CLAIR...SUMTER...TALLADEGA...TALLAPOOSA...
TUSCALOOSA...WALKER...WINSTON.

&&

56

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 30, 5:58 AM CST, 51 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
558 AM CST WED JAN 30 2013

ALZ011>015-017>050-311200-
AUTAUGA-BARBOUR-BIBB-BLOUNT-BULLOCK-CALHOUN-CHAMBERS-CHEROKEE-
CHILTON-CLAY-CLEBURNE-COOSA-DALLAS-ELMORE-ETOWAH-FAYETTE-GREENE-HALE-
JEFFERSON-LAMAR-LEE-LOWNDES-MACON-MARENGO-MARION-MONTGOMERY-PERRY-
PICKENS-PIKE-RANDOLPH-RUSSELL-SHELBY-ST CLAIR-SUMTER-TALLADEGA-
TALLAPOOSA-TUSCALOOSA-WALKER-WINSTON-
558 AM CST WED JAN 30 2013

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE THIS
MORNING AND LASTING THROUGH 8 AM FOR AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF A
DEMOPOLIS...TO BIRMINGHAM...TO ONEONTA LINE. BY 10 AM THE LINE
SHOULD BE NEAR A GADSDEN TO SELMA LINE. BY NOON...THIS LINE WILL
BE NEAR A WEDOWEE TO MONTGOMERY LINE. BY 2 PM THE LINE WILL BEGIN
TO APPROACH A TROY TO AUBURN LINE.

ISOLATED SUPERCELL STORMS HAVE ALSO BEGUN TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE
SQUALL LINE AND WILL LIKELY CONTINUE THROUGH INTO THE AFTERNOON.
THESE CELLS WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO PRODUCE TORNADOES BEFORE THE
SQUALL LINE WORKS INTO THE AREA. AREAS MAINLY IMPACTED BY THIS
AREA WILL BE EAST OF A DEMOPOLIS...TO BIRMINGHAM...TO ONEONTA LINE.

WINDY CONDITIONS WILL ALSO CONTINUE FOR ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA
THROUGH 6 PM THIS EVENING. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 25 MPH...WITH GUSTS OF
UP TO 35 MPH ARE POSSIBLE. HIGHER ELEVATION LOCATIONS OF EASTERN
AND NORTHEASTERN ALABAMA COULD SEE WIND GUSTS OF UP TO 50 MPH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

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

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jan 30, 3:54 AM CST, 2 hours 55 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
354 AM CST WED JAN 30 2013

ALZ011-301100-
MARION AL-
354 AM CST WED JAN 30 2013

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR MARION COUNTY UNTIL 500 AM CST...

AT 348 AM CST...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 14 MILES NORTHWEST OF
RUSSELLVILLE TO AMORY...AND MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  HAMILTON...
  WESTON...
  HACKLEBURG...
  BRINN...
  LAKE BUTTAHATCHEE...

THESE STORMS MAY INTENSIFY....AND A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR
THIS AREA. BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS...AS
WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS....FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND
POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

&&

LAT...LON 3431 8764 3411 8763 3396 8766 3399 8795
      3402 8795 3403 8799 3405 8799 3406 8821
      3432 8818 3433 8817
TIME...MOT...LOC 0954Z 254DEG 21KT 3460 8791 3398 8841

61

Local storm report, Jan 30, 4:56 AM CST, 1 hour 53 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
456 AM CST WED JAN 30 2013

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

0456 AM     HAIL             HAMILTON                34.14N 87.98W
01/30/2013  E0.75 INCH       MARION             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN HAMILTON.

&&

GGOGGINS

Local storm report, Jan 30, 5:43 AM CST, 1 hour 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
543 AM CST WED JAN 30 2013

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

0532 AM     TSTM WND DMG     2 NW FAYETTE            33.71N 87.86W
01/30/2013                   FAYETTE            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            NUMEROUS TREES DOWN ON HWY 18 NORTHWEST OF FAYETTE

&&

GGOGGINS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jan 30, 3:54 AM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Marion	66 min
Jan 30, 4:34 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar, Marion	41 min
Jan 30, 5:05 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Chilton	40 min
Jan 30, 5:23 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker, Winston	52 min
Jan 30, 5:44 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Winston	31 min
Jan 30, 5:49 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa, Walker	41 min
Jan 30, 7:28 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Sumter	47 min
Jan 30, 7:53 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chilton, Coosa	52 min
Jan 30, 8:00 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Hale, Marengo	45 min
Jan 30, 8:15 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Coosa, Talladega	45 min
Jan 30, 8:19 AM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Hale	116 min
Jan 30, 8:46 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Talladega	29 min
Jan 30, 8:48 AM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Bibb, Hale, Jefferson, Shelby	117 min
Jan 30, 9:02 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun	28 min
Jan 30, 9:08 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Calhoun	52 min
Jan 30, 9:20 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Cleburne	40 min
Jan 30, 9:43 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Jefferson	3 hr
Jan 30, 10:09 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Coosa, Elmore	51 min
Jan 30, 10:12 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Talladega	3 hr
Jan 30, 10:20 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Calhoun, St. Clair	3 hr
Jan 30, 10:24 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Elmore, Montgomery	51 min
Jan 30, 10:31 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Clay, Randolph	44 min
Jan 30, 10:42 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Clay, Cleburne	3 hr
Jan 30, 10:53 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Clay, Tallapoosa	37 min
Jan 30, 10:57 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tallapoosa	33 min
Jan 30, 11:08 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cleburne, Randolph	37 min
Jan 30, 11:19 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Elmore, Tallapoosa	26 min
Jan 30, 11:26 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chambers, Randolph	49 min
Jan 30, 12:10 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Bullock, Montgomery, Pike	35 min
Jan 30, 12:26 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Barbour, Bullock, Russell	34 min
Jan 30, 12:28 PM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Chambers, Randolph, Tallapoosa	3 hr
Jan 30, 12:55 PM CST	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Talladega	3 hr
Jan 30, 2:03 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Barbour, Lee, Pike, Russell	57 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.