Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2013

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 50, NWS Birmingham, AL

March 18, 2013Russell County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 18, 2013, 5:38 PM CDT for Russell County, Alabama. It was in force for 52 min. 4 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, 5:38 PM CDT (22:38 UTC)
Expired: Mar 18, 2013, 6:30 PM CDT
In force: 52 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Russell County, AL

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Mar 18, 6:12 PM CDT	HAIL 2	2 Nnw Phenix City, AL	AVERAGE SIZE OF THE HAIL WAS 1.25 INCHES...WITH THE LARGEST HAIL SIZE BEING 2 INCHES. THE HAIL COMPLETELY COVERED THE GROUND.
Mar 18, 6:14 PM CDT	HAIL 2	4 S Columbus, AL	UP TO 2 INCH HAIL COVERING THE GROUND. HAIL FELL FOR 10 MINUTES.
Mar 18, 6:17 PM CDT	HAIL 1.25	Phenix City, AL
Mar 18, 6:17 PM CDT	HAIL 1.5	3 Nw Phenix City, AL

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 3 storm reports to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 34 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, 3:16 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 10.6 hours before the alert went out and 115 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: 3 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -2 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 540 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 67 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 153 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

542 
WUUS54 KBMX 182238
SVRBMX
ALC113-182330-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0050.130318T2238Z-130318T2330Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN RUSSELL COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 630 PM CDT

* AT 538 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL...AND
  DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR
  GRIFFEN MILL...OR 12 MILES WEST OF SMITHS...AND MOVING EAST AT 30
  MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  PHENIX CITY...LADONIA...CRAWFORD...LADONIA SPORTS COMPLEX...PHENIX
  DRAG STRIP AND FORT MITCHELL.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT MONDAY EVENING FOR
SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA.

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

LAT...LON 3241 8497 3239 8497 3234 8501 3244 8533
      3247 8534 3247 8507 3251 8506 3251 8500
      3250 8499 3246 8499 3244 8496 3242 8496
TIME...MOT...LOC 2238Z 281DEG 28KT 3248 8524

$$

GRANTHAM

1 follow-up statement

205 
WWUS54 KBMX 182302
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
602 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

ALC113-182330-
/O.CON.KBMX.SV.W.0050.000000T0000Z-130318T2330Z/
RUSSELL AL-
602 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEASTERN
RUSSELL COUNTY UNTIL 630 PM CDT...

AT 602 PM CDT...THE PUBLIC REPORTED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING
LARGE DESTRUCTIVE HAIL UP TO BASEBALL SIZE...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN
EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR LADONIA...OR 6 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF SMITHS...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  PHENIX CITY...LADONIA...LADONIA SPORTS COMPLEX AND PHENIX DRAG
  STRIP.

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.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3241 8497 3239 8497 3234 8501 3244 8533
      3247 8534 3247 8507 3251 8506 3251 8500
      3250 8499 3246 8499 3244 8496 3242 8496
TIME...MOT...LOC 2302Z 281DEG 28KT 3247 8512

$$

GRANTHAM

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, 2 hours 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 18, 3:29 PM CDT, 2 hours 9 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, 4 hours 30 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, 4:58 PM CDT, 40 minutes before

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

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

0454 PM     HAIL             6 SW DADEVILLE          32.77N 85.84W
03/18/2013  E1.75 INCH       TALLAPOOSA         AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

0453 PM     HAIL             LANETT                  32.87N 85.21W
03/18/2013  E1.25 INCH       CHAMBERS           AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

JD/02

Local storm report, Mar 18, 5:02 PM CDT, 36 minutes before

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

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

0210 PM     TSTM WND DMG     5 S ARKADELPHIA         33.80N 86.92W
03/18/2013                   JEFFERSON          AL   PUBLIC

            DOZEN LARGE PINE TREES DOWN POINTING IN A UNIFORM
            DIRECTION.

&&

JD/02

Local storm report, Mar 18, 5:05 PM CDT, 33 minutes before

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

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

0246 PM     TSTM WND DMG     JASPER                  33.85N 87.27W
03/18/2013                   WALKER             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES DOWN WITH ROADS BLOCKED IN NUMEROUS LOCATIONS. 2
            MANUFACTURED HOMES OVERTURNED IN DOGWOOD ACRES.

&&

JD/02

Local storm report, Mar 18, 5:15 PM CDT, 23 minutes before

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

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

0510 PM     TSTM WND DMG     NEW SITE                33.04N 85.78W
03/18/2013                   TALLAPOOSA         AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES DOWN IN NEW SITE. WINDS MEASURED 49 MPH IN ALEX
            CITY.

&&

JD/02

Local storm report, Mar 18, 5:25 PM CDT, 13 minutes before

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

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

0511 PM     TSTM WND GST     4 NE PIN HOOK           32.40N 87.83W
03/18/2013  E50 MPH          MARENGO            AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            PEA SIZE HAIL AT LOCATION AS WELL.

&&

JD/02

Special weather statement, Mar 18, 5:30 PM CDT, 8 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
530 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

ALZ040-042-044-182330-
DALLAS AL-LOWNDES AL-MONTGOMERY AL-
530 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR MONTGOMERY...LOWNDES AND SOUTHERN
DALLAS COUNTIES UNTIL 630 PM CDT...

AT 530 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM COOSADA TO FIVE POINTS...
AND MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH.

PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  MONTGOMERY...
  MOSSES...
  HAYNEVILLE...
  BOYLSTON...
  HUNTER...

&&

LAT...LON 3221 8735 3236 8681 3231 8680 3237 8678
      3239 8672 3235 8668 3241 8662 3237 8661
      3234 8650 3241 8646 3241 8631 3249 8631
      3250 8626 3243 8619 3242 8603 3228 8592
      3225 8600 3212 8600 3205 8639 3200 8644
TIME...MOT...LOC 2231Z 285DEG 47KT 3246 8623 3221 8713

GRANTHAM

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, 3:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Talladega	44 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, 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.