Alert archive / Alabama / Special Weather Statements in 2013

Special Weather Statement, NWS Birmingham, AL

March 18, 2013Marion County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this special weather statement at Mar 18, 2013, 1:06 PM CDT for Marion County, Alabama. It was in force for 39 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
Mar 18, 2013, 1:06 PM CDT (18:06 UTC)
Expired
Mar 18, 2013, 1:45 PM CDT
In force
39 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL

County Marion County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 60 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:11 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 nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 6.1 hours before the alert went out and 159 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 12:00Z on 2013-03-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 196 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2013-03-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 298 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
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.

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What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this special weather statement 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 special weather statement went out at Mar 18, 12:30 PM CDT, 36 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 18, 12:30 PM CDT, 36 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1230 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

.UPDATE...
FOR 18Z AVIATION.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

TODAY LOOKS LIKE IT COULD BE THE STORY OF 2 OR 3 DIFFERENT TALES.
WE START OUT THIS MORNING WITH AMPLE CLOUD COVER AND SCATTERED
SHOWERS ACROSS A LARGE PORTION OF CENTRAL ALABAMA AS WELL AS THE
MAIN ONGOING SITUATION...THE SQUALL LINE THAT HAS DEVELOPED IN
NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI. AS EXPECTED...THE MORNING CLOUD COVER IS
HAMPERING THE DEVELOPMENT OF SFC BASED INSTABILITY...BUT THE SQUALL
LINE DOES HAVE THE ENERGY FROM THE PARENT SURFACE LOW IN SOUTHERN
KENTUCKY WITH WHICH TO WORK.  THE LINE SHOULD REMAIN ELEVATED BUT
WILL CARRY A LOW-END HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND THREAT.   THIS IS
EXPECTED TO CHANGE HOWEVER AS WE MOVE INTO THE AFTERNOON HOURS.
MODEL GUIDANCE SUPPORTED BY WATER VAPOR SATELLITE IMAGERY ARE STILL
SUGGESTING DRY AIR WILL WORK INTO CENTRAL ALABAMA ALOFT AND WE COULD
STILL SEE SOME MIXING OUT OF THE CLOUDS CURRENTLY IN PLACE.  IF THIS
DOES OCCUR...A GOOD PORTION OF THE AREA COULD SEE SFC BASED CAPES IN
THE 1000-1750 J/KG RANGE.  WHEN COUPLED WITH INCREASING MID-LEVEL
LAPSE RATES AND VEERING SURFACE WINDS...THIS COMBINATION COULD SPELL
SOME FAIRLY LARGE HAIL AND POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS WITH ANY STORM
THAT TAPS INTO THAT ENERGY.  IF YOU DO SEE CLEARING IN YOUR AREA AND
THE SUN COMES OUT...THEN THAT WILL INCREASE YOUR CHANCE FOR A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH TO BE EXTENDED TO YOU AS THE ENVIRONMENT WILL
RIPEN FOR SEVERE POTENTIAL THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. PROPER
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS FOR SEVERE WEATHER ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE
AS WE MOVE TOWARDS THE MIDNIGHT HOUR TONIGHT.

UPDATES ARE OUT.

27

&&

.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.

&&

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

&&
Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 18, 5:43 AM CDT, 7 hours 23 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Mar 18, 1:06 PM CDT, 0 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
106 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

ALZ011-181845-
MARION AL-
106 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN MARION COUNTY UNTIL 145
PM CDT...

AT 104 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM NEAR TREMONT...OR 13 MILES SOUTH OF RED BAY...MOVING
EAST AT 45 MPH.

HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...
ALONG WITH FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  HACKLEBURG...
  SHOTTSVILLE...
  PIGEYE...
  TESSNER...
  BEAR CREEK...

&&

LAT...LON 3432 8766 3431 8764 3421 8763 3418 8820
      3430 8819 3433 8817
TIME...MOT...LOC 1806Z 261DEG 37KT 3426 8815

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 18, 4:58 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXMarion32 min
Mar 18, 1:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarion41 min
Mar 18, 1:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarion44 min
Mar 18, 1:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar, Marion54 min
Mar 18, 2:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWinston39 min
Mar 18, 2:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Lamar, Marion, Pickens, Winston57 min
Mar 18, 2:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTuscaloosa, Walker62 min
Mar 18, 3:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXSt. Clair27 min
Mar 18, 3:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount, Jefferson39 min
Mar 18, 3:20 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXGreene, Sumter55 min
Mar 18, 3:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTuscaloosa47 min
Mar 18, 3:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXEtowah, St. Clair, Shelby56 min
Mar 18, 3:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChilton, Coosa52 min
Mar 18, 3:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun, Talladega44 min
Mar 18, 3:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Chilton66 min
Mar 18, 4:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun, Cherokee, Talladega59 min
Mar 18, 4:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChambers, Tallapoosa66 min
Mar 18, 4:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay, Cleburne, Randolph63 min
Mar 18, 4:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCoosa31 min
Mar 18, 4:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Chilton, Perry57 min
Mar 18, 4:24 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXRussell36 min
Mar 18, 4:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTallapoosa55 min
Mar 18, 4:43 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXDallas, Marengo, Perry62 min
Mar 18, 4:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXDallas, Marengo, Perry, Sumter56 min
Mar 18, 4:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXAutauga, Elmore62 min
Mar 18, 5:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTallapoosa40 min
Mar 18, 5:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChambers, Lee57 min
Mar 18, 5:30 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXLowndes, Montgomery60 min
Mar 18, 5:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMacon58 min
Mar 18, 5:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXRussell52 min
Mar 18, 6:11 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXLowndes, Montgomery49 min
Mar 18, 6:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLee15 min
Mar 18, 6:21 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXBarbour, Bullock, Pike, Russell54 min
Mar 18, 6:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBarbour, Bullock, Pike53 min

Nearby

Special Weather Statements in Alabama, 2013Every special weather statement 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.