Alert archive / Alabama / Special Weather Statements in 2013

Special Weather Statement, NWS Birmingham, AL

August 7, 2013Calhoun County, St. Clair County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this special weather statement at Aug 7, 2013, 5:44 PM CDT for Calhoun County, St. Clair County, Alabama. It was in force for 46 min. 3 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: Aug 7, 2013, 5:44 PM CDT (22:44 UTC)
Expired: Aug 7, 2013, 6:30 PM CDT
In force: 46 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL

Counties Calhoun County, AL, St. Clair County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 69 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:45 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
Aug 7, 6:17 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	Argo, AL	A FEW TREES AND POWER LINES WERE BLOWN DOWN.
Aug 7, 6:30 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	5 Ne Pell City, AL	SEVERAL LARGE TREE LIMBS WERE BLOWN DOWN ON HIGHLAND VIEW DRIVE IN THE COMMUNITY OF RIVERSIDE.
Aug 7, 6:40 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	Lincoln, AL	A TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN NEAR LINCOLN.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 10.7 hours before the alert went out and 69 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: 1157 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -57 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 675 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 9 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -15 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 18 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.

476 
WWUS84 KBMX 072244
SPSBMX

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
544 PM CDT WED AUG 7 2013

ALZ017>019-024-026-027-072330-
BLOUNT AL-CALHOUN AL-ETOWAH AL-JEFFERSON AL-ST. CLAIR AL-TALLADEGA
AL-
544 PM CDT WED AUG 7 2013

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN TALLADEGA...ST. CLAIR...
NORTHEASTERN JEFFERSON...SOUTHERN ETOWAH...SOUTHEASTERN BLOUNT AND
CALHOUN COUNTIES UNTIL 630 PM CDT...

AT 540 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM RAINBOW CITY TO ASHVILLE TO
SPRINGVILLE...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH
HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  SPRINGVILLE...
  TRUSSVILLE...
  ODENVILLE...
  MOODY...
  SAKS...

THESE STORMS MAY INTENSIFY...SO 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.

TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED
ROADWAY.

&&

LAT...LON 3370 8565 3355 8596 3345 8638 3350 8638
      3350 8648 3355 8648 3355 8651 3352 8652
      3353 8654 3381 8672 3392 8639 3404 8605
TIME...MOT...LOC 2244Z 314DEG 22KT 3393 8606 3383 8630
          3377 8654

$$

56

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 Aug 7, 3:10 PM CDT, 2 hours 34 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 7, 3:10 PM CDT, 2 hours 34 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
310 PM CDT WED AUG 7 2013

.DISCUSSION...

THUNDERSTORMS HAVE FORMED THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS NORTH ALABAMA
NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI ALONG AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY FROM EARLY
MORNING STORMS THAT AFFECTED MISSOURI. THESE STORMS WILL PROGRESS
SOUTHWARD ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON INTO
THE EVENING HOURS AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF A RIDGE TO OUR WEST.
SOME STRONG STORMS WITH GUSTY WINDS BELOW SEVERE LIMITS ARE
EXPECTED...BUT AN ISOLATED SEVERE GUST CANNOT BE RULED OUT AS THIS
ACTIVITY CONTINUES TO ORGANIZE.

HIGHER THAN NORMAL RAIN CHANCES WILL CONTINUE FOR THURSDAY AS
ABUNDANT MOISTURE AND A WEAKNESS IN THE RIDGE PERSISTS ACROSS THE
REGION. A SIMILAR PATTERN OF DAILY AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS
AND STORMS WITH NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES SHOULD UNFOLD THROUGH AT
LEAST DAY 7 AS WE REMAIN IN A STAGNANT WEATHER PATTERN WITH NO
WELL-DEFINED FRONTAL SYSTEMS.

87/GRANTHAM

&&

.AVIATION...
18Z TAF DISCUSSION.

CUMULUS FIELD A LITTLE SLOW TO FORM TODAY BUT BEGINNING TO GET
GOING. STARTING TO GET SOME WIDELY SCATTERED SHRA ACROSS C AL BUT
NO LIGHTNING RETURNS SHOWING UP JUST YET. MUCH MORE WIDESPREAD AND
STRONGER CONVECTION OVER NRN MS/C TN AND OVER GA. THIS IS EXPECTED
TO SPREAD INTO C AL THIS AFTERNOON AS SHORTWAVES AND THUS
DEVELOPING CONVECTION IS EXPECTED AROUND PERIPHERY OF UPPER RIDGE
OVER TX-MS THANKS TO NW FLOW. SOME STORMS COULD GET STRONG THIS
AFTERNOON. HAVE STAIR STEPPED VCTS BASED ON POSSIBLE TIMING BUT
NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO PUT TSRA IN PREVAILING AS OF NOW. ROUGH
ESTIMATE ON POSSIBLE FOG TONIGHT BUT WAITING TO SEE WHERE BETTER
RAINFALL ENDS UP TO BEST FOG CHANCES.

08/MK

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GADSDEN     72  88  72  88  72 /  40  60  40  60  30
ANNISTON    72  90  72  89  72 /  40  60  40  60  30
BIRMINGHAM  73  90  73  89  73 /  40  60  40  60  30
TUSCALOOSA  74  93  74  92  74 /  40  60  40  60  30
CALERA      73  91  73  90  73 /  40  60  40  60  30
AUBURN      71  90  71  89  71 /  40  60  40  60  30
MONTGOMERY  73  93  73  92  73 /  40  60  40  60  30
TROY        72  92  72  90  72 /  40  60  40  60  30

&&

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

&&

87/08

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 7, 12:55 PM CDT, 4 hours 49 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1255 PM CDT WED AUG 7 2013

ALZ011>015-017>050-081755-
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-
1255 PM CDT WED AUG 7 2013

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

ISOLATED AREAS OF DAMAGING WINDS GREATER THAN 60 MPH AND HEAVY
RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA THROUGH 8 PM.

.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 MAY BE
NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON.

08

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 7, 5:17 PM CDT, 27 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
517 PM CDT WED AUG 07 2013

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

0516 PM     FLASH FLOOD      BIRMINGHAM              33.53N 86.80W
08/07/2013                   JEFFERSON          AL   PUBLIC

            FLOODING ALONG LAKESHORE DRIVE NEAR SAMFORD UNIVERSITY.

&&

LINHARES

Local storm report, Aug 7, 5:24 PM CDT, 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
524 PM CDT WED AUG 07 2013

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

0523 PM     FLASH FLOOD      HOOVER                  33.38N 86.82W
08/07/2013                   JEFFERSON          AL   PUBLIC

            FLOODING REPORTED ALONG VALLEYDALE ROAD NEAR SPAIN PARK
            HIGH SCHOOL.

&&

LINHARES

Local storm report, Aug 7, 5:30 PM CDT, 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
530 PM CDT WED AUG 07 2013

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

0529 PM     TSTM WND DMG     VESTAVIA HILLS          33.43N 86.79W
08/07/2013                   JEFFERSON          AL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            ONE LARGE TREE FELL ONTO INTERSTATE 65 AND WAS BLOCKING
            THE ROADWAY. WINDS ESTIMATED AT 45 MPH.

&&

LINHARES

Local storm report, Aug 7, 5:31 PM CDT, 13 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
531 PM CDT WED AUG 07 2013

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

0530 PM     FLASH FLOOD      VESTAVIA HILLS          33.43N 86.79W
08/07/2013                   JEFFERSON          AL   PUBLIC

            VESTAVIA BOWLING ALLEY AND AREAS ADJACENT ARE FLOODING
            DUE TO OVERFLOW OF PATTON CREEK AND BAD DRAINAGE.

&&

LINHARES

Local storm report, Aug 7, 5:34 PM CDT, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
534 PM CDT WED AUG 07 2013

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

0533 PM     FLASH FLOOD      5 SSE HOMEWOOD          33.40N 86.77W
08/07/2013                   JEFFERSON          AL   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            ROCKY RIDGE ROAD NEAR INTERSTATE 65 HAS BEEN CLOSED DUE
            TO HIGH WATER.

&&

LINHARES

Special weather statement, Aug 7, 5:44 PM CDT, 0 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
544 PM CDT WED AUG 7 2013

ALZ017>019-024-026-027-072330-
BLOUNT AL-CALHOUN AL-ETOWAH AL-JEFFERSON AL-ST. CLAIR AL-TALLADEGA
AL-
544 PM CDT WED AUG 7 2013

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN TALLADEGA...ST. CLAIR...
NORTHEASTERN JEFFERSON...SOUTHERN ETOWAH...SOUTHEASTERN BLOUNT AND
CALHOUN COUNTIES UNTIL 630 PM CDT...

AT 540 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM RAINBOW CITY TO ASHVILLE TO
SPRINGVILLE...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH
HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  SPRINGVILLE...
  TRUSSVILLE...
  ODENVILLE...
  MOODY...
  SAKS...

THESE STORMS MAY INTENSIFY...SO 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.

TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED
ROADWAY.

&&

LAT...LON 3370 8565 3355 8596 3345 8638 3350 8638
      3350 8648 3355 8648 3355 8651 3352 8652
      3353 8654 3381 8672 3392 8639 3404 8605
TIME...MOT...LOC 2244Z 314DEG 22KT 3393 8606 3383 8630
          3377 8654

56

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Aug 7, 4:04 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Clay	41 min
Aug 7, 4:59 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Shelby	3 hr
Aug 7, 5:01 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	St. Clair	44 min
Aug 7, 5:14 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Shelby	46 min
Aug 7, 5:28 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Etowah, St. Clair	62 min
Aug 7, 5:45 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Marion	45 min
Aug 7, 6:02 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Calhoun	43 min
Aug 7, 6:20 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Calhoun, Cleburne, St. Clair, Talladega	115 min
Aug 7, 6:22 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Jefferson	38 min
Aug 7, 6:35 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Talladega	40 min
Aug 7, 6:39 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Clay, Cleburne, Randolph	51 min
Aug 7, 6:48 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Jefferson, Walker	3 hr

Nearby

Special Weather Statements in Alabama, 2013 Every 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.