Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2013

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 28, NWS Huntsville, AL

March 18, 2013Limestone County, Morgan County, Alabama

NWS Huntsville, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 18, 2013, 2:15 PM CDT for Limestone County, Morgan County, Alabama. It was in force for 30 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 18, 2013, 2:15 PM CDT (19:15 UTC)
Expired
Mar 18, 2013, 2:45 PM CDT
In force
30 min
Issued by
NWS Huntsville, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Limestone County, AL, Morgan County, AL

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 83 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:17 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 watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Mar 18, 8:09 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC7 hr
Mar 18, 1:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 7.3 hours before the alert went out and 162 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

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 Huntsville, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Mar 18, 12:31 PM CDT, 1 hour 44 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 18, 12:31 PM CDT, 1 hour 44 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
1231 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

.UPDATE...
FOR 18Z TAFS

&&

.AVIATION...
FOR 18Z TAFS...
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE TERMINALS
/KHSV AND KMSL/ THROUGH AT LEAST 21Z. THERE ARE 2 LINES TO FOCUS ON
ATTM...THE INITIAL LINE ORIENTED SW-NE FROM NEAR RUSSELLVILLE TO
ATHENS AND THE OTHER LINE JUST TO THE WEST EXTENDING FROM NE
MISSISSIPPI TO SRN MIDDLE TN. MVFR CIGS WILL PERSIST OUTSIDE OF ANY
CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY. WITHIN THE STORMS...BRIEF WIND GUSTS TO 35KTS
AND HAIL UP TO 3/4 INCH WILL BE POSSIBLE. POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE STORMS
WILL PERSIST THROUGH AT LEAST 19-21Z WITH LARGER HAIL AND STRONGER
WINDS POSSIBLE.

COLD FRONT WILL CROSS KMSL BTWN 21-23Z AND KHSV BTWN 22-00Z WITH
WINDS SHIFTING AROUND TO THE NW. MVFR TO IFR CIGS AND AREAS OF RAIN
WILL OCCUR FOR SEVERAL HOURS EARLY THIS EVENING BEFORE DRIER AIR
MOVES IN AND RAIN ENDS. CIGS WILL IMPROVE BTWN 04-07Z AND VFR
CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY PREVAIL FOR THE REMAINDER OF TEH TAF PERIOD
/09-18Z/.

DJN.83

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION...
/ISSUED 1059 AM CDT MON MAR 18 2013/

LATEST SYNOPTIC SET UP SHOWING THE COLD FRONT JUST TO OUR
NORTHWEST...EXTENDING FROM MIDDLE TN TO SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS. THE TN
VALLEY IS FAIRLY WELL-ENTRENCHED IN THE WARM SECTOR WITH TEMPS IN THE
LOWER TO MID 60S AND DEWPOINTS CLIMBING TO NEAR 60F. TWO AREAS OF
CONVECTION EXIST...ONE ALONG/AHEAD OF THE FRONT EXTENDING SOUTH INTO
THE WARM SECTOR AND ANOTHER FARTHER BACK TO THE WEST OVER ARKANSAS
WHICH APPEARS TO BE MORE ELEVATED IN ASSOCIATION WITH UPR LVL ENERGY
MOVING THROUGH THE BASE OF A NEGATIVE-TILT UPR TROUGH CURRENTLY OVER
THE NRN/CNTRL PLAINS.

BROKEN LINE OF STORMS CURRENTLY ENTERING NW AL FROM NE MS HAS SHOWN
SIGNS OF INTENSIFYING OVER THE PAST HOUR...WITH SOME DISTINCT LOW LVL
ROTATION SEEN EARLIER WITH A STORM NEAR TUPELO. DESPITE THE POTENTIAL
FOR SOME LOW LVL STORM ROTATION WITH MORE ORGANIZED/INTENSE UPDRAFTS
ESPECIALLY INTERACTING WITH ANY RESIDUAL BOUNDARIES...STILL BELIEVE
PRIMARY THREATS WILL CONTINUE TO BE HAIL AND STRONG WINDS THROUGH THE
LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON HOURS.

STEEPENING LOW TO MID LVL LAPSE RATES THROUGH THE DAY WITH WARM
SECTOR WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT INTENSIFICATION OF STORMS AS THE COLD
FRONT /AND ANY PRE-FRONTAL BOUNDARY/ CROSS THE AREA. GOING FORECAST
SEEMS TO HANDLE EVERYTHING AT THIS TIME...SO NO MAJOR CHANGES. STAY
TUNED FOR FURTHER MESOSCALE UPDATES AS THINGS EVOLVE.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 51 REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL HUN CWFA
COUNTIES UNTIL 3 PM CDT.

DJN.83

&&

.HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...NONE.
TN...NONE.
&&

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE
AT WEATHER.GOV/HUNTSVILLE.
Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 18, 1:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
100 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-190600-
LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN-
MARSHALL-JACKSON-DEKALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN-
100 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS
OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

SCATTERED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE
AREA THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. AN INITIAL LINE OF STORMS EXTENDS FROM
NEAR MADISON TO RUSSELLVILLE...MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST. HAIL UP TO
AROUND 1 INCH...ALONG WITH BRIEF WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH WILL BE THE
PRIMARY THREATS...IN ADDITION TO A PERIOD OF HEAVY RAINFALL. THESE
STORMS WILL GENERALLY AFFECT AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF TENNESSEE
RIVER AND WEST OF I-65 THROUGH 3 PM.

LATER THIS AFTERNOON...ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS QUICKLY MOVING
ACROSS NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI WILL EVENTUALLY AFFECT THE ENTIRE AREA
ALONG A STRONG COLD FRONT. LARGE HAIL AND BRIEF INSTANCES OF STRONG
WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS.

THE THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL END WEST TO EAST BEHIND THE COLD
FRONT LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING...BY 3 PM ACROSS
NORTHWEST ALABAMA...5 TO 6 PM ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL COUNTIES...AND
BETWEEN 6 TO 8 PM ACROSS NORTHEAST ALABAMA.

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

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS
REQUESTED AND SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH AT LEAST 6 PM THIS EVENING.

DJN

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 18, 2:00 PM CDT, 15 minutes before
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Local storm report, Mar 18, 2:01 PM CDT, 14 minutes before
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Local storm report, Mar 18, 2:08 PM CDT, 7 minutes before
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Local storm report, Mar 18, 2:10 PM CDT, 5 minutes before
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Local storm report, Mar 18, 2:11 PM CDT, 4 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Mar 18, 2:14 PM CDT, 1 minute before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 18, 7:55 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNJackson35 min
Mar 18, 8:20 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLimestone40 min
Mar 18, 8:52 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMadison23 min
Mar 18, 9:19 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLauderdale26 min
Mar 18, 10:20 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNColbert40 min
Mar 18, 10:39 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNColbert36 min
Mar 18, 10:51 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNColbert, Franklin24 min
Mar 18, 11:24 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLauderdale21 min
Mar 18, 11:40 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLawrence35 min
Mar 18, 11:50 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNFranklin25 min
Mar 18, 12:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLawrence, Limestone31 min
Mar 18, 12:20 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNColbert, Franklin40 min
Mar 18, 12:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNFranklin26 min
Mar 18, 12:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLimestone, Madison31 min
Mar 18, 12:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNColbert, Franklin, Lawrence31 min
Mar 18, 1:21 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMadison39 min
Mar 18, 1:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNFranklin, Lawrence, Morgan33 min
Mar 18, 1:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNColbert, Franklin, Lauderdale43 min
Mar 18, 1:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNColbert, Lawrence27 min
Mar 18, 1:38 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNJackson37 min
Mar 18, 1:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNColbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence31 min
Mar 18, 2:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLawrence, Limestone, Morgan30 min
Mar 18, 2:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLimestone19 min
Mar 18, 2:14 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNJackson31 min
Mar 18, 2:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLawrence, Limestone, Morgan48 min
Mar 18, 2:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNCullman, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan36 min
Mar 18, 3:08 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNJackson22 min
Mar 18, 3:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNCullman, DeKalb, Jackson, Limestone, Madison, Marshall and 1 more48 min
Mar 18, 3:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNJackson15 min
Mar 18, 3:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNMadison33 min
Mar 18, 3:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNJackson28 min
Mar 18, 3:41 PM CDTTornado WarningHUNDeKalb, Jackson19 min
Mar 18, 3:45 PM CDTTornado WarningHUNDeKalb15 min
Mar 18, 3:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNDeKalb, Jackson, Marshall38 min
Mar 18, 3:59 PM CDTTornado WarningHUNDeKalb31 min
Mar 18, 3:59 PM CDTTornado WarningHUNDeKalb31 min
Mar 18, 8:35 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLincoln, Moore25 min
Mar 18, 8:59 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLincoln, Moore31 min
Mar 18, 9:42 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMarion48 min
Mar 18, 10:12 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNFranklin18 min
Mar 18, 11:13 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNFranklin32 min
Mar 18, 12:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLincoln, Moore31 min
Mar 18, 2:59 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLincoln46 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2013Every 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.