Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2015

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 111, NWS Birmingham, AL

July 14, 2015Clay County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 14, 2015, 9:07 PM CDT for Clay County, Alabama. It was in force for 22 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: Jul 14, 2015, 9:07 PM CDT (02:07 UTC)
Expired: Jul 14, 2015, 9:29 PM CDT
In force: 22 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Hail: 0.75 in
Wind: 60.0 mph

County Clay County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 83 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:11 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.

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Jul 14, 9:15 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	Millerville, AL	A FEW TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN IN MILLERVILLE.

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 8 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
Jul 14, 7:27 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	3 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 2.1 hours before the alert went out and 84 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: 1212 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -30 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1503 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 94 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 112 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.2
Supercell composite: 4.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

101 
WUUS54 KBMX 150207
SVRBMX
ALC027-150245-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0111.150715T0207Z-150715T0245Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
907 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  CLAY COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 945 PM CDT

* AT 906 PM CDT...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE
  EXTENDING FROM MOUNT CHEAHA TO 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF WALDO TO NEAR
  STEWARTVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

  HAZARD...60 MPH WIND GUSTS. 

  SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED. 

  IMPACT...EXPECT DAMAGE TO ROOFS...SIDING AND TREES. 

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  LINEVILLE...ASHLAND...BARFIELD...DELTA...CLEVELAND CROSSROADS...
  ROSELLE...GUNTHERTOWN...CRAGFORD...MELLOW VALLEY...MILLERVILLE...
  LAKE CHINNABEE...HOLLINS AND MOTLEY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
BUILDING.

&&

LAT...LON 3311 8566 3311 8617 3320 8617 3319 8612
      3329 8612 3330 8598 3338 8598 3338 8594
      3339 8594 3340 8592 3350 8590 3350 8586
      3347 8589 3347 8578 3350 8576 3349 8564
      3332 8564
TIME...MOT...LOC 0206Z 295DEG 35KT 3351 8580 3330 8597 3310 8620 

HAIL...<.75IN
WIND...60MPH
 
$$

05/MA

1 follow-up statement

259 
WWUS54 KBMX 150229
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
929 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 2015

ALC027-150238-
/O.CAN.KBMX.SV.W.0111.000000T0000Z-150715T0245Z/
CLAY AL-
929 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 2015

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR CLAY COUNTY IS CANCELLED...
    
THE STORMS WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAVE MOVED OUT OF THE AREA.
THEREFORE THE WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR
EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN
EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM CDT FOR EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA.

LAT...LON 3311 8566 3311 8617 3320 8617 3319 8612
      3329 8612 3330 8598 3338 8598 3338 8594
      3339 8594 3340 8592 3350 8590 3350 8586
      3347 8589 3347 8578 3350 8576 3349 8564
      3332 8564
TIME...MOT...LOC 0227Z 295DEG 35KT 3351 8580 3330 8597 3310 8620 

$$

87/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 Jul 14, 6:39 PM CDT, 2 hours 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 14, 6:39 PM CDT, 2 hours 28 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
639 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 2015

.UPDATE...
AVIATION DISCUSSION.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

DECENTLY ORGANIZED LINE OF STORMS HEADED SOUTHEASTWARD OUT OF
TENNESSEE AND ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON.  HAVE BEEN LOOKING CLOSELY AT
SOME MESOSCALE NUMBERS TO TRY TO GET A BETTER HANDLE ON THE
UNCERTAINTY THAT NORTHWEST FLOW OFTEN BRINGS.  BEST INSTABILITY IS
COINCIDED WITH THE CURRENT SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH...WHICH LOOKS
GOOD AT THIS POINT.  IT WILL BE A WAIT AND SEE IF IT CAN MAINTAIN
SIMILAR INTENSITY AS THE SUN GETS LOWER...BUT 4500 JOULES WILL TAKE
A WHILE TO SUBSIDE EVEN AS EVENING COOLING BEGINS.  THE HIGHER BULK
SHEAR VALUES...WHICH HELPED ORGANIZE THIS LINE ARE EXPECTED TO
REMAIN TO OUR NORTH...AND ARE OFTEN TIMES CONFUSING.  IN THIS
INSTANCE...ONCE A COLD POOL DOMINATED LINE GETS GOING THE MECHANICS
CAN OFTEN TIMES SUSTAIN MORE ROBUST FEATURES.  IN OTHER WORDS...THE
HIGHER BULK SHEAR IS NOT NECESSARY TO KEEP THE LINE GOING ONCE IT IS
ALREADY ESTABLISHED.  ADD TO THAT THE SOUTHWARD-TURNING SECTION OF
THE LINE ENTERING NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI TRYING TO ORGANIZE INTO AN
MCV...AND THERE IS PLENTY TO SUGGEST THAT AREAS NORTH OF I-20 WILL
NEED TO BE WATCHED VERY CLOSELY.  MOST MESOSCALE NUMERICAL GUIDANCE
IS KILLING THE LINE HERE SHORTLY AFTER SUNSET...HOWEVER...ALL HAVE
INITIALIZED THE INSTABILITY INCORRECTLY. SO BE A BIT CAREFUL WITH
ANY SIMULATED REFLECTIVITY AS IT IS LIKELY UNDERDONE.  THE BIG
BUBBLE OF 4000 JOULES IS LAYING IN WAIT ACROSS MUCH OF THE NORTHERN-
THIRD OF THE STATE...AND WILL BE A PROBLEM FOR US AT LEAST OVER THE
NEXT SEVERAL HOURS.

17/KLAWS

&&

.AVIATION...
00Z TAF DISCUSSION.

LINE OF SEVERE STORMS WILL PUSH ACROSS NORTHERN TERMINALS THIS
EVENING. HAVE INCLUDED TEMPOS FOR INCREASED WIND SPEEDS AND REDUCED
VIS. HOWEVER...EXPECT GUSTS WITHIN STRONGER STORMS TO APPROACH
50KTS...WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE BEHIND THE LINE...WITH VFR CONDITIONS
EXPECTED WITH WINDS SHIFTING BACK TO THE SOUTHWEST AT 5 KTS. WINDS
WEDNESDAY WILL TURN TO THE NORTHWEST ACROSS THE NORTH AT 10-12KTS.
AT MGM AND TOI...HAVE INCLUDED VCTS DURING THE AFTERNOON AS THE
BOUNDARY LEFT FROM TONIGHTS CONVECTION SHOULD BE ACROSS THE
SOUTH...AND DEVELOPMENT IS POSSIBLE DURING AFTERNOON HEATING.

14

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR AUTAUGA-BARBOUR-
BIBB-BLOUNT-BULLOCK-CHILTON-DALLAS-ELMORE-FAYETTE-GREENE-HALE-
JEFFERSON-LAMAR-LOWNDES-MACON-MARENGO-MARION-MONTGOMERY-PERRY-
PICKENS-PIKE-RUSSELL-SHELBY-SUMTER-TUSCALOOSA-WALKER-WINSTON.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 14, 7:21 PM CDT, 1 hour 46 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
721 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 2015

ALZ011>015-017>050-160330-
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-
721 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 2015

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

A COMBINATION OF HEAT AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL CREATE HEAT INDEX
VALUES OVER 105 DEGREES FOR A LARGE MAJORITY OF CENTRAL ALABAMA
THIS AFTERNOON. TAKE PROPER PRECAUTIONS TO AVOID HEAT RELATED
ILLNESSES.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS MOST OF CENTRAL
ALABAMA TONIGHT THROUGH MIDNIGHT. DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS
ARE THE GREATEST THREAT WITH A LESSER THREAT OF LARGE HAIL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

HIGH TEMPERATURES COMBINED WITH RELATIVELY HIGH HUMIDITY LEVELS
WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE HEAT INDICES NEAR OR ABOVE 105 DEGREES
DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MAY BE
NEEDED TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 14, 8:34 PM CDT, 33 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
834 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 2015

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

0815 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 NW ALABASTER          33.28N 86.85W
07/14/2015                   SHELBY             AL   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            TREES DOWN AT HIGHWAY 17 AND FIELDSTONE DRIVE IN HELENA

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Jul 14, 8:35 PM CDT, 32 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
835 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 2015

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

0815 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 WNW HELENA            33.30N 86.91W
07/14/2015                   SHELBY             AL   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            TREES DOWN AT HIGHWAY 52 AND HIGHWAY 93 IN HELENA

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Jul 14, 8:44 PM CDT, 23 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
844 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 2015

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

0827 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 ESE ALABASTER         33.23N 86.77W
07/14/2015                   SHELBY             AL   NWS EMPLOYEE

            TREES DOWN NEAR COUNTY 339 AND SADDLE LAKE DR

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Jul 14, 8:52 PM CDT, 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
852 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 2015

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

0714 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 W BESSEMER            33.37N 87.00W
07/14/2015                   JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            DAMAGE TO GAS PUMPS AT MARATHON GAS STATION ON ACADEMY DR

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Jul 14, 8:57 PM CDT, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
857 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 2015

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

0800 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 N FULTONDALE          33.64N 86.80W
07/14/2015                   JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            DAMAGE TO AN OUTBUILDING REPORTED NEAR TARRANT RD AND
            SKELTON RD IN GARDENDALE

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Jul 14, 9:02 PM CDT, 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
902 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 2015

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

0801 PM     TSTM WND DMG     5 NNW FAIRFIELD         33.54N 86.95W
07/14/2015                   JEFFERSON          AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREE DOWN ON HOUSE ON HILLCREST DR. ALSO SEVERAL TREES
            DOWN IN MT OLIVE...MINOR...AND ADAMSVILLE

&&

DAVIS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 14, 7:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Walker	65 min
Jul 14, 7:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount, Jefferson	59 min
Jul 14, 7:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	62 min
Jul 14, 8:07 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Calhoun, Cherokee, Etowah, St. Clair	23 min
Jul 14, 8:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Shelby	59 min
Jul 14, 8:20 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson	25 min
Jul 14, 8:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Talladega	50 min
Jul 14, 8:45 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cleburne	44 min
Jul 14, 9:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Elmore	45 min
Jul 14, 9:17 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Tallapoosa	58 min
Jul 14, 9:31 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Chambers, Randolph	59 min
Jul 14, 9:32 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Dallas, Perry	28 min
Jul 14, 9:38 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Lowndes, Montgomery	67 min
Jul 15, 4:23 AM CDT	Heat Advisory	BMX	Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun and 33 more	8 days
Jul 15, 3:16 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Walker	29 min
Jul 15, 3:55 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Coosa	35 min
Jul 15, 4:03 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Shelby	27 min
Jul 15, 4:08 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Chilton	37 min
Jul 15, 4:11 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Russell	34 min
Jul 15, 4:17 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Russell	31 min
Jul 15, 4:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Chilton, Shelby	41 min
Jul 15, 4:24 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Elmore	51 min
Jul 15, 4:30 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Bibb, Tuscaloosa	45 min
Jul 15, 4:41 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Macon	49 min
Jul 15, 4:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Chilton, Perry	44 min
Jul 15, 5:05 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Autauga, Elmore, Montgomery	40 min
Jul 15, 5:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga	61 min
Jul 15, 5:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock	63 min
Jul 15, 5:51 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Shelby	24 min
Jul 15, 5:53 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Autauga, Dallas, Hale, Lowndes, Montgomery, Perry	37 min
Jul 15, 5:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Hale	46 min
Jul 15, 6:16 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Pickens	29 min
Jul 15, 6:22 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Pickens, Sumter	36 min
Jul 15, 6:36 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Russell	24 min
Jul 15, 6:39 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Barbour, Bullock, Dallas, Hale, Lowndes, Perry and 1 more	66 min
Jul 15, 6:58 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Greene, Sumter	47 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2015 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2015

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.