Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2015

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 162, NWS Birmingham, AL

December 25, 2015Lamar County, Marion County, Winston County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Dec 25, 2015, 7:48 AM CST for Lamar County, Marion County, Winston County, Alabama. It was in force for 42 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: Dec 25, 2015, 7:48 AM CST (13:48 UTC)
Expired: Dec 25, 2015, 8:30 AM CST
In force: 42 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Hail: 0.75 in
Wind: 60.0 mph

Counties Lamar County, AL, Marion County, AL, Winston County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 55 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:52 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

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 nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 1.8 hours before the alert went out and 155 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: 803 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -18 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 638 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 270 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 370 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 1.1
Supercell composite: 5.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

290 
WUUS54 KBMX 251348
SVRBMX
ALC075-093-133-251430-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0162.151225T1348Z-151225T1430Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
748 AM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN WINSTON COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN ALABAMA...
  NORTH CENTRAL LAMAR COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  MARION COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 830 AM CST

* AT 748 AM CST...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR WESTON...OR
  9 MILES WEST OF HAMILTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

  HAZARD...60 MPH WIND GUSTS. 

  SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED. 

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

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  HAMILTON...HALEYVILLE...HACKLEBURG...DETROIT...NEEDMORE...BRINN...
  WESTON...BEAR CREEK...UPPER BEAR CREEK RESERVOIR...TESSNER...
  BYRD...SHOTTSVILLE...HENSON SPRINGS...PIGEYE...BEXAR...PEARCES MILL
  AND RANKIN FITE AIRPORT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER CONTACT YOUR NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
THEY WILL SEND YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN
BIRMINGHAM.

&&

LAT...LON 3431 8764 3431 8762 3421 8756 3398 8816
      3409 8820 3427 8818 3432 8806
TIME...MOT...LOC 1348Z 244DEG 44KT 3413 8814 

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

75

1 follow-up statement

414 
WWUS54 KBMX 251405
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
805 AM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

ALC075-093-133-251430-
/O.CON.KBMX.SV.W.0162.000000T0000Z-151225T1430Z/
WINSTON AL-LAMAR AL-MARION AL-
805 AM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 830 AM CST
FOR NORTHWESTERN WINSTON...NORTH CENTRAL LAMAR AND NORTHERN MARION
COUNTIES...

AT 805 AM CST...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE
EXTENDING FROM NEAR HACKLEBURG TO NEAR DETROIT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
40 MPH.

HAZARD...60 MPH WIND GUSTS. 

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED. 

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

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
HAMILTON...HALEYVILLE...HACKLEBURG...DETROIT...NEEDMORE...BRINN...
WESTON...BEAR CREEK...PIGEYE...UPPER BEAR CREEK RESERVOIR...PEARCES
MILL...TESSNER AND RANKIN FITE AIRPORT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER CONTACT YOUR NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
THEY WILL SEND YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN
BIRMINGHAM.

&&

LAT...LON 3400 8812 3399 8816 3401 8817 3432 8794
      3431 8764 3431 8762 3421 8756
TIME...MOT...LOC 1405Z 243DEG 36KT 3429 8793 3407 8810 

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

75

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 Dec 25, 5:54 AM CST, 1 hour 54 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 25, 5:54 AM CST, 1 hour 54 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
554 AM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

.UPDATE...
FOR 12Z AVIATION.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

WE WILL REMAIN DEEP INTO THE WARM SECTOR FOR SEVERAL MORE
DAYS...WHICH MEANS SEVERAL MORE DAYS (AT LEAST) OF STORMY AND MILD
CONDITIONS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. THERE WILL OBVIOUSLY BE PLENTY
OF MOISTURE...INSTABILITY...AND LIFT AVAILABLE FOR THUNDERSTORMS
TODAY...ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE STATE. MODELS ARE
QUITE INSISTENT THAT AXIS OF HIGHEST THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE WILL
SHIFT NORTHWARD THIS MORNING. THAT WOULD BE GOOD NEWS FOR THE
WATER LOGGED SOUTHERN COUNTIES. LETS JUST HOPE THAT THAT HEAVY
RAIN BAND DOES CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTH...SO THE NORTHERN AREAS DON'T
END UP IN A SIMILAR SITUATION.

BIG UPPER LEVEL LOW IS STILL FORECAST TO DIG INTO THE WEST COAST
STATES AND FOUR CORNERS AREA TODAY AND TOMORROW...AND THEN ROLL
EASTWARD SUNDAY AND MONDAY. COMPLEX SURFACE PATTERN DEVELOPS IN
RESPONSE TO THE APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL TROUGH...WITH A VERY WOUND
UP SURFACE LOW MOVING FROM WEST TEXAS TO THE GREAT LAKES...
TRAILING A COLD FRONT THAT WILL PUSH THROUGH HERE ON MONDAY. THE
FRONTAL PASSAGE IS A BIT FASTER THAN PREVIOUS MODEL RUNS...AND THE
ENDING OF THE PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH IT MAY COME EARLIER AS
WELL. WILL LOOK FOR SOME RUN TO RUN CONSISTENCY BEFORE TOTALLY
BUYING INTO A RAIN FREE MONDAY NIGHT/TUESDAY SCENARIO.

LOOKS LIKE WE MAY NOT GET INTO A SUBSTANTIALLY COLDER AIR MASS
UNTIL LATE NEXT WEEK...WHEN THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN FINALLY
TRANSITIONS TO WESTERN RIDGE...EASTERN TROUGH CONFIGURATION.

/61/

&&

.AVIATION...
12Z TAF DISCUSSION.

SWATH OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IS FINALLY MOVING TO THE NORTH.
THUS...WILL SHIFT OUR TSRA MENTION TO NOT INCLUDE MGM/TOI BUT
STILL AT TIMES IN THE NORTH. A FEW OF THE STORMS IN THE LATE
MORNING TOWARD EARLY AFTERNOON THAT MAY BE PRESENT HAVE THE
POTENTIAL TO BE STRONG. WILL FORGO MENTIONING THIS LOWER
PROBABILITY THREAT JUST YET. LOWER CIGS/VSBYS WILL ACCOMPANY
STORMS. AS FOR MGM/TOI SOME MVFR CIGS THIS AM. HOWEVER...ALL COULD
SEE SOME IFR AT TIMES THIS AM. CIGS COULD LIFT SOME ACROSS THE
SOUTH BY AFTERNOON IN THE ABSENCE OF SHOWER ACTIVITY. TONIGHT
WITH A LARGE AMOUNT OF LINGERING MOISTURE...FOG IS LIKELY ACROSS
THE SOUTH TAFS AT MGM/TOI. SHOWER ACTIVITY MAY STILL BE PRESENT TO
THE NORTH TO RESTRICT MORE WIDESPREAD DENSE FOG.

08

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...

THE UNUSUALLY WARM AND WET WEATHER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE ACROSS
CENTRAL ALABAMA THROUGH THE WEEKEND.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GADSDEN     74  65  74  63  73 / 100  60  30  20  30
ANNISTON    75  66  75  64  74 / 100  40  20  20  30
BIRMINGHAM  75  69  76  65  75 / 100  50  30  30  30
TUSCALOOSA  76  68  77  67  76 /  80  50  30  30  30
CALERA      76  67  76  65  75 / 100  40  20  20  20
AUBURN      76  64  75  64  74 /  20  20  20  10  20
MONTGOMERY  79  65  79  63  78 /  20  20  20  20  20
TROY        79  66  79  63  77 /  20  20  10  10  20

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES: BIBB...BLOUNT...CALHOUN...CHAMBERS...CHEROKEE...
CHILTON...CLAY...CLEBURNE...COOSA...ETOWAH...FAYETTE...
JEFFERSON...LAMAR...MARION...PICKENS...RANDOLPH...SHELBY...ST.
CLAIR...TALLADEGA...TALLAPOOSA...TUSCALOOSA...WALKER...WINSTON.

&&

61/08

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 25, 4:44 AM CST, 3 hours 4 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
444 AM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

ALZ011>015-017>050-261345-
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-
444 AM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

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

.DAY ONE...THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT.

AS A SURFACE BOUNDARY SHIFTS SLOWLY NORTHWARD THIS MORNING...THE
OVERALL FLASH FLOODING THREAT WILL SHIFT NORTH AS WELL TO
GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF A ALICEVILLE TO CLANTON TO LAFAYETTE
LINE. TO THE SOUTH OF HERE...HEAVY RAINS THAT HAVE OCCURRED WILL
KEEP THE AREAL FLOODING THREAT AROUND FOR AT LEAST THIS MORNING
ALONG WITH A RIVER FLOODING THREAT ALONG THE TALLAPOOSA AND
ALABAMA RIVER BASINS.

A SECONDARY THREAT WILL BE THAT OF A LIMITED SEVERE WEATHER
THREAT GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 59 FROM EARLY
MORNING AND LASTING THROUGH AROUND 6 PM WITH STORMS ALONG AND
AHEAD OF A FRONT. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS WITH
A LESSER HAIL THREAT. THE TORNADO THREAT IS LOW BUT NOT ZERO.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

RIVER FLOODING WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY ALONG
PORTIONS OF THE ALABAMA AND TALLAPOOSA RIVER BASINS DUE TO RECENT
RAINFALL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MAY BE
NECESSARY AT TIMES TODAY.

08

In the hours before

Local storm report, Dec 25, 3:15 AM CST, 4 hours 33 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
315 AM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

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

0250 AM     FLASH FLOOD      4 SSE SANTUCK           32.58N 86.09W
12/25/2015                   ELMORE             AL   PUBLIC

            OVER 6 INCHES OF FLOWING WATER ON THE ROAD AT TALLASSEE
            HIGHWAY AND HAYNES ROAD.

&&

08

Local storm report, Dec 25, 7:26 AM CST, 22 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
726 AM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

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

0723 AM     FLOOD            COLUMBIANA              33.18N 86.60W
12/25/2015                   SHELBY             AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            NUMEROUS FLOOD REPORTS IN SHELBY COUNTY, HWY 47, HWY 45,
            CR 47, HERITAGE ROAD, AND WEST COLLEGE ST. ROADS ARE
            COVERED WITH WATER AND DOUBLE WIDE TRAILERS ARE BEGINNING
            TO FLOAT.

&&

CBAIRD

Local storm report, Dec 25, 7:34 AM CST, 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
734 AM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

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

0730 AM     FLOOD            COLUMBIANA              33.18N 86.60W
12/25/2015                   SHELBY             AL   PUBLIC

            SIGNIFICANT FLOODING IN THE CITY OF COLUMBIANA WITH WATER
            ON HWY 28 AND WATER REACHINGTHE BRIDGE ON HWY 77

&&

CBAIRD

Special weather statement, Dec 25, 7:40 AM CST, 8 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
740 AM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

ALZ011-012-251430-
MARION AL-LAMAR AL-
740 AM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN LAMAR AND NORTHERN
MARION COUNTIES UNTIL 830 AM CST...

AT 740 AM CST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES SOUTH OF TREMONT TO
NEAR DETROIT TO 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF AMORY...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT
50 MPH.

WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
HAMILTON...HACKLEBURG...DETROIT...BRINN...WESTON...BEAR CREEK...
MARION COUNTY PUBLIC LAKE...TESSNER...BYRD...SHOTTSVILLE...HENSON
SPRINGS...PIGEYE...BEXAR...PIKEVILLE AND RANKIN FITE AIRPORT.

LAT...LON 3432 8817 3431 8768 3423 8773 3403 8794
      3394 8822
TIME...MOT...LOC 1340Z 244DEG 44KT 3414 8821 3403 8827 3393 8837

75

Local storm report, Dec 25, 7:42 AM CST, 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
742 AM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

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

0729 AM     FLASH FLOOD      TALLADEGA               33.43N 86.10W
12/25/2015                   TALLADEGA          AL   PUBLIC

            WATER COMPLETELY COVERING WEST RENFROE RD AT THE RENFROE
            ECONOMY MINI STORAGE ROAD IMPASSABLE

&&

CBAIRD

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Dec 24, 8:03 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Sumter	27 min
Dec 24, 8:31 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Greene, Sumter	29 min
Dec 24, 9:57 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Autauga, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery	3 hr
Dec 25, 12:56 AM CST	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Barbour, Bullock, Macon, Pike, Russell	12 hr
Dec 25, 1:08 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Chambers, Chilton, Coosa, Elmore, Lee, Tallapoosa	6 hr
Dec 25, 1:15 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Autauga, Dallas, Lowndes, Montgomery	6 hr
Dec 25, 4:24 AM CST	Flash Flood Watch	BMX	Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton and 17 more	17 hr
Dec 25, 7:14 AM CST	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Chambers, Elmore, Lee, Montgomery, Tallapoosa	2 hr
Dec 25, 7:21 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Chilton, Shelby, Talladega	3 hr
Dec 25, 7:40 AM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Marion	50 min
Dec 25, 8:35 AM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Winston	40 min
Dec 25, 9:17 AM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Lamar, Marion, Winston	3 hr
Dec 25, 9:40 AM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Winston	3 hr
Dec 25, 9:42 AM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Autauga, Dallas, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery	11 days
Dec 25, 9:42 AM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Autauga, Dallas, Lowndes	8 days
Dec 25, 9:42 AM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Dallas	9 days
Dec 25, 10:30 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning Emergency	BMX	Marion, Winston	9 hr
Dec 25, 11:51 AM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Blount	3 hr
Dec 25, 12:36 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Blount	3 hr
Dec 25, 12:43 PM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker	3 hr
Dec 25, 2:28 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Cherokee, Etowah	32 min
Dec 25, 2:50 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Walker	5 hr
Dec 25, 3:04 PM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Blount, Cherokee, Etowah, Jefferson, St. Clair, Walker	3 hr
Dec 25, 3:13 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Fayette	47 min
Dec 25, 3:31 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Perry	44 min
Dec 25, 3:35 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	25 min
Dec 25, 3:49 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Blount	8 hr
Dec 25, 4:24 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jefferson	36 min
Dec 25, 4:28 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Blount, Jefferson, St. Clair, Walker	3 hr
Dec 25, 4:55 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jefferson	50 min
Dec 25, 5:25 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Bibb, Chilton	21 min
Dec 25, 5:44 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Fayette, Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker	3 hr

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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.