Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2015

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 20, NWS Birmingham, AL

March 31, 2015Calhoun County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 31, 2015, 4:29 PM CDT for Calhoun County, Alabama. It was in force for 31 min. 4 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: Mar 31, 2015, 4:29 PM CDT (21:29 UTC)
Expired: Mar 31, 2015, 5:00 PM CDT
In force: 31 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Hail: 1.0 in
Wind: 60.0 mph

County Calhoun County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 110 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:32 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
Mar 31, 4:37 PM CDT	HAIL 1.75	Alexandria, AL	TIME CORRECTED BASED ON RADAR
Mar 31, 4:41 PM CDT	HAIL 1	Wellington, AL
Mar 31, 4:45 PM CDT	HAIL 1.75	Weaver, AL	TIME CORRECTED BASED ON RADAR
Mar 31, 4:55 PM CDT	HAIL 1	Weaver, AL	VIA PHOTO ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

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 4 storm reports 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
Mar 31, 1:22 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 9.5 hours before the alert went out and 110 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: 13 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -343 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1173 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 173 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 141 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

769 
WUUS54 KBMX 312129 RRA
SVRBMX
ALC015-312200-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0020.150331T2129Z-150331T2200Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
429 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 500 PM CDT

* AT 429 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR OHATCHEE...
  OR 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF RAINBOW CITY...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

  HAZARD...60 MPH WIND GUSTS AND QUARTER SIZE HAIL. 

  SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED. 

  IMPACT...HAIL DAMAGE TO VEHICLES IS EXPECTED. EXPECT WIND DAMAGE 
           TO ROOFS...SIDING AND TREES. 

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  ANNISTON...OXFORD...JACKSONVILLE...SAKS...FORT MCCLELLAN...WEST
  END-COBB TOWN...GLENCOE...WEAVER...OHATCHEE...BLUE MOUNTAIN...NEELY
  HENRY LAKE...ALEXANDRIA...JACKSONVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY...
  SOUTHSIDE...NEELY HENRY DAM...CHOCCOLOCCO...DEARMANVILLE...
  WELLINGTON AND SULPHUR SPRINGS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

PREPARE IMMEDIATELY FOR LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. PEOPLE OUTSIDE
SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING AND AWAY FROM
WINDOWS.

&&

LAT...LON 3377 8564 3365 8564 3359 8575 3376 8605
      3380 8607 3383 8605 3384 8607 3387 8600
      3391 8597 3392 8593 3390 8593 3390 8591
      3392 8590 3381 8558
TIME...MOT...LOC 2129Z 299DEG 35KT 3384 8597 

HAIL...1.00IN
WIND...60MPH
 
$$

1 follow-up statement

100 
WWUS54 KBMX 312149
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
449 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2015

ALC015-312200-
/O.CON.KBMX.SV.W.0020.000000T0000Z-150331T2200Z/
CALHOUN AL-
449 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2015

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM CDT
FOR SOUTHEASTERN CALHOUN COUNTY...

AT 449 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER FORT
MCCLELLAN...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

HAZARD...60 MPH WIND GUSTS AND QUARTER SIZE HAIL. 

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED. 

IMPACT...HAIL DAMAGE TO VEHICLES IS EXPECTED. EXPECT WIND DAMAGE TO 
         ROOFS...SIDING AND TREES. 

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ANNISTON...JACKSONVILLE...FORT MCCLELLAN...SAKS...WEAVER...
JACKSONVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY...CHOCCOLOCCO AND DEARMANVILLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS STORM IS PRODUCING LARGE HAIL. SEEK SHELTER NOW INSIDE A STURDY
STRUCTURE AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

&&

LAT...LON 3377 8564 3365 8564 3359 8575 3371 8585
      3377 8584 3381 8582 3387 8576 3381 8558
TIME...MOT...LOC 2149Z 299DEG 41KT 3374 8576 

HAIL...1.00IN
WIND...60MPH
 
$$

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 Mar 31, 12:46 PM CDT, 3 hours 43 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 31, 12:46 PM CDT, 3 hours 43 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1246 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2015

.UPDATE...
FOR 18Z AVIATION.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

THE AIR MASS WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE TODAY AS SURFACE
TEMPERATURES WARM INTO THE 70S AND A WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTHWARD.
A SURFACE WARM FRONT WAS LOCATED FROM NEAR TUSCALOOSA TO AUBURN.
SURFACE DEWPOINTS ARE NEAR 60 DEGREES SOUTH OF THE FRONT. SOUTHWEST
LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL PUSH THE MORE MARITIME AIR NORTHWARD ACROSS
ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON. MORNING UPPER AIR SOUNDINGS
SHOW A WARM NOSE AROUND 800MB WITH VERY COLD AIR FROM 700MB AND
ABOVE. 700-500MB LAPSE RATES ARE IN THE 8-8.5 CELSIUS
RANGE...WHICH WILL PROMOTE THE PRODUCTION OF LARGE HAIL. THE WARM
NOSE WILL KEEP A LID ON CONVECTION THIS MORNING...BUT FORECAST
SOUNDINGS INDICATE THE WARM NOSE ERODING BY 17Z...WITH FORECAST
CAPE VALUES NEAR 1500-1800 J/KG THIS AFTERNOON. AN UPPER LEVEL
SHORT WAVE TROF OVER NORTHWEST ARKANSAS WILL TRACK SOUTHEAST
TODAY AND PROVIDE LIFT FOR MORE ORGANIZED STORMS. THE IMPULSE MAY
TRIGGER AN UPSTREAM MCS THAT TRACKS SOUTHEAST ACROSS CENTRAL
ALABAMA LATER THIS AFTERNOON. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS
ALREADY RAISED THE CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK TO SLIGHT RISK...WHICH SEEMS
REASONABLE GIVEN THE EXPECTED CONDITIONS.

58/ROSE

&&

.AVIATION...
18Z TAF DISCUSSION.

WARM FRONT CURRENTLY LIFTING NORTH OF BHM AND EET...APCHG ASN AND
ANB. BNDRY WILL ACT AS TRIGGER/FOCUS FOR AFTERNOON CONVECTION WITH
MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR TO THE SOUTH AND COLD AIR ALOFT. TIMING OF
CONVECTION IS PROBLEMATIC AT THIS TIME...AND CONTINUED PREVIOUS
TIMING AND WILL ADJUST AS THE SITUATION EVOLVES. MGM/TOI MAY SEE A
FEW VCSH...HOWEVER MAIN ACTIVITY WILL REMAIN NORTH. CIGS OUTSIDE
OF TSTMS SHOULD REMAIN VFR...WITH TYPICAL REDUCTIONS DURING ANY
TSTM ACTIVITY AT/NEAR TAF SITES. EXPECT ACTIVITY TO DIMINISH
THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. GOOD CHANCE OF FOG/LOW CLOUDS WILL
RETURN AT MGM LATE TONIGHT...UNTIL AFTER SUNRISE.

JD/02

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GADSDEN     50  75  56  77  60 /  40  30  30  40  30
ANNISTON    51  76  57  78  60 /  40  30  30  40  20
BIRMINGHAM  54  78  59  80  62 /  40  40  30  40  20
TUSCALOOSA  58  79  60  82  63 /  30  40  30  40  10
CALERA      57  78  59  80  62 /  30  40  30  40  10
AUBURN      56  78  58  79  60 /  40  40  30  20  10
MONTGOMERY  59  80  60  83  61 /  40  40  30  20  10
TROY        60  80  59  82  59 /  40  50  30  20  10

&&

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

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 31, 3:19 PM CDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
319 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2015

ALZ011>015-017>050-012330-
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-
319 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2015

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS ALL BUT SOUTHWESTERN
PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...UNTIL 9PM
...GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTHEAST OF A LINE FROM MILLPORT TO
CENTREVILLE TO TROY. THE THREATS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS
UP TO 60 MPH. SEE THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR DETAILS.

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

THERE MAY BE A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON
ACROSS ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA. THE LIKELIHOOD OF SOMETHING SEVERE
IS LESS THAN ON TUESDAY...BUT NONETHELESS...QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND
WIND GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH MAY OCCUR. THESE STORMS WILL ALSO DEVELOP
IN THE VICINITY OF A QUASI STATIONARY FRONT.

ANOTHER SHOT AT SEVERE STORMS COMES ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING
AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES THROUGH THE REGION. ONCE AGAIN...THE MAIN
THREATS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MAY BE
NEEDED TODAY...WEDNESDAY...AND AGAIN FRIDAY.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 31, 3:43 PM CDT, 46 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
343 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2015

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

0333 PM     HAIL             4 NNE GLEN ALLEN        33.97N 87.71W
03/31/2015  E1.00 INCH       MARION             AL   PUBLIC

            NEAR EXIT 34 ON I-22

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Mar 31, 4:00 PM CDT, 29 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
400 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2015

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

0347 PM     HAIL             4 W PELL CITY           33.56N 86.35W
03/31/2015  E0.88 INCH       ST. CLAIR          AL   PUBLIC

            REPORTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Mar 31, 4:10 PM CDT, 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
410 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2015

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

0351 PM     HAIL             4 SSE LYNN              33.99N 87.53W
03/31/2015  E1.75 INCH       WALKER             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Mar 31, 4:13 PM CDT, 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
413 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2015

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

0405 PM     HAIL             4 S LINCOLN             33.54N 86.14W
03/31/2015  E1.25 INCH       TALLADEGA          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Mar 31, 4:20 PM CDT, 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
420 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2015

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

0342 PM     HAIL             3 N ELDRIDGE            33.97N 87.61W
03/31/2015  E1.00 INCH       WALKER             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Mar 31, 4:29 PM CDT, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
429 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2015

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

0423 PM     HAIL             JACKSONVILLE            33.81N 85.76W
03/31/2015  E1.00 INCH       CALHOUN            AL   PUBLIC

&&

DAVIS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Mar 31, 6:25 AM CDT	Dense Fog Advisory	BMX	Barbour, Bullock, Macon, Pike, Russell	3 hr
Mar 31, 1:30 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Walker	30 min
Mar 31, 1:51 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Blount	39 min
Mar 31, 2:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount	45 min
Mar 31, 2:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Marion	34 min
Mar 31, 3:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Etowah	39 min
Mar 31, 3:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Marion, Walker, Winston	60 min
Mar 31, 3:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount	33 min
Mar 31, 4:08 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Talladega	37 min
Mar 31, 4:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Etowah, St. Clair	32 min
Mar 31, 4:25 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Clay, Talladega	50 min
Mar 31, 4:26 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar, Pickens	49 min
Mar 31, 4:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Winston	16 min
Mar 31, 4:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cleburne, Talladega	24 min
Mar 31, 4:41 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cleburne	34 min
Mar 31, 4:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Pickens, Tuscaloosa	54 min
Mar 31, 4:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Etowah	22 min
Mar 31, 5:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cleburne	45 min
Mar 31, 5:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Randolph	50 min
Mar 31, 5:17 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun	28 min
Mar 31, 5:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount	26 min
Mar 31, 5:26 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Randolph	34 min
Mar 31, 5:26 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pickens, Tuscaloosa	49 min
Mar 31, 5:34 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Etowah	56 min
Mar 31, 5:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette	33 min
Mar 31, 5:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount	35 min
Mar 31, 6:07 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Walker	38 min
Mar 31, 6:08 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Tuscaloosa	52 min
Mar 31, 6:30 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Clay	30 min
Mar 31, 6:32 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Chilton, Shelby	58 min
Mar 31, 6:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Shelby	48 min
Mar 31, 6:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Walker	36 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.