Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2015

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 30, NWS Birmingham, AL

March 31, 2015Pickens County, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 31, 2015, 5:26 PM CDT for Pickens County, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. It was in force for 49 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, 5:26 PM CDT (22:26 UTC)
Expired: Mar 31, 2015, 6:15 PM CDT
In force: 49 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Hail: 1.75 in
Wind: 60.0 mph

Counties Pickens County, AL, Tuscaloosa County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 75 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:26 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, 5:41 PM CDT	HAIL 1	1 E Reform, AL	REPORTED JUST TO THE EAST OF REFORM VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
Mar 31, 5:51 PM CDT	HAIL 1	Gordo, AL	VIA SOCIAL MEDIA WITH PHOTO.
Mar 31, 6:03 PM CDT	HAIL 1	1 W Lake Lurleen State, AL
Mar 31, 6:05 PM CDT	HAIL 1.75	Coker, AL

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 6 storm reports to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 15 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, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 103 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.

352 
WUUS54 KBMX 312226 RRA
SVRBMX
ALC107-125-312315-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0030.150331T2226Z-150331T2315Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHWESTERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  NORTHEASTERN PICKENS COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 615 PM CDT

* AT 525 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR GORDO...
  MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.

  HAZARD...GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL AND 60 MPH WIND GUSTS. 

  SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED. 

  IMPACT...PEOPLE AND ANIMALS OUTDOORS WILL BE INJURED. EXPECT HAIL 
           DAMAGE TO ROOFS...SIDING...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES. EXPECT 
           WIND DAMAGE TO ROOFS...SIDING AND TREES. 

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  NORTHPORT...GORDO...REFORM...COKER...TUSCALOOSA REGIONAL AIRPORT...
  BINION CREEK LANDING...LAKE LURLEEN STATE PARK...TIERCE PATTTON
  BRIDGE...HIGHWAY 69 BRIDGE...NORTH PICKENS AIRPORT...KIRK...
  ECHOLA...FLATWOODS...LUBBUB...BUHL...MOORES BRIDGE...ELROD AND LAKE
  TUSCALOOSA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS AND CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE INDOORS IMMEDIATELY.
LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES LEADING KILLERS. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN
HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

&&

LAT...LON 3334 8809 3345 8796 3346 8782 3340 8753
      3314 8763 3327 8797
TIME...MOT...LOC 2225Z 291DEG 18KT 3337 8793 

HAIL...1.75IN
WIND...60MPH
 
$$

16

1 follow-up statement

752 
WWUS54 KBMX 312248
SVSBMX

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

ALC107-312257-
/O.CAN.KBMX.SV.W.0030.000000T0000Z-150331T2315Z/
PICKENS AL-
548 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2015

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN PICKENS COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...
    
THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF 
THE WARNED AREA. THEREFORE THE WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED. 
ADDITIONAL STORMS MAY DEVELOP.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT FOR
WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA.

LAT...LON 3345 8778 3340 8753 3314 8763 3320 8779
      3322 8784 3340 8784
TIME...MOT...LOC 2247Z 291DEG 18KT 3333 8780 

$$

ALC125-312315-
/O.CON.KBMX.SV.W.0030.000000T0000Z-150331T2315Z/
TUSCALOOSA AL-
548 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2015

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 615 PM CDT
FOR SOUTHWESTERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY...

AT 547 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR GORDO...MOVING
EAST AT 20 MPH.

HAZARD...GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL AND 60 MPH WIND GUSTS. 

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED. 

IMPACT...PEOPLE AND ANIMALS OUTDOORS WILL BE INJURED. EXPECT HAIL 
         DAMAGE TO ROOFS...SIDING...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES. EXPECT 
         WIND DAMAGE TO ROOFS...SIDING AND TREES. 

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
NORTHPORT...COKER...TUSCALOOSA REGIONAL AIRPORT...BINION CREEK
LANDING...LAKE LURLEEN STATE PARK...TIERCE PATTTON BRIDGE...HIGHWAY
69 BRIDGE...BUHL...FLATWOODS...ELROD...ECHOLA AND LAKE TUSCALOOSA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS AND CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE INDOORS IMMEDIATELY.
LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES LEADING KILLERS. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN
HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

&&

LAT...LON 3345 8778 3340 8753 3314 8763 3320 8779
      3322 8784 3340 8784
TIME...MOT...LOC 2247Z 291DEG 18KT 3333 8780 

HAIL...1.75IN
WIND...60MPH
 
$$

16

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, 4 hours 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 31, 12:46 PM CDT, 4 hours 40 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, 2 hours 7 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, 4:38 PM CDT, 48 minutes before

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

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

0415 PM     HAIL             5 SW RAINBOW CITY       33.92N 86.10W
03/31/2015  E1.75 INCH       ETOWAH             AL   PUBLIC

            REPORTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA ALONG HIGHWAY 411

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Mar 31, 4:42 PM CDT, 44 minutes before

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

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

0423 PM     HAIL             ARLEY                   34.08N 87.21W
03/31/2015  E1.00 INCH       WINSTON            AL   PUBLIC

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Mar 31, 4:53 PM CDT, 33 minutes before

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

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

0436 PM     HAIL             5 SW COBB TOWN          33.59N 85.92W
03/31/2015  E1.00 INCH       CALHOUN            AL   PUBLIC

            REPORTED NEAR COLDWATER

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Mar 31, 4:56 PM CDT, 30 minutes before

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

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

0441 PM     HAIL             WELLINGTON              33.83N 85.89W
03/31/2015  E1.00 INCH       CALHOUN            AL   PUBLIC

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Mar 31, 5:01 PM CDT, 25 minutes before

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

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

0442 PM     HAIL             OXFORD                  33.60N 85.83W
03/31/2015  E1.00 INCH       CALHOUN            AL   PUBLIC

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Mar 31, 5:22 PM CDT, 4 minutes before

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

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

0455 PM     HAIL             ASHLAND                 33.28N 85.84W
03/31/2015  E1.75 INCH       CLAY               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

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, 4:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun	31 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, 5:34 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.