Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2015

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 38, NWS Birmingham, AL

March 31, 2015Walker County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 31, 2015, 6:44 PM CDT for Walker County, Alabama. It was in force for 36 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: Mar 31, 2015, 6:44 PM CDT (23:44 UTC)
Expired: Mar 31, 2015, 7:20 PM CDT
In force: 36 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Hail: 1.0 in
Wind: 60.0 mph

County Walker County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 88 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:45 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, 6:52 PM CDT	HAIL 1	Boldo, AL	SOCIAL MEDIA WITH PHOTO

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

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 87 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.

994 
WUUS54 KBMX 312344
SVRBMX
ALC127-010030-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0038.150331T2344Z-150401T0030Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN WALKER COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 730 PM CDT

* AT 644 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR JASPER...
  MOVING EAST AT 35 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...
  JASPER...CORDOVA...SIPSEY...CURRY...LYNNS PARK...SMITH DAM...SMITH
  LAKE...RACCOON BRANCH...BOLDO...WALKER COUNTY AIRPORT...POWELLVILLE
  AND MANCHESTER.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD TO
FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.

&&

LAT...LON 3400 8716 3397 8714 3396 8711 3391 8708
      3390 8710 3389 8709 3389 8702 3387 8701
      3385 8696 3376 8726 3393 8734
TIME...MOT...LOC 2344Z 249DEG 31KT 3388 8721 

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

56

2 follow-up statements

394 
WWUS54 KBMX 010004
SVSBMX

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

ALC127-010030-
/O.CON.KBMX.SV.W.0038.000000T0000Z-150401T0030Z/
WALKER AL-
704 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2015

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 730 PM CDT
FOR NORTHEASTERN WALKER COUNTY...

AT 704 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR SMITH DAM...OR
13 MILES NORTH OF SUMITON...MOVING EAST AT 35 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...
SIPSEY...SMITH DAM...SMITH LAKE AND POWELLVILLE. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

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

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD TO
FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.

&&

LAT...LON 3397 8714 3396 8711 3391 8708 3390 8710
      3389 8709 3389 8702 3387 8701 3385 8696
      3382 8708 3395 8717
TIME...MOT...LOC 0004Z 249DEG 31KT 3394 8701 

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

56

473 
WWUS54 KBMX 010020
SVSBMX

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

ALC127-010029-
/O.CAN.KBMX.SV.W.0038.000000T0000Z-150401T0030Z/
WALKER AL-
720 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2015

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN WALKER COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...
    
THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF 
THE WARNED AREA. THEREFORE THE WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR
CENTRAL ALABAMA.

LAT...LON 3397 8714 3396 8711 3391 8708 3390 8710
      3389 8709 3389 8702 3387 8701 3385 8696
      3382 8708 3395 8717
TIME...MOT...LOC 0018Z 249DEG 31KT 3399 8686 

$$

56

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, 6:43 PM CDT, 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 31, 6:43 PM CDT, 1 minute before

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

.UPDATE...
AVIATION DISCUSSION.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

QUITE AN ACTIVE AFTERNOON OUT THERE AS THE MAIN WARM FRONT HAS
LIFTED WELL NORTH OF THE AREA...WITH A FEW FAIRLY DISTINCTIVE
BOUNDARIES SLIDING THROUGHOUT THE AREA. MAIN FOCUS WITH THE
FORECAST REMAINS SEVERE WEATHER AND ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SEVERE
STORMS. CURRENT SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL
10 PM.

ACROSS THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE WATCH...STORMS MAY BECOME
SOMEWHAT ELEVATED AS BOUNDARY LAYER INHIBITION INCREASES AS
NOCTURNAL COOLING ENSUES. THIS WILL RESULT IN A DIMINISHING WIND
THREAT BUT...STEEP MIDLEVEL LAPSE RATES AND SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY
WILL ALLOW FOR A CONTINUED HAIL THREAT THROUGH ABOUT 02Z-03Z FROM
TCL AND BHM IN AL...EAST/SOUTHEAST TOWARD FFC AND MCN IN GA.

OVERALL ACTIVE PATTERN REMAINS POSSIBLE THROUGH THE REST OF THE
WEEK WITH A CLEARING COLD FRONT ON FRIDAY..THAT MAY RESULT IN A
DRY WEEKEND. SEE PREVIOUS AFD FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE EXTENDED
FORECAST.

16

&&

.AVIATION...
00Z TAF DISCUSSION.

SCATTERED TS MOVING ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA THIS EVENING ARE
PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. A GRADUAL DECREASE IN ACTIVITY
IS EXPECTED BY 03Z. HAVE INCLUDED TS IN PREVAILING WHERE
APPLICABLE...AND WILL UPDATE AS NEEDED. TS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN
NORTH OF MGM AND TOI. FOG AND LOW CLOUDS ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT
BRINGING CONDITIONS DOWN TO MVFR OR POTENTIALLY LOWER AT SITES WHICH
RECEIVED RAINFALL THIS EVENING. CONDITIONS IMPROVE THROUGH THE EARLY
MORNING HOURS WEDNESDAY. ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

14

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GADSDEN     50  76  56  77  58 /  70  20  30  50  30
ANNISTON    51  77  56  78  58 /  70  20  30  50  20
BIRMINGHAM  54  79  59  80  60 /  70  30  30  50  20
TUSCALOOSA  58  80  60  82  62 /  60  30  30  50  20
CALERA      57  79  59  80  60 /  60  30  30  50  20
AUBURN      56  79  57  79  58 /  70  30  30  30  10
MONTGOMERY  59  81  59  83  59 /  50  30  30  30  10
TROY        60  81  58  82  57 /  50  40  30  30  10

&&

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

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 31, 3:19 PM CDT, 3 hours 25 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, 6:20 PM CDT, 24 minutes before

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

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

0605 PM     HAIL             4 W HOLT                33.25N 87.58W
03/31/2015  E1.00 INCH       TUSCALOOSA         AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Mar 31, 6:30 PM CDT, 14 minutes before

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

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

0613 PM     HAIL             NORTHPORT               33.24N 87.59W
03/31/2015  E1.75 INCH       TUSCALOOSA         AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            NUMEROUS REPORTS OF QUARTER TO GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL IN
            NORTHPORT

&&

DAVIS

Special weather statement, Mar 31, 6:30 PM CDT, 14 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
630 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2015

ALZ028-029-037-038-010000-
TALLAPOOSA AL-RANDOLPH AL-CHAMBERS AL-CLAY AL-
630 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2015

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN RANDOLPH...
NORTHWESTERN CHAMBERS...NORTHEASTERN TALLAPOOSA AND SOUTHEASTERN CLAY
COUNTIES UNTIL 700 PM CDT...

AT 629 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
GOLDVILLE...OR 8 MILES SOUTH OF ASHLAND...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ASHLAND...NEW SITE...GOLDVILLE...MALONE...DAVISTON...MOTLEY AND
MELLOW VALLEY.

THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

LAT...LON 3307 8593 3325 8590 3324 8558 3300 8560
TIME...MOT...LOC 2329Z 277DEG 34KT 3316 8583

16

Local storm report, Mar 31, 6:33 PM CDT, 11 minutes before

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

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

0613 PM     HAIL             TUSCALOOSA              33.24N 87.54W
03/31/2015  E1.75 INCH       TUSCALOOSA         AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            NUMEROUS REPORTS OF QUARTER TO GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL IN
            TUSCALOOSA

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Mar 31, 6:34 PM CDT, 10 minutes before

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

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

0627 PM     HAIL             8 SE WEST BLOCTON       33.06N 87.03W
03/31/2015  E1.00 INCH       BIBB               AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Mar 31, 6:38 PM CDT, 6 minutes before

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

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

0635 PM     HAIL             4 WNW JASPER            33.88N 87.33W
03/31/2015  E1.00 INCH       WALKER             AL   911 CALL CENTER

            DIME TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED ALONG HIGHWAY 5 NEAR
            JASPER CITY LIMIT

&&

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, 5:26 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

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.