Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2015

Tornado Warning 16, NWS Birmingham, AL

December 25, 2015Jefferson County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Dec 25, 2015, 4:24 PM CST for Jefferson 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: Dec 25, 2015, 4:24 PM CST (22:24 UTC)
Expired: Dec 25, 2015, 5:00 PM CST
In force: 36 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.75 in

County Jefferson County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 33 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:27 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
Dec 25, 4:38 PM CST	FUNNEL CLOUD	Alabama Adventure, AL

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 32 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.

664 
WFUS54 KBMX 252224
TORBMX
ALC073-252300-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0016.151225T2224Z-151225T2300Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
424 PM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTH CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 500 PM CST
    
* AT 424 PM CST...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
  TORNADO WAS LOCATED OVER NORTH JOHNS...OR 8 MILES WEST OF
  BESSEMER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

  HAZARD...TORNADO. 

  SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION. 

  IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT 
           SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. 
           DAMAGE TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR.  TREE 
           DAMAGE IS LIKELY. 

* THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  BESSEMER AND SPLASH ADVENTURE AROUND 445 PM CST.
  HUEYTOWN AROUND 450 PM CST.
  BRIGHTON AROUND 455 PM CST.
  SOUTHWESTERN BIRMINGHAM...PLEASANT GROVE AND LIPSCOMB AROUND 500 PM
  CST.

OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THIS TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM INCLUDE
MCADORY...MCCALLA...WELLER...PROMENADE TANNEHILL AND DOLOMITE.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 20 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 104 AND 113.
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...IN A
MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL
SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 3330 8711 3334 8716 3348 8697 3336 8690
TIME...MOT...LOC 2224Z 235DEG 18KT 3334 8710 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

87/GRANTHAM

3 follow-up statements

573 
WWUS54 KBMX 252233
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
433 PM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

ALC073-252300-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0016.000000T0000Z-151225T2300Z/
JEFFERSON AL-
433 PM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM CST FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTY...
    
AT 433 PM CST...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED OVER NORTH JOHNS...OR NEAR BESSEMER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
25 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO. 

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION. 

IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT 
         SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. DAMAGE 
         TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR.  TREE DAMAGE IS 
         LIKELY. 

THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  BESSEMER...HUEYTOWN AND SPLASH ADVENTURE AROUND 445 PM CST.
  BRIGHTON AROUND 455 PM CST.
  SOUTHWESTERN BIRMINGHAM...PLEASANT GROVE AND LIPSCOMB AROUND 500 PM
CST.

OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THIS TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM INCLUDE
MCCALLA AND DOLOMITE.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 20 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 106 AND 113.
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...IN A
MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL
SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 3333 8705 3339 8708 3345 8702 3348 8697
      3336 8690
TIME...MOT...LOC 2233Z 238DEG 20KT 3336 8705 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

87/GRANTHAM

890 
WWUS54 KBMX 252242
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
442 PM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

ALC073-252300-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0016.000000T0000Z-151225T2300Z/
JEFFERSON AL-
442 PM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM CST FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTY...
    
AT 442 PM CST...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED OVER SPLASH ADVENTURE...OR OVER BESSEMER...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO. 

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION. 

IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT 
         SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. DAMAGE 
         TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR.  TREE DAMAGE IS 
         LIKELY. 

THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  MIDFIELD AND BRIGHTON AROUND 450 PM CST.
  LIPSCOMB AROUND 455 PM CST.
  SOUTHWESTERN BIRMINGHAM AROUND 500 PM CST.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 20 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 108 AND 113.
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...IN A
MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL
SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 3335 8702 3340 8703 3345 8695 3336 8690
TIME...MOT...LOC 2242Z 245DEG 20KT 3339 8698 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

87/GRANTHAM

797 
WWUS54 KBMX 252251
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
451 PM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

ALC073-252301-
/O.EXP.KBMX.TO.W.0016.000000T0000Z-151225T2300Z/
JEFFERSON AL-
451 PM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTY WILL EXPIRE
AT 500 PM CST...
        
THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE AREA.
THEREFORE THE WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

LAT...LON 3335 8702 3340 8703 3345 8695 3336 8690
TIME...MOT...LOC 2250Z 235DEG 18KT 3339 8698 

$$

87/GRANTHAM

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, 7:48 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar, Marion, Winston	42 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, 4:28 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

Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 2015 Every tornado warning in 2015 Tornadoes 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.