Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2015

Tornado Warning 19, NWS Birmingham, AL

December 25, 2015Bibb County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Dec 25, 2015, 7:04 PM CST for Bibb County, Alabama. It was in force for 20 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, 7:04 PM CST (01:04 UTC)
Expired: Dec 25, 2015, 7:24 PM CST
In force: 20 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.75 in

County Bibb County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 28 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:07 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, 7:07 PM CST	TSTM WND DMG	3 Nw Eoline, AL	THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH PRODUCED ISOLATED MINOR DAMAGE TO PINE TREES.

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

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado 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

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 1.1 hours before the alert went out and 239 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: 578 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -16 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 788 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 119 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 117 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.3
Supercell composite: 1.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

046 
WFUS54 KBMX 260104
TORBMX
ALC007-260145-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0019.151226T0104Z-151226T0145Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  CENTRAL BIBB COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 745 PM CST
    
* AT 703 PM CST...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
  TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR EOLINE...OR 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF BRENT...
  MOVING EAST AT 35 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. 

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  BRENT...CENTREVILLE...WEST BLOCTON...BRIERFIELD IRONWORKS PARK...
  EOLINE...ASHBY...HARMON...MARVEL...HEBRON...SIX MILE AND PEARSON.

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 3309 8731 3320 8702 3317 8703 3316 8698
      3316 8697 3310 8697 3310 8695 3308 8695
      3308 8693 3306 8693 3305 8688 3300 8688
      3296 8731 3301 8732
TIME...MOT...LOC 0103Z 252DEG 29KT 3302 8728 

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

$$

87/GRANTHAM

2 follow-up statements

076 
WWUS54 KBMX 260115
SVSBMX

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

ALC007-260145-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0019.000000T0000Z-151226T0145Z/
BIBB AL-
715 PM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 PM CST FOR CENTRAL
BIBB COUNTY...
    
AT 714 PM CST...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED NEAR EOLINE...MOVING EAST AT 30 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. 

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
WEST BLOCTON...EOLINE...BRIERFIELD IRONWORKS PARK...MARVEL AND
HEBRON.

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 3299 8723 3311 8726 3320 8702 3317 8703
      3316 8698 3316 8697 3310 8697 3310 8695
      3308 8695 3308 8693 3306 8693 3305 8688
      3303 8688
TIME...MOT...LOC 0114Z 249DEG 27KT 3305 8719 

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

$$

87/GRANTHAM

943 
WWUS54 KBMX 260124
SVSBMX

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

ALC007-260134-
/O.CAN.KBMX.TO.W.0019.000000T0000Z-151226T0145Z/
BIBB AL-
724 PM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL BIBB COUNTY IS CANCELLED...
                
THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED BELOW SEVERE
LIMITS...AND NO LONGER APPEARS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.
THEREFORE THE WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

LAT...LON 3299 8723 3311 8726 3320 8702 3317 8703
      3316 8698 3316 8697 3310 8697 3310 8695
      3308 8695 3308 8693 3306 8693 3305 8688
      3303 8688
TIME...MOT...LOC 0122Z 252DEG 29KT 3308 8710 

$$

87/GRANTHAM

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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 tornado warning went out at Dec 25, 6:51 PM CST, 13 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 25, 6:51 PM CST, 13 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
651 PM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

.UPDATE...
FOR 00Z AVIATION.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

WIDESPREAD FLOODING CONTINUES ACROSS THE NORTHERN THIRD OF THE
STATE...WITH MORE HEAVY RAIN ANTICIPATED THROUGH THE EVENING.  THE
STALLED BOUNDARY CAUSING ALL THE TROUBLE IS JUST NOT WILLING TO LIFT
OUT TO THE NORTH AT THIS POINT.  MOST MODEL GUIDANCE IS LIFTING IT
OUT WAY TOO QUICKLY IN RESPONSE TO THE AMPLIFIED SYSTEM THAT IS SET
TO DIG SOUTHEAST LATER TONIGHT.  MEANWHILE...PW VALUES NEAR TWO
INCHES...70S DEWPOINTS...AND TEMPERATURES SOME 20 TO 30 DEGREES
ABOVE NORMAL KEEP FEEDING THIS MONSTER. INSTABILITY VALUES REMAIN
HIGH...AGGRAVATING THE SITUATION WITH PROLONGED...TRAINING
THUNDERSTORMS.  I WOULD EXPECT SEVERAL MORE INCHES OF RAIN BEFORE
THE DEEP LAYER RIDGING TO OUR SOUTH AND EAST WINS OUT AND THIS
BOUNDARY FINALLY LIFTS OUT TO NORTH.  THE SHEAR HAS CONTINUED TO
DWINDLE OVER TIME...KEEPING THE THREAT OF TORNADOES AND WIDESPREAD
DAMAGING WINDS TO A MINIMUM.

THROUGH THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS...PLEASE REMAIN VIGILANT AND
SEEK HIGHER GROUND.  THIS AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. FLOODING KILLS
MORE PEOPLE THAN ANY OTHER SEVERE WEATHER THREAT!  TAKE IT SERIOUSLY
IF YOU LIVE IN ANY AREA NORTH OF INTERSTATE 59!

17/KLAWS

&&

.AVIATION...
00Z TAF DISCUSSION.

ABUNDANT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE SHOULD BRING
CIGS BACK INTO THE IFR CATEGORY OVERNIGHT. CONFIDENCE IS LOW IN
THE VIS FORECAST AS SOME PATCHY DENSE FOG COULD BE POSSIBLE IF
WINDS BECOME LIGHT/CALM. AT THIS TIME...THE BEST CHANCE OF THIS
OCCURRING WOULD BE ACROSS THE SOUTH SO WILL LEAVE A TEMPO IN NEAR
SUNRISE FOR NOW. CIGS MAY STAY IFR FOR MOST OF THE DAY ACROSS THE
NORTH AS WELL.

16

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...

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

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GADSDEN     66  74  63  73  64 / 100  30  20  30  50
ANNISTON    68  75  64  74  65 / 100  30  20  30  50
BIRMINGHAM  69  76  65  75  67 / 100  30  30  30  50
TUSCALOOSA  70  77  67  76  68 /  90  30  30  30  50
CALERA      68  76  65  75  67 /  70  30  20  20  50
AUBURN      65  75  64  74  66 /  20  20  10  20  40
MONTGOMERY  67  79  63  78  67 /  20  20  20  20  50
TROY        67  79  63  77  67 /  20  10  10  20  40

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES: BIBB...BLOUNT...CALHOUN...CHEROKEE...CLEBURNE...
ETOWAH...FAYETTE...JEFFERSON...LAMAR...MARION...PICKENS...
SHELBY...ST. CLAIR...TALLADEGA...TUSCALOOSA...WALKER...WINSTON.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 25, 1:39 PM CST, 5 hours 25 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
139 PM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

ALZ011>015-017>050-262245-
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-
139 PM 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.

FLASH FLOODING WILL REMAIN A CONCERN FOR AREAS NEAR AND NORTH OF A
LINE FROM ALICEVILLE TO ALABASTER TO HEFLIN. RAIN AMOUNTS OF 6 OR
MORE INCHES ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH 9 PM. THESE AMOUNTS WILL PRODUCE
DANGEROUS FLASH FLOODING.

A RIVER FLOODING THREAT ALSO EXISTS ALONG THE TALLAPOOSA AND
ALABAMA RIVER BASINS...WITH SEVERAL LOCATIONS RISING INTO CAUTION
OR FLOOD STAGE.

THUNDERSTORMS IN THE SAME ARE AS THE HEAVIER RAIN MAY BECOME
STRONG TO SEVERE AT TIMES. 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 THROUGH 9 PM.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Dec 25, 6:46 PM CST, 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
646 PM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

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

0640 PM     FLASH FLOOD      5 NNW WEISS LAKE        34.28N 85.68W
12/25/2015                   CHEROKEE           AL   911 CALL CENTER

            STATE HIGHWAY 273 AND COUNTY ROAD 275 IS NEARLY COVERED
            WITH WATER AND NEARLY IMPASSABLE.

&&

JH

Local storm report, Dec 25, 6:48 PM CST, 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
648 PM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

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

0633 PM     FLASH FLOOD      CENTER POINT            33.64N 86.68W
12/25/2015                   JEFFERSON          AL   PUBLIC

            MULTIPLE WATER RESCUES UNDERWAY IN THE CENTER POINT AND
            PINSON AREAS.

&&

JH

Local storm report, Dec 25, 6:51 PM CST, 13 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
651 PM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

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

0648 PM     FLASH FLOOD      CENTER POINT            33.64N 86.68W
12/25/2015                   JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            WOOD DRIVE AND 6TH STREET IMPASSABLE DUE TO HIGH WATER
            AND DEBRIS.

&&

JH

Local storm report, Dec 25, 6:59 PM CST, 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
659 PM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

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

0650 PM     FLASH FLOOD      5 E SUMITON             33.76N 86.97W
12/25/2015                   JEFFERSON          AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            WATER OVER HUMBER ROAD AND WARRIOR JASPER ROAD, PORTIONS
            OF ROADS IMPASSABLE DUE TO STREAM OUT OF ITS BANKS.

&&

JH

Local storm report, Dec 25, 7:00 PM CST, 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
700 PM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

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

0629 PM     FLASH FLOOD      HALEYVILLE              34.24N 87.62W
12/25/2015                   WINSTON            AL   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

            ROADSIDE FLOODING OBSERVED WITH AREAS OF WATER OVER THE
            ROADWAY ON ALABAMA HIGHWAY 13 BETWEEN BEAR CREEK AND
            HALEYVILLE IN MARION AND WINSTON COUNTIES.

&&

JH

Local storm report, Dec 25, 7:02 PM CST, 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
702 PM CST FRI DEC 25 2015

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

0645 PM     FLASH FLOOD      2 E SUMITON             33.75N 87.01W
12/25/2015                   JEFFERSON          AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            WATER COVERING INTERSECTION OF JIM GOGGINS ROAD AND
            GREATHOUSE ROAD. NEARBY CREEK OUT OF BANKS WITH WATER
            OVER 1 FOOT DEEP OVER ROAD.

&&

JH

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Dec 25, 6:11 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Shelby	10 hr
Dec 25, 6:30 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Bibb, Chilton, Greene, Hale, Perry, Shelby and 1 more	12 hr
Dec 25, 7:14 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Etowah, Randolph and 3 more	12 hr
Dec 25, 7:29 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Blount, Jefferson, St. Clair, Walker	6 hr
Dec 25, 7:43 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Marion, Winston	8 hr
Dec 25, 7:50 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Walker	8 hr
Dec 25, 8:21 PM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Chilton, Coosa, Elmore, Shelby, Talladega	10 days
Dec 25, 8:48 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker	7 hr
Dec 25, 9:27 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Dallas, Hale, Marengo, Perry	6 hr
Dec 25, 9:34 PM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Coosa, Tallapoosa	3 hr
Dec 25, 9:59 PM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Jefferson	6 days
Dec 25, 10:27 PM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter, Tuscaloosa	4 days
Dec 25, 10:27 PM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo	9 days
Dec 25, 10:37 PM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker	55 hr
Dec 25, 10:39 PM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker	71 hr
Dec 25, 11:45 PM CST	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Blount	9 hr
Dec 25, 11:56 PM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Jefferson, Marengo, Tuscaloosa	24 hr
Dec 25, 11:59 PM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo, Tuscaloosa	58 hr
Dec 26, 1:41 AM CST	Dense Fog Advisory	BMX	Barbour, Bullock, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Montgomery and 2 more	5 hr
Dec 26, 3:17 AM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cherokee, Etowah, St. Clair	21 hr
Dec 26, 4:15 AM CST	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Blount, Fayette, Jefferson, Lamar, Marion, Walker and 1 more	12 hr
Dec 26, 4:32 AM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Elmore, Montgomery	26 hr
Dec 26, 5:25 AM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Bibb, Jefferson, Shelby	39 hr
Dec 26, 5:25 AM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Bibb, Dallas, Perry	37 hr
Dec 26, 6:10 AM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Chambers, Elmore, Macon, Randolph, Tallapoosa	25 hr
Dec 26, 7:08 AM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo, Pickens, Sumter	6 days
Dec 26, 7:12 AM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter	6 days
Dec 26, 7:12 AM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter	9 days

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.