Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2015

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Birmingham, AL

January 3, 2015Marion County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Jan 3, 2015, 5:13 PM CST for Marion County, Alabama. It was in force for 47 min. 9 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: Jan 3, 2015, 5:13 PM CST (23:13 UTC)
Expired: Jan 3, 2015, 6:00 PM CST
In force: 47 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Marion County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 45 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:13 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
Jan 3, 5:20 PM CST	TSTM WND DMG	6 Nnw Guin, AL	NUMEROUS TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN ON HIGHWAY 74 AND HIGHWAY 45 BETWEEN GUIN AND HAMILTON. POSSIBLE TORNADO.
Jan 3, 5:20 PM CST	TSTM WND DMG	Hamilton, AL	NUMEROUS TREES DOWN AND MULTIPLE STRUCTURES DAMAGED IN THE AREA OF HIGHWAY 43 NORTH AND BEECHER STREET WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF HAMILTON. POSSIBLE TORNADO.
Jan 3, 5:22 PM CST	TSTM WND DMG	5 N Guin, AL	NUMEROUS TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN ON HIGHWAY 74 AND HIGHWAY 45 BETWEEN GUIN AND HAMILTON. POSSIBLE TORNADO.
Jan 3, 5:22 PM CST	TSTM WND DMG	5 Nne Guin, AL	NUMEROUS TREES AND POWERLINES NNE OF GUIN...INCLUDING ALONG CR 45 JUST SOUTH OF US 78 AND ALONG CR 45 NEAR PEA RIDGE. MAX WINDS EST AT 75MPH.
Jan 3, 5:23 PM CST	TORNADO 0	3 Nne Hamilton, AL	NUMEROUS TREES DOWN AND MULTIPLE STRUCTURES DAMAGED IN THE AREA OF HIGHWAY 43 NORTH AND BEECHER STREET WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF HAMILTON. THE TORNADO WAS BRIEF WITH A PATH LENGTH OF 0.28 MILES AND WAS 60 YARDS WIDE.
Jan 3, 5:30 PM CST	TSTM WND DMG	9 Ne Hamilton, AL	BARN DAMAGED ON COUNTY HIGHWAY 108 OFF HIGHWAY 253 BETWEEN HAMILTON AND HACKLEBURG.
Jan 3, 5:30 PM CST	TSTM WND DMG	9 Ne Hamilton, AL	BARN DAMAGED ON COUNTY HIGHWAY 108 OFF HIGHWAY 253 BETWEEN HAMILTON AND HACKLEBURG. POSSIBLE TORNADO
Jan 3, 5:33 PM CST	TSTM WND DMG	4 Nw Brinn, AL	BARN DAMAGED ON COUNTY HIGHWAY 108 OFF HIGHWAY 253 BETWEEN HAMILTON AND HACKLEBURG. POSSIBLE TORNADO
Jan 3, 5:33 PM CST	TSTM WND DMG	4 Nw Brinn, AL	BARN DAMAGED ON COUNTY HIGHWAY 108 NEAR HIGHWAY 253 BETWEEN HAMILTON AND HACKLEBURG. SEVERAL TREES ALSO KNOCKED DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 253.

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

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Jan 3, 3:18 PM CST	Tornado Watch	SPC	5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 11.2 hours before the alert went out and 151 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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 471 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 266 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 377 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

589 
WFUS54 KBMX 032313
TORBMX
ALC093-040000-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0005.150103T2313Z-150104T0000Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
513 PM CST SAT JAN 3 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  MARION COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 600 PM CST

* AT 510 PM CST...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  SQUALL LINE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BRIEF RAIN-WRAPPED TORNADOES IN
  ADDITION TO WIDESPREAD STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE. THESE DANGEROUS
  STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES WEST OF
  WESTON TO 5 MILES SOUTH OF WESTON TO BEAVERTON...AND MOVING
  NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  HAMILTON...WESTON...GUIN...BRINN...HACKLEBURG...LAKE
  BUTTAHATCHEE...RANKIN FITE AIRPORT...MARION COUNTY PUBLIC LAKE...
  PIKEVILLE AND TWIN.

THIS INCLUDES...
US 78 EXIT NUMBERS 3 THROUGH 26...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...
CALL 1-800-856-0758 OR TWEET YOUR REPORT USING HASHTAG ALWX

LAT...LON 3431 8763 3411 8764 3392 8795 3402 8795
      3403 8799 3405 8799 3405 8811 3416 8820
      3420 8819 3432 8803
TIME...MOT...LOC 2313Z 233DEG 44KT 3421 8810 3411 8802
          3398 8801

$$

GRANTHAM

4 follow-up statements

037 
WWUS54 KBMX 032319
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
519 PM CST SAT JAN 3 2015

ALC093-040000-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-150104T0000Z/
MARION AL-
519 PM CST SAT JAN 3 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MARION COUNTY UNTIL 600 PM
CST...

AT 518 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE SQUALL LINE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS
AND BRIEF RAIN-WRAPPED TORNADOES.  THESE DANGEROUS STORMS WERE
LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM WESTON TO HAMILTON TO GUIN...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  BRINN...HACKLEBURG...LAKE BUTTAHATCHEE...TWIN...PEARCES MILL...
  PIGEYE...PINEY GROVE...TESSNER AND BEAR CREEK.

THIS INCLUDES...
US 78 EXIT NUMBERS 7 THROUGH 26...

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CALL 1-800-856-0758.

LAT...LON 3431 8763 3411 8764 3392 8795 3402 8795
      3403 8799 3405 8799 3408 8802 3424 8811
      3432 8803
TIME...MOT...LOC 2319Z 233DEG 44KT 3418 8802 3413 8794
          3400 8793

$$

GRANTHAM

633 
WWUS54 KBMX 032328
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
528 PM CST SAT JAN 3 2015

ALC093-040000-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-150104T0000Z/
MARION AL-
528 PM CST SAT JAN 3 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR EASTERN MARION COUNTY
UNTIL 600 PM CST...

AT 528 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE SQUALL LINE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS
AND BRIEF RAIN-WRAPPED TORNADOES.  THESE DANGEROUS STORMS WERE
LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 7 MILES WEST OF HACKLEBURG TO
BRINN TO BRILLIANT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  BRINN...HACKLEBURG...LAKE BUTTAHATCHEE...PINEY GROVE...TESSNER AND
  BEAR CREEK.

THIS INCLUDES...
US 78 EXIT NUMBERS 22 THROUGH 26...

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CALL 1-800-856-0758.

LAT...LON 3432 8801 3431 8763 3411 8764 3400 8786
      3431 8804
TIME...MOT...LOC 2329Z 233DEG 44KT 3428 8791 3420 8782
          3408 8779

$$

GRANTHAM

311 
WWUS54 KBMX 032335
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
535 PM CST SAT JAN 3 2015

ALC093-040000-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-150104T0000Z/
MARION AL-
535 PM CST SAT JAN 3 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEASTERN MARION COUNTY
UNTIL 600 PM CST...

AT 533 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE SQUALL LINE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS
AND BRIEF RAIN-WRAPPED TORNADOES.  THESE DANGEROUS STORMS WERE
LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM HACKLEBURG TO BRINN TO LAKE
BUTTAHATCHEE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  BEAR CREEK.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CALL 1-800-856-0758.

LAT...LON 3431 8763 3411 8764 3405 8777 3431 8796
TIME...MOT...LOC 2335Z 233DEG 44KT 3428 8787 3424 8775
          3412 8772

$$

GRANTHAM

606 
WWUS54 KBMX 032352
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
552 PM CST SAT JAN 3 2015

ALC093-040003-
/O.EXP.KBMX.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-150104T0000Z/
MARION AL-
552 PM CST SAT JAN 3 2015

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN MARION COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT
600 PM CST...

THE LINE OF STORMS WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE
WARNED AREA.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CALL 1-800-856-0758.

LAT...LON 3431 8763 3411 8764 3405 8777 3431 8796
TIME...MOT...LOC 2353Z 233DEG 44KT 3441 8766 3437 8754
          3425 8751

$$

GRANTHAM

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jan 3, 3:42 AM CST	Flash Flood Watch	BMX	Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Etowah and 14 more	24 hr
Jan 3, 3:56 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pickens	32 min
Jan 3, 4:02 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Sumter	11 min
Jan 3, 4:27 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Sumter	48 min
Jan 3, 4:34 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Greene, Pickens, Sumter	41 min
Jan 3, 4:44 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Lamar	46 min
Jan 3, 5:16 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Greene, Tuscaloosa	14 min
Jan 3, 5:29 PM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Greene, Lamar, Pickens, Sumter	3 hr
Jan 3, 5:32 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Lowndes	43 min
Jan 3, 5:39 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Winston	20 min
Jan 3, 5:49 PM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Chilton, Coosa, Shelby, Talladega	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.