Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2015

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Huntsville, AL

April 3, 2015Madison County, Alabama

NWS Huntsville, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 3, 2015, 7:54 PM CDT for Madison County, Alabama. It was in force for 36 min. 6 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
Apr 3, 2015, 7:54 PM CDT (00:54 UTC)
Expired
Apr 3, 2015, 8:30 PM CDT
In force
36 min
Issued by
NWS Huntsville, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.0 in

County Madison County, AL

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 51 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:54 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 3, 7:54 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD3 Ssw Harvest, ALFUNNEL CLOUD OBSERVED FROM MADISON LOOKING NORTH TOWARD HARVEST.
Apr 3, 7:54 PM CDTTSTM WND DMG2 Wnw Harvest, ALPOWER LINES DOWN ON TYLER WILL ROAD NEAR HARVEST ROAD. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
Apr 3, 7:55 PM CDTTSTM WND DMG2 E Harvest, ALMULTIPLE TREES WERE UPROOTED AND SNAPPED...UNDERPINNINGS OF A MOBILE HOME WERE PUNCHED IN...ROOFING STRIPPED OFF A BARBER SHOP...AND A BILLBOARD WAS PUNCHED IN AS WELL. WIND SPEEDS ESTIMATED AT 80-90 MPH. THIS OCCURRED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 53 AND H
Apr 3, 7:57 PM CDTTSTM WND DMG5 Se Harvest, ALTREE DOWN ON PEBBLESTONE DRIVE.
Apr 3, 8:02 PM CDTTSTM WND DMG4 Wsw Meridianville, ALTREE DOWN AT PULASKI PIKE AND OPPORTUNITY BLVD JUST NORTH OF THE TOYOTA PLANT.
Apr 3, 8:03 PM CDTTSTM WND GST 603 Sse Harvest, ALESTIMATED 60 MPH WIND GUSTS.

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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Apr 3, 6:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 00:00Z, 0.9 hours before the alert went out and 148 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Nashville Metro, TN at 00:00Z on 2015-04-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Nashville Metro, TN at 00:00Z on 2015-04-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 16 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
2 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-133 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
593 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
65 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
16 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
107 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.

093 
WFUS54 KHUN 040054
TORHUN
ALC089-040130-
/O.NEW.KHUN.TO.W.0002.150404T0054Z-150404T0130Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
754 PM CDT FRI APR 3 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  WEST CENTRAL MADISON COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 830 PM CDT
    
* AT 754 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
  TORNADO WAS LOCATED OVER HARVEST...OR 7 MILES NORTH OF MADISON...
  MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

  HAZARD...TORNADO AND QUARTER SIZE HAIL. 

  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...
  HUNTSVILLE AROUND 805 PM CDT.
  UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA IN HUNTSVILLE AROUND 810 PM CDT.
  REDSTONE ARSENAL AND ALABAMA A AND M UNIVERSITY AROUND 815 PM CDT.

OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THIS TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM INCLUDE
RYLAND.

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 3482 8643 3464 8651 3478 8679 3485 8679
      3489 8675
TIME...MOT...LOC 0054Z 292DEG 23KT 3481 8674 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

LN
2 follow-up statements
277 
WWUS54 KHUN 040112
SVSHUN

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
812 PM CDT FRI APR 3 2015

ALC089-040130-
/O.CON.KHUN.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-150404T0130Z/
MADISON AL-
812 PM CDT FRI APR 3 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 830 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL
MADISON COUNTY...
    
AT 811 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED OVER NORTHERN HUNTSVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO AND QUARTER SIZE HAIL. 

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...
  HUNTSVILLE AND ALABAMA A AND M UNIVERSITY AROUND 815 PM CDT.

OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THIS TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM INCLUDE
RYLAND.

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.

TWO REPORTS OF FUNNEL CLOUDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THIS STORM. 
RADAR INDICATED ROTATION IS CONTINUING SO THE TORNADO WARNING WILL 
CONTINUE AT THIS TIME. 

&&

LAT...LON 3482 8643 3464 8651 3474 8672 3480 8668
      3486 8663
TIME...MOT...LOC 0111Z 292DEG 23KT 3477 8661 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

LN
622 
WWUS54 KHUN 040121 RRA
SVSHUN

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
821 PM CDT FRI APR 3 2015

ALC089-040131-
/O.EXP.KHUN.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-150404T0130Z/
MADISON AL-
821 PM CDT FRI APR 3 2015

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL MADISON COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT 830
PM CDT...
        
THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE AREA.
THEREFORE THE WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

LAT...LON 3482 8643 3464 8651 3474 8672 3480 8668
      3486 8663
TIME...MOT...LOC 0118Z 292DEG 23KT 3477 8661 

$$

LN

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 3, 7:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLimestone, Madison34 min
Apr 3, 7:27 PM CDTTornado WarningHUNMadison33 min
Apr 3, 7:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLimestone, Madison46 min
Apr 3, 7:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNFranklin, Lawrence34 min
Apr 3, 7:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNJackson, Madison31 min
Apr 3, 8:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNJackson, Madison40 min
Apr 3, 8:26 PM CDTTornado WarningHUNJackson34 min
Apr 3, 8:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNMadison, Marshall, Morgan31 min
Apr 3, 8:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNDeKalb, Jackson23 min
Apr 3, 8:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNCullman53 min
Apr 3, 8:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNDeKalb, Jackson, Madison, Marshall36 min
Apr 3, 9:10 PM CDTTornado WarningHUNDeKalb11 min
Apr 3, 9:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNDeKalb34 min
Apr 3, 9:32 PM CDTTornado WarningHUNDeKalb28 min
Apr 3, 9:43 PM CDTTornado WarningHUNDeKalb12 min
Apr 4, 2:36 PM CDTFrost AdvisoryHUNColbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale and 5 more16 hr

Nearby

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