Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2016

Tornado Warning 8, NWS Birmingham, AL

February 15, 2016Elmore County, Macon County, Montgomery County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Feb 15, 2016, 4:05 PM CST for Elmore County, Macon County, Montgomery County, Alabama. It was in force for 25 min. 3 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
Feb 15, 2016, 4:05 PM CST (22:05 UTC)
Expired
Feb 15, 2016, 4:30 PM CST
In force
25 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

Counties Elmore County, AL, Macon County, AL, Montgomery County, AL

The radar

The Maxwell AFB radar (KMXX), 26 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:08 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
Feb 15, 4:05 PM CSTTSTM WND DMG3 S Cecil, ALNEAR THE INTERSECTION OF FLOWERS ROAD AND MATTHEWS ROAD. A FEW BARNS DAMAGED, DAMAGE TO A TIN ROOF, A FEW TREES DOWN. TORNADO.
Feb 15, 4:05 PM CSTTORNADO 03 S Cecil, ALTHE ENDING POINT TO THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY TORNADO,
Feb 15, 4:16 PM CSTTSTM WND DMG3 S Cecil, ALNEAR THE INTERSECTION OF FLOWERS ROAD AND MATTHEWS ROAD. A FEW BARNS DAMAGED, DAMAGE TO A TIN ROOF, A FEW TREES DOWN. POSSIBLE TORNADO. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.

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
Feb 15, 12:02 PM CSTTornado WatchSPC9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 10.1 hours before the alert went out and 121 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, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2016-02-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2016-02-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 485 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1152 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
56 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
485 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
523 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

775 
WFUS54 KBMX 152205
TORBMX
ALC051-087-101-152230-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0008.160215T2205Z-160215T2230Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
405 PM CST MON FEB 15 2016

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHWESTERN MACON COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA...
  SOUTHEASTERN ELMORE COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  EAST CENTRAL MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 430 PM CST
    
* AT 405 PM CST...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
  TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR PIKE ROAD...OR 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
  MILSTEAD...MOVING NORTHEAST 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...
  TALLASSEE...MILSTEAD...SHORTER...FRANKLIN...VICTORYLAND...CECIL AND
  CROSS KEYS.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 85 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 22 AND 32.
 
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 3225 8609 3254 8591 3252 8589 3249 8589
      3249 8585 3242 8575 3227 8595 3227 8598
      3225 8599 3225 8600 3224 8600 3223 8601
TIME...MOT...LOC 2205Z 220DEG 31KT 3228 8599 

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

$$

87/GRANTHAM
2 follow-up statements
742 
WWUS54 KBMX 152216
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
416 PM CST MON FEB 15 2016

ALC101-152225-
/O.CAN.KBMX.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-160215T2230Z/
MONTGOMERY AL-
416 PM CST MON FEB 15 2016

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL MONTGOMERY COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...
    
THE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT
OF THE WARNED AREA. THEREFORE THE WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CST FOR SOUTHEASTERN
ALABAMA.

LAT...LON 3230 8596 3232 8596 3233 8597 3234 8599
      3236 8599 3238 8601 3254 8591 3252 8589
      3249 8589 3249 8585 3242 8575 3228 8593
TIME...MOT...LOC 2215Z 220DEG 31KT 3235 8592 

$$

ALC051-087-152230-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-160215T2230Z/
MACON AL-ELMORE AL-
416 PM CST MON FEB 15 2016

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 430 PM CST FOR
SOUTHWESTERN MACON AND SOUTHEASTERN ELMORE COUNTIES...
    
AT 415 PM CST...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED NEAR SHORTER...OR NEAR MILSTEAD...MOVING NORTHEAST 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...
TALLASSEE...MILSTEAD...SHORTER...FRANKLIN...VICTORYLAND...TYSONVILLE
AND CROSS KEYS.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 85 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 22 AND 32.
 
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 3230 8596 3232 8596 3233 8597 3234 8599
      3236 8599 3238 8601 3254 8591 3252 8589
      3249 8589 3249 8585 3242 8575 3228 8593
TIME...MOT...LOC 2215Z 220DEG 31KT 3235 8592 

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

$$

87/GRANTHAM
431 
WWUS54 KBMX 152220
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
420 PM CST MON FEB 15 2016

ALC051-087-152230-
/O.EXP.KBMX.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-160215T2230Z/
MACON AL-ELMORE AL-
420 PM CST MON FEB 15 2016

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN MACON AND SOUTHEASTERN ELMORE
COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 430 PM CST...
                
THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED BELOW SEVERE
LIMITS...AND NO LONGER APPEARS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.
THEREFORE THE WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CST FOR SOUTHEASTERN
ALABAMA.

LAT...LON 3230 8596 3232 8596 3233 8597 3234 8599
      3236 8599 3238 8601 3254 8591 3252 8589
      3249 8589 3249 8585 3242 8575 3228 8593
TIME...MOT...LOC 2218Z 220DEG 31KT 3235 8592 

$$

87/GRANTHAM

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 15, 12:55 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementBMXGreene35 min
Feb 15, 3:19 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementBMXMontgomery56 min
Feb 15, 3:48 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter57 min
Feb 15, 4:27 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Dallas, Perry43 min
Feb 15, 4:50 PM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXWalker3 hr
Feb 15, 4:57 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMontgomery48 min
Feb 15, 5:50 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBullock, Macon, Montgomery, Pike55 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 2016Every tornado warning in 2016Tornadoes in 2016

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.