Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2017

Tornado Warning 51, NWS Birmingham, AL

August 31, 2017Bibb County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Aug 31, 2017, 6:55 PM CDT for Bibb County, Alabama. It was in force for 65 min. 5 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
Aug 31, 2017, 6:55 PM CDT (23:55 UTC)
Expired
Aug 31, 2017, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
65 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), 40 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:54 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
Aug 31, 6:57 PM CDTTORNADO1 Se Harmon, ALNWS METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED DAMAGE IN SOUTHWEST BIBB COUNTY AND FOUND THAT THE DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH AN EF1 TORNADO, WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 90. NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES.
Aug 31, 7:09 PM CDTTSTM WND DMG2 Wsw Eoline, ALTREES AND POWER LINES DOWN ACROSS PORTIONS OF WARD SCHOOL ROAD, WEST EOLINE ROAD AND BEAR CREEK ROAD. POSSIBLE TORNADO. REPORT RELAYED BY SOCIAL MEDIA. LOCATION APPROXIMATE.
Aug 31, 7:11 PM CDTTORNADO1 Se Harmon, ALSTORM CHASER TOOK VIDEO OF TORNADO CROSSING U.S. HIGHWAY 82 IN BIBB COUNTY NEAR EOLINE. TIME APPROXIMATE.
Aug 31, 7:28 PM CDTTORNADO3 Wsw West Blocton, ALNWS METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED DAMAGE NEAR HOPEWELL CHURCH ROAD AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY AN EF1 TORNADO WITH 95 MPH WINDS.
Aug 31, 7:42 PM CDTTORNADO1 E North Bibb, ALNWS METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED DAMAGE NEAR OLD WOODSTOCK ROAD AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY AN EF0 TORNADO WITH 75 MPH WINDS.

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
Aug 31, 11:13 AM CDTTornado WatchSPC11 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 11.9 hours before the alert went out and 39 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 2017-08-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 724 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, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2017-08-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 198 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
724 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-9 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
569 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
33 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
198 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
229 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.5
Supercell composite
4.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

381 
WFUS54 KBMX 312355
TORBMX
ALC007-010100-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0051.170831T2355Z-170901T0100Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
655 PM CDT THU AUG 31 2017

The National Weather Service in Birmingham has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Central Bibb County in central Alabama...

* Until 800 PM CDT
    
* At 655 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Mertz, or 10 miles west of Brent, 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...
  Brent, Centreville, Vance, Woodstock, West Blocton, Eoline, Mertz,
  North Bibb, Green Pond, Hebron, Harmon and Marvel.

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 3301 8736 3301 8732 3305 8731 3313 8724
      3313 8720 3318 8720 3323 8715 3324 8713
      3322 8712 3322 8710 3325 8708 3325 8703
      3317 8703 3316 8697 3310 8697 3287 8733
      3288 8739 3293 8742
TIME...MOT...LOC 2355Z 225DEG 31KT 3292 8735 

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

$$

32/Davis
3 follow-up statements
455 
WWUS54 KBMX 010002
SVSBMX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
702 PM CDT THU AUG 31 2017

ALC007-010100-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0051.000000T0000Z-170901T0100Z/
Bibb AL-
702 PM CDT THU AUG 31 2017

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL
BIBB COUNTY...
        
At 702 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was located near Eoline, or 8
miles west of Brent, moving northeast at 35 mph.

HAZARD...Damaging tornado. 

SOURCE...Radar confirmed tornado. 

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...
Centreville, Vance, Woodstock, West Blocton, Eoline, North Bibb,
Green Pond, Hebron, Harmon and Marvel.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a tornado is on the ground. 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 3300 8735 3301 8732 3305 8731 3313 8724
      3313 8720 3318 8720 3323 8715 3324 8713
      3322 8712 3322 8710 3325 8708 3325 8703
      3317 8703 3316 8697 3310 8697 3291 8730
      3291 8734 3296 8737
TIME...MOT...LOC 0002Z 225DEG 30KT 3296 8730 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

32/Davis
096 
WWUS54 KBMX 010019
SVSBMX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
719 PM CDT THU AUG 31 2017

ALC007-010100-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0051.000000T0000Z-170901T0100Z/
Bibb AL-
719 PM CDT THU AUG 31 2017

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT FOR NORTH
CENTRAL BIBB COUNTY...
    
At 719 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Eoline, or 7 miles northwest of Centreville, moving
northeast 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...
Vance, Woodstock, West Blocton, North Bibb, Green Pond 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 3305 8726 3306 8728 3313 8724 3313 8720
      3318 8720 3323 8715 3324 8713 3322 8712
      3322 8710 3325 8708 3325 8703 3317 8703
      3315 8701 3300 8721 3302 8726
TIME...MOT...LOC 0019Z 222DEG 28KT 3305 8721 

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

$$

32/Davis
863 
WWUS54 KBMX 010044
SVSBMX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
744 PM CDT THU AUG 31 2017

ALC007-010100-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0051.000000T0000Z-170901T0100Z/
Bibb AL-
744 PM CDT THU AUG 31 2017

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT FOR NORTH
CENTRAL BIBB COUNTY...
        
At 744 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was located over Woodstock, or 14
miles southwest of Bessemer, moving northeast at 30 mph.

HAZARD...Damaging tornado. 

SOURCE...Radar confirmed tornado. 

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...
Woodstock, North Bibb and Green Pond. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a tornado is on the ground. 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 3317 8715 3319 8719 3323 8715 3324 8713
      3322 8712 3322 8710 3325 8708 3325 8705
      3318 8707
TIME...MOT...LOC 0044Z 209DEG 26KT 3322 8712 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

32/Davis

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 30, 7:17 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXBullock58 min
Aug 30, 7:19 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXPike26 min
Aug 30, 7:50 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXBarbour70 min
Aug 31, 12:01 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXMarengo29 min
Aug 31, 2:49 PM CDTWind AdvisoryBMXAutauga, Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee and 29 more27 hr
Aug 31, 3:12 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXPickens48 min
Aug 31, 3:38 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXFayette, Lamar, Pickens52 min
Aug 31, 3:42 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXHale, Perry10 min
Aug 31, 4:12 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedBMXFayette30 min
Aug 31, 4:23 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXFayette, Pickens, Tuscaloosa52 min
Aug 31, 4:26 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedConsiderable damage threatBMXMarion, Winston35 min
Aug 31, 5:30 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXWinston23 min
Aug 31, 5:41 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXMarengo34 min
Aug 31, 6:07 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXHale38 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 2017Every tornado warning in 2017Tornadoes in 2017

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.