Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2018
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 46, NWS Huntsville, AL
NWS Huntsville, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 16, 2018, 4:29 PM CDT for Lawrence County, Alabama. It was in force for 31 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- May 16, 2018, 4:29 PM CDT (21:29 UTC)
- Expired
- May 16, 2018, 5:00 PM CDT
- In force
- 31 min
- Issued by
- NWS Huntsville, AL
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Hail
- 0.75 in
- Wind
- 60.0 mph
County Lawrence County, AL
The radar
The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 117 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:31 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 forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Huntsville, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 16, 2:40 PM CDT, 1 hour 49 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 16, 2:40 PM CDT, 1 hour 49 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Huntsville AL 240 PM CDT Wed May 16 2018 .NEAR TERM...(Tonight) Issued at 240 PM CDT Wed May 16 2018 Convection this afternoon has been focused along the terrain in NE AL and S Mid TN. This is mainly due to mostly clear skies out east, but the debris clouds from morning convection has kept storms at bay west of I-65. Not expecting that to last long as last few scans of visible imagery show CU bubbling up near the AL/MS border and we'll probably see storms start to fire out there soon. Updated PoPs for this afternoon to indicate numerous thunderstorms across the area. CAPE values are a bit lower than yesterday with value upwards of 1,500 J/kg. A weak shortwave over the area and winds aloft around 15kts may allow for more movement in storms. PWATs of 1.5 to 1.6 inches should translate into very heavy downpours. Other threats with storms will be gusty winds up to 40 mph and small hail. Further to the west over OK/AR a stronger shortwave is evident in satellite and radar imagery and is taking on characteristics of an MCV. This is forecast to continue to shift E/SE towards west-central MS overnight. Convection that develops ahead of this feature may be able to move into the area tonight but with the loss of daytime heating, instability drops off and should limit the convective potential tonight. Any areas that get rain today could see patchy fog develop overnight. Lows will be close to what they were yesterday with values in the 60s. .SHORT TERM...(Thursday through Friday night) Issued at 240 PM CDT Wed May 16 2018 The stronger shortwave to our west will begin to impact the area on Thursday but there is still some differences in latest model guidance. Models are struggling in the interactions between this shortwave and the remnant subtropical system that is forecast to lift north through central GA tonight through Thursday. The ECMWF/GEM keeps the two separate, while the GFS/NAM try to combine/pull the system over GA back to the west a bit. Believe the differences are really tied to how the models want to handle the MCV/shortwave to our west. GFS/NAM maintain it as it drops S/SE into central MS/AL on Thursday and the result is the more widespread convection may stay to our south focused around the MCV. The ECMWF/GEM weaken the MCV and end up moving it across our area on Thursday into Friday. So, needless to say uncertain/unsettled the next few days as systems move over/near the area. Storms that form either day should occur mainly during the afternoon hours. And with increased cloud cover and cooler temps, instability values should be around 1,500 J/kg both days. So, primary storms impacts will be very heavy downpours, small hail, and gusty winds. Steering flow increases slightly both days and storms should move enough to keep any flash flooding concerns low at this time. Both features begin to push east of the area on Friday and some drier air begins to work into the area. Highs both days will be in the low to mid 80s with lows in the 60s. Patchy fog is possible each night, especially in any areas that receive heavy rain. .LONG TERM...(Saturday through Tuesday) Issued at 240 PM CDT Wed May 16 2018 Unsettled conditions will persist through the extended forecast. The trough that phased with the tropical disturbance will have moved off into the OH Valley/Great Lakes region by Saturday. The combo of a weak ridge building in from the Midwest and another located off the mid Atlantic coast will weaken the trough and continue to lift it northeastward on Saturday. In turn, temps will warm into the mid to upper 80s and precip chances will be lower. Drier air will filter in allowing Saturday night to be precip free. The dry trend doesn't last long as light southeasterly flow returns moisture to the region starting on Sunday. Weak ridging will persist across the southeast into next week keeping temps above normal and allowing scattered diurnally driven convection each day. Temps will be around 90 on Sunday and in the mid/upper 80s for Monday and Tuesday. Overnight lows through the extended will be mild, staying in the 60s. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Thursday afternoon) Issued at 1220 PM CDT Wed May 16 2018 The TN Valley is stuck between two systems and will see scattered to numerous showers/storms develop this afternoon and continue into the evening hours. Have kept VCTS in the TAFs as the timing of any storm remains uncertain. Will make amendments once storms develop. Expect very heavy rain, small hail, possibly IFR vsbys, and gusty winds with any storms. Activity dwindles after midnight with VFR conditions expected. Winds remain variable through the period. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...NONE. TN...NONE. && NEAR TERM...Stumpf SHORT TERM...Stumpf LONG TERM...JMS AVIATION...Stumpf For more information please visit our website at weather.gov/huntsville.
Hazardous weather outlook, May 16, 2:39 PM CDT, 1 hour 50 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 16, 2:54 PM CDT, 1 hour 35 minutes before
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</html>Special weather statement, May 16, 3:05 PM CDT, 1 hour 24 minutes before
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</html>Special weather statement, May 16, 3:29 PM CDT, 1 hour before
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</html>Special weather statement, May 16, 3:46 PM CDT, 43 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
346 PM CDT WED MAY 16 2018
ALZ004-005-162115-
Lawrence AL-Limestone AL-
346 PM CDT WED MAY 16 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL LIMESTONE AND
NORTHEASTERN LAWRENCE COUNTIES UNTIL 415 PM CDT...
At 346 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Athens. This storm was nearly stationary.
Pea size hail and winds in excess of 30 mph will be possible with
this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Athens, Tanner, Hillsboro and Ripley.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Strong gusty winds will be capable of knocking down small tree limbs
along with other small unsecured items. Seek safe shelter until this
storm has passed.
Very heavy rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3468 8686 3466 8706 3468 8710 3465 8711
3464 8724 3484 8716 3487 8695
TIME...MOT...LOC 2046Z 352DEG 2KT 3479 8705
12Special weather statement, May 16, 4:24 PM CDT, 5 minutes before
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Huntsville AL 424 PM CDT WED MAY 16 2018 ALZ004-007-162215- Lawrence AL-Morgan AL- 424 PM CDT WED MAY 16 2018 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN MORGAN AND NORTHERN LAWRENCE COUNTIES UNTIL 515 PM CDT... At 424 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a couple of strong thunderstorms in the advisory area. One storm was near Courtland, and the other was near Trinity. These storms were nearly stationary. Pea size hail and wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph will be possible with both storms. Locations impacted include... Decatur, Trinity, Courtland, North Courtland, Hillsboro, Chalybeate Springs, Neel, Caddo and Wheeler. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Strong gusty winds will be capable of knocking down small tree limbs along with other small unsecured items. Seek safe shelter until these storms have passed. Very heavy rainfall is also occurring with these storms, and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. && LAT...LON 3473 8721 3461 8697 3440 8710 3462 8745 TIME...MOT...LOC 2122Z 059DEG 0KT 3463 8725 70/DD
The office that day
Everything else NWS Huntsville, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2:38 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | HUN | Colbert | 37 min |
| May 16, 2:54 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | HUN | Lauderdale | 36 min |
| May 16, 3:05 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | HUN | Lauderdale | 25 min |
| May 16, 3:19 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HUN | Colbert, Lauderdale | 2 hr |
| May 16, 3:28 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | HUN | Lauderdale | 47 min |
| May 16, 3:29 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | HUN | Jackson | 46 min |
| May 16, 3:46 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | HUN | Limestone | 29 min |
| May 16, 4:24 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | HUN | Lawrence | 51 min |
| May 16, 4:28 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HUN | Lawrence | 32 min |
| May 16, 4:35 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HUN | Jackson | 25 min |
| May 16, 4:38 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | HUN | Marshall | 37 min |
| May 16, 5:03 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | HUN | Lawrence | 42 min |
| May 16, 5:05 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | HUN | Jackson | 40 min |
| May 16, 5:17 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HUN | Jackson, Marshall | 28 min |
| May 16, 5:41 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | HUN | Marshall | 34 min |
| May 16, 5:53 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | HUN | Jackson | 37 min |
| May 16, 6:08 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | HUN | Marshall | 37 min |
| May 16, 6:22 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | HUN | Blount | 38 min |
| May 16, 1:57 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | HUN | Lincoln | 33 min |
| May 16, 2:34 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | HUN | Lincoln | 26 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2018Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2018
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.