Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2020

Tornado Warning 32, NWS Birmingham, AL

April 12, 2020Jefferson County, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 12, 2020, 8:32 PM CDT for Jefferson County, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. It was in force for 21 min. 7 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 12, 2020, 8:32 PM CDT (01:32 UTC)
Expired: Apr 12, 2020, 8:53 PM CDT
In force: 21 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.75 in

Counties Jefferson County, AL, Tuscaloosa County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 54 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:37 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
Apr 12, 8:33 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	2 Sw Lake Nicol Park, AL	TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN AND SEVERAL LANDED ON HOMES. SEVERAL AUTOMOBILES WERE ALSO DAMAGED. POSSIBLE TORNADO.
Apr 12, 8:33 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	2 Sw Lake Nicol Park, AL	EXTENSIVE TREE DAMAGE REPORTED VIA VIDEO ON SOCIAL MEDIA AT THE NORTHRIVER YACHT CLUB. POSSIBLE TORNADO.
Apr 12, 8:33 PM CDT	TORNADO	1 Nne Lake Tuscaloosa D, AL	TREES WHERE SNAPPED AND UPROOTED, WITH SOME RESIDENCES SUSTAINING RELATIVELY MINOR ROOFING DAMAGE, ASIDE FROM ANYTHING MORE SIGNIFICANT RESULTING FROM TREE FALL. MAXIMUM ESTIMATED WINDS WERE 100 MPH (F1).
Apr 12, 8:33 PM CDT	TORNADO	2 N Holt, AL	NWS METEOROLOGISTS, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE TUSCALOOSA POLICE HELICOPTER TEAM, CONFIRMED A TORNADO WITH PEAK EF-1 INTENSITY. THE TORNADO BEGAN IN THE NORTHRIVER YACHT CLUB AND TRACKED NORTHEASTWARD, CROSSING THE BLACK WARRIOR RIVER BEFORE ENDING JUST PRIOR
Apr 12, 8:44 PM CDT	TORNADO	5 Ssw Bankhead Lock And, AL	END OF NORTHRIVER YACHT CLUB TORNADO.
Apr 12, 8:48 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	1 Se Bull City, AL	SEVERAL TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN AROUND BULL CITY.
Apr 12, 8:48 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	1 Se Bull City, AL	SEVERAL TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN AROUND BULL CITY.

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
Apr 12, 3:20 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	8 hr
Apr 12, 4:38 PM CDT	Tornado Watch PDS	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 1.5 hours before the alert went out and 53 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: 533 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -55 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 847 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 63 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 401 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 509 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 1.4
Supercell composite: 8.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

717 
WFUS54 KBMX 130132
TORBMX
ALC073-125-130215-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0032.200413T0132Z-200413T0215Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
832 PM CDT Sun Apr 12 2020

The National Weather Service in Birmingham has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Central Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama...
  Southwestern Jefferson County in central Alabama...

* Until 915 PM CDT.
    
* At 832 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Holt, moving east at 50 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...
  Southwestern Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Bessemer, Northport, Hueytown,
  Fairfield, Holt, Pleasant Grove, Midfield, Brighton, Lipscomb,
  Brookwood, Sylvan Springs, North Johns, Bull City, Abernant, Bluff
  Park, Bryant Denny Stadium, Splash Adventure and University Mall.

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 3318 8754 3332 8762 3357 8706 3340 8685
TIME...MOT...LOC 0132Z 248DEG 43KT 3327 8751 

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

$$

89^GSatterwhite

2 follow-up statements

835 
WWUS54 KBMX 130142
SVSBMX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
842 PM CDT Sun Apr 12 2020

ALC073-125-130215-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0032.000000T0000Z-200413T0215Z/
Tuscaloosa AL-Jefferson AL-
842 PM CDT Sun Apr 12 2020

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 915 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL
TUSCALOOSA AND WEST CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTIES...
        
At 842 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was located near Bankhead Lock And
Dam, or 10 miles northeast of Holt, moving northeast at 55 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...
Hueytown, Fairfield, Pleasant Grove, Midfield, Sylvan Springs, Bull
City, Concord, Dolomite and Lake Nicol.

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 3329 8744 3337 8751 3357 8706 3346 8692
TIME...MOT...LOC 0142Z 225DEG 47KT 3338 8739 

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

$$

89^GSatterwhite

539 
WWUS54 KBMX 130153
SVSBMX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
853 PM CDT Sun Apr 12 2020

ALC073-125-130202-
/O.CAN.KBMX.TO.W.0032.000000T0000Z-200413T0215Z/
Tuscaloosa AL-Jefferson AL-
853 PM CDT Sun Apr 12 2020

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL TUSCALOOSA AND WEST CENTRAL
JEFFERSON COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...
                
The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado.
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until midnight CDT for central and
west central Alabama.

LAT...LON 3329 8744 3337 8751 3357 8706 3346 8692
TIME...MOT...LOC 0151Z 248DEG 43KT 3343 8724 

$$

89^GSatterwhite

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 12, 7:10 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Greene	22 min
Apr 12, 7:14 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Sumter	26 min
Apr 12, 7:16 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Cherokee, Etowah, St. Clair	6 hr
Apr 12, 8:08 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Walker	55 min
Apr 12, 8:14 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker, Winston	5 hr
Apr 12, 8:15 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Walker, Winston	15 min
Apr 12, 8:25 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	38 min
Apr 12, 8:29 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Fayette, Greene, Jefferson, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa and 1 more	5 hr
Apr 12, 8:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount, Jefferson	54 min
Apr 12, 8:36 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	BMX	Jefferson, Tuscaloosa	17 min
Apr 12, 8:49 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter	5 days
Apr 12, 8:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson	39 min
Apr 12, 8:52 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker	66 hr
Apr 12, 8:58 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo, Tuscaloosa	52 hr
Apr 12, 8:58 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter, Tuscaloosa	61 hr
Apr 12, 9:12 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Blount	20 min
Apr 12, 9:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount, Etowah, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby	71 min
Apr 12, 9:33 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Marengo	27 min
Apr 12, 10:02 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas	27 min
Apr 12, 10:22 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Etowah, St. Clair	4 hr
Apr 12, 10:24 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Cherokee	36 min
Apr 12, 10:37 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lowndes, Montgomery	53 min
Apr 12, 10:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Etowah	58 min
Apr 12, 10:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Elmore	43 min
Apr 12, 10:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chilton, Clay, Coosa, Shelby, Talladega, Tallapoosa	43 min
Apr 12, 11:01 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Greene, Hale, Pickens, Sumter	3 hr
Apr 12, 11:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock, Macon, Montgomery, Tallapoosa	60 min
Apr 12, 11:16 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Marion	74 min
Apr 12, 11:24 PM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Fayette, Tuscaloosa, Walker	6 hr
Apr 12, 11:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lee, Russell	75 min
Apr 13, 12:08 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Barbour, Bullock, Pike	82 min
Apr 13, 12:11 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pike	64 min
Apr 13, 12:13 AM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Lowndes, Montgomery	3 hr
Apr 13, 12:18 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chambers	16 min
Apr 13, 12:43 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Barbour, Bullock	53 min
Apr 13, 1:04 AM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Barbour, Bullock, Pike, Russell	3 hr
Apr 13, 1:29 AM CDT	High Wind Warning	BMX	Autauga, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay and 10 more	3 hr
Apr 13, 1:29 AM CDT	Wind Advisory	BMX	Autauga, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay and 10 more	7 hr
Apr 13, 2:25 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	BMX	Bibb, Jefferson, Shelby	18 hr
Apr 13, 4:08 AM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Cherokee	12 hr
Apr 13, 7:43 AM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Cherokee	3 days

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 2020 Every tornado warning in 2020 Tornadoes in 2020

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.