Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2020

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 83, NWS Huntsville, AL

July 21, 2020DeKalb County, Alabama

NWS Huntsville, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 21, 2020, 5:32 PM CDT for DeKalb County, Alabama. It was in force for 28 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
Jul 21, 2020, 5:32 PM CDT (22:32 UTC)
Expired
Jul 21, 2020, 6:00 PM CDT
In force
28 min
Issued by
NWS Huntsville, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
60.0 mph

County DeKalb County, AL

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 58 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:32 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 10.5 hours before the alert went out and 171 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, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 12:00Z on 2020-07-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 503 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 12:00Z on 2020-07-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -46 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
503 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-111 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1197 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
3 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-46 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-10 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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 Jul 21, 2:37 PM CDT, 2 hours 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 21, 2:37 PM CDT, 2 hours 55 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
237 PM CDT Tue Jul 21 2020

.NEAR TERM...(Tonight)
Issued at 237 PM CDT Tue Jul 21 2020

Latest water vapor imagery shows a trough over the Mid and Upper
Mississippi Valleys, with ridging over the western CONUS and anchored
over the southeast. The TN Valley remains on the periphery of these
features, with seasonably warm conditions. Area radars show isolated
showers and thunderstorms over the area, with activity initiating
along outflow boundaries. This trend should continue over the next
few hours, as daytime heating aids in the focus for convection. Much
like yesterday, some storms may become strong and produce gusty
winds. This activity will quickly dissipate around sunset, leaving
seasonably mild conditions overnight. With decent radiational
cooling once again tonight, lows will fall into the lower 70s by
daybreak.

.SHORT TERM...(Wednesday through Thursday night)
Issued at 237 PM CDT Tue Jul 21 2020

The shortwave trough over the Mississippi Valley will weaken and move
eastward on Wednesday while the ridge over the southeast retreats to
the south. Moisture over the TN Valley will remain abundant, as PW
values climb to near 2 inches. With less subsidence over the area on
Wednesday, we will likely see a greater coverage of convection that
observed today and yesterday. However, while blended guidances paints
60-70% PoPs tomorrow afternoon, confidence is not high enough to keep
this in the forecast. Thus, PoPs were maxed at around 50%. A weak
frontal boundary will sag southward on Thursday, and attempt to reach
the TN Valley. However, with some influence from the ridge still over
the area, along with the incredibly moist airmass, this boundary will
likely stall to our north before dissipating. Nonetheless, our
northeastern counties may see numerous storms on Thursday afternoon.
As with any day in the summer, these storms will be unorganized and
pose a threat for gusty winds up to 50 mph.

Temps will generally remain near normal through the short term
period, except for areas that receive rainfall. Highs will warm into
the upper 80s to lower 90s, with overnight is the lower 70s.

.LONG TERM...(Thursday night through Monday)
Issued at 237 PM CDT Tue Jul 21 2020

Mid level ridging over the Plains will build eastward during the
long term period. This will lead to warming temperatures and lowering
chances for showers and thunderstorms. Latest guidance suggest that
the TN Valley will remain on the eastern periphery of the ridge,
keeping flow aloft more northerly. This will set the stage for
potential shortwaves to move southward over the area and provide an
enhancement to our diurnally drive convection. It's too soon to
really say what, if any, of these disturbances makes their way into
the area so we will maintain scattered showers and thunderstorms
each afternoon. Temps through the long term will almost be a rise and
repeat each day with highs in the upper 80s/lower 90s and lows in
the lower 70s.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Wednesday afternoon)
Issued at 1239 PM CDT Tue Jul 21 2020

Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop
throughout the afternoon, and some may be in the vicinity of terminals.
Winds will generally be light and variable, barring any gusts from
proximity thunderstorms. If thunderstorms become more numerous in the
vicinity of the airport, amendments may be necessary. Localized fog
development is possible closer to daybreak, but is not expected to
affect visibility at the terminals.

&&

.HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...NONE.
TN...NONE.
&&

NEAR TERM...73
SHORT TERM...73
LONG TERM...73
AVIATION...LH

For more information please visit our website
at weather.gov/huntsville.
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 21, 2:40 PM CDT, 2 hours 52 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
240 PM CDT Tue Jul 21 2020

ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-221045-
Lauderdale-Colbert-Franklin AL-Lawrence-Limestone-Madison-Morgan-
Marshall-Jackson-DeKalb-Cullman-Moore-Lincoln-Franklin TN-
240 PM CDT Tue Jul 21 2020

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north Alabama and portions of
southern middle Tennessee.

.DAY ONE...Tonight...

Scattered thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and evening with
the primary threats posed by any stronger storms being lightning,
gusty winds, and brief heavy rainfall.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday...

Thunderstorms will increase in coverage again on Wednesday and
continue through at least Friday. Some of these thunderstorms during
this time period may be capable of producing strong gusty winds and
locally heavy rainfall. Thunderstorm chances will continue through
the weekend into early next week.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Activation of storm spotters and emergency management personnel is
not anticipated at this time.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 21, 4:55 PM CDT, 37 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 21, 5:14 PM CDT, 18 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 21, 5:15 PM CDT, 17 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 21, 5:16 PM CDT, 16 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 21, 5:21 PM CDT, 11 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 21, 5:29 PM CDT, 3 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 21, 1:12 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNJackson48 min
Jul 21, 2:25 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNJackson50 min
Jul 21, 3:07 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMadison8 min
Jul 21, 3:22 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNCullman23 min
Jul 21, 3:36 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMarshall9 min
Jul 21, 3:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNMarshall19 min
Jul 21, 3:54 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNCullman36 min
Jul 21, 4:21 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNFranklin24 min
Jul 21, 4:28 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLawrence47 min
Jul 21, 4:37 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLawrence23 min
Jul 21, 4:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNFranklin27 min
Jul 21, 4:55 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLawrence35 min
Jul 21, 5:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLawrence34 min
Jul 21, 5:16 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMadison29 min
Jul 21, 5:21 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNDeKalb39 min
Jul 21, 5:29 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMadison46 min
Jul 21, 5:36 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNColbert39 min
Jul 21, 5:42 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNDeKalb48 min
Jul 21, 5:51 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMadison39 min
Jul 21, 5:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNDeKalb34 min
Jul 21, 6:08 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLauderdale52 min
Jul 21, 6:21 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNDeKalb9 min
Jul 21, 6:40 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNJackson35 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2020Every severe thunderstorm warning 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.