Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2020

Tornado Warning 16, NWS Mobile, AL

April 8, 2020Choctaw County, Alabama

NWS Mobile, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 8, 2020, 4:25 PM CDT for Choctaw County, Alabama. It was in force for 23 min. 2 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 8, 2020, 4:25 PM CDT (21:25 UTC)
Expired
Apr 8, 2020, 4:48 PM CDT
In force
23 min
Issued by
NWS Mobile, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

County Choctaw County, AL

The radar

The Mobile radar (KMOB), 155 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:25 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
Apr 8, 4:40 PM CDTHAIL 1Butler, ALREPORTS OF HAIL THE SIZE OF NICKELS AND QUARTERS JUST OUTSIDE OF BUTLER. PICTURES AND VIDEO VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
Apr 8, 4:40 PM CDTHAIL 1.751 E Butler, ALPICTURES OF GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

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
Apr 8, 2:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 9.4 hours before the alert went out and 176 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 2020-04-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 392 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 2020-04-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 178 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
392 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-16 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
568 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
62 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
178 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
227 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

045 
WFUS54 KMOB 082125
TORMOB
ALC023-082215-
/O.NEW.KMOB.TO.W.0016.200408T2125Z-200408T2215Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Mobile AL
425 PM CDT Wed Apr 8 2020

The National Weather Service in Mobile has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northern Choctaw County in southwestern Alabama...

* Until 515 PM CDT.
    
* At 424 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Lisman, or 7 miles northwest of Butler, moving
  east at 45 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.

* This dangerous storm will be near...
  Butler around 435 PM CDT.

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 3217 8801 3215 8802 3214 8804 3211 8805
      3209 8804 3206 8807 3207 8810 3205 8812
      3202 8812 3199 8810 3201 8809 3198 8806
      3198 8807 3195 8808 3197 8809 3196 8811
      3209 8845 3226 8838
TIME...MOT...LOC 2124Z 290DEG 40KT 3215 8833 

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

$$
2 follow-up statements
885 
WWUS54 KMOB 082135
SVSMOB

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mobile AL
435 PM CDT Wed Apr 8 2020

ALC023-082215-
/O.CON.KMOB.TO.W.0016.000000T0000Z-200408T2215Z/
Choctaw AL-
435 PM CDT Wed Apr 8 2020

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 515 PM CDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN CHOCTAW COUNTY...
    
At 435 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Butler, moving east at 45 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and golf ball size hail.

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.

This tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
northeastern Choctaw County.

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 3217 8801 3215 8802 3214 8804 3211 8805
      3209 8804 3206 8807 3207 8810 3205 8812
      3202 8812 3199 8810 3201 8809 3198 8806
      3198 8807 3195 8808 3197 8809 3196 8811
      3208 8831 3220 8825
TIME...MOT...LOC 2135Z 290DEG 40KT 3211 8819 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.75IN

$$
209 
WWUS54 KMOB 082148
SVSMOB

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mobile AL
448 PM CDT Wed Apr 8 2020

ALC023-082158-
/O.CAN.KMOB.TO.W.0016.000000T0000Z-200408T2215Z/
Choctaw AL-
448 PM CDT Wed Apr 8 2020

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN CHOCTAW COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...
    
The tornado threat has diminished and the Tornado Warning has been
cancelled. However, large hail and damaging winds remain likely and a
Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect for the area.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 900 PM CDT for
southwestern Alabama.

LAT...LON 3217 8801 3215 8802 3214 8804 3211 8805
      3209 8804 3206 8807 3207 8810 3205 8812
      3202 8812 3199 8810 3201 8809 3198 8806
      3198 8807 3195 8808 3197 8809 3196 8811
      3208 8831 3220 8825
TIME...MOT...LOC 2147Z 290DEG 40KT 3206 8803 

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 8, 3:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBChoctaw49 min
Apr 8, 3:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBWilcox54 min
Apr 8, 3:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBChoctaw61 min
Apr 8, 4:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBWilcox29 min
Apr 8, 4:58 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMOBClarke47 min
Apr 8, 5:38 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMOBWilcox52 min

Nearby

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