Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Watches in 2020
Tornado Watch 13
The Storm Prediction Center issued this tornado watch at Jan 11, 2020, 7:57 AM CST for 28 counties in Alabama; Escambia County, Okaloosa County, Santa Rosa County, Florida; 26 counties in Mississippi. It was in force for 9 hr.
The area
The outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- Jan 11, 2020, 7:57 AM CST (13:57 UTC)
- Expired
- Jan 11, 2020, 4:47 PM CST
- In force
- 9 hr
- Issued by
- the Storm Prediction Center
- Largest hail expected
- 0.5 in
- Strongest gust expected
- 60 kt
All 57 counties
Autauga County, AL, Baldwin County, AL, Bibb County, AL, Blount County, AL, Butler County, AL, Chilton County, AL, Choctaw County, AL, Clarke County, AL, Conecuh County, AL, Covington County, AL, Crenshaw County, AL, Dallas County, AL, Escambia County, AL, Greene County, AL, Hale County, AL, Jefferson County, AL, Lowndes County, AL, Marengo County, AL, Mobile County, AL, Monroe County, AL, Perry County, AL, Pickens County, AL, Shelby County, AL, St. Clair County, AL, Sumter County, AL, Tuscaloosa County, AL, Washington County, AL, Wilcox County, AL, Escambia County, FL, Okaloosa County, FL, Santa Rosa County, FL, Clarke County, MS, Clay County, MS, Covington County, MS, Forrest County, MS, George County, MS, Greene County, MS, Harrison County, MS, Jackson County, MS, Jasper County, MS, Jefferson Davis County, MS, Jones County, MS, Kemper County, MS, Lamar County, MS, Lauderdale County, MS, Lowndes County, MS, Marion County, MS, Neshoba County, MS, Newton County, MS, Noxubee County, MS, Oktibbeha County, MS, Perry County, MS, Scott County, MS, Smith County, MS, Stone County, MS, Wayne County, MS, Winston County, MS
The radar
The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 149 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:56 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 SPC expected
The probabilities SPC published with the watch, for the watch area over its life.
- Two or more tornadoes
- 60%
- One or more EF2 to EF5 tornadoes
- 40%
- Ten or more severe wind reports
- 80%
- One or more gusts of 65 knots or more
- 20%
- Ten or more severe hail reports
- 5%
- One or more hailstones of 2 inches or more
- 5%
- Six or more combined severe hail and wind reports
- 90%
Warnings issued inside it
52 tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for its counties while it was in force.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 11, 8:14 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Leake, Madison, Neshoba, Rankin, Scott, Simpson and 1 more | 61 min |
| Jan 11, 8:15 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Attala, Choctaw, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Winston | 45 min |
| Jan 11, 8:20 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Clay, Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Webster | 55 min |
| Jan 11, 8:24 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, Lincoln, Simpson | 66 min |
| Jan 11, 8:49 AM CST | Tornado Warning | JAN | Rankin, Scott, Smith | 56 min |
| Jan 11, 8:57 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Winston | 63 min |
| Jan 11, 9:06 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | JAN | Choctaw, Clay, Oktibbeha, Webster | 4 hr |
| Jan 11, 9:16 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Covington, Jasper, Newton, Scott, Smith | 59 min |
| Jan 11, 9:21 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Covington, Jefferson Davis, Lamar, Marion | 54 min |
| Jan 11, 9:23 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Clay, Lowndes, Oktibbeha | 52 min |
| Jan 11, 9:29 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Leake, Neshoba, Newton, Scott | 61 min |
| Jan 11, 9:35 AM CST | Tornado Warning | JAN | Neshoba, Newton, Scott | 40 min |
| Jan 11, 9:49 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Covington, Forrest, Jones, Lamar | 56 min |
| Jan 11, 10:00 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | JAN | Attala, Choctaw, Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha and 1 more | 3 hr |
| Jan 11, 10:01 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Choctaw, Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Winston | 44 min |
| Jan 11, 10:06 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Clarke, Jasper, Lauderdale, Newton | 54 min |
| Jan 11, 10:06 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Perry, Stone | 54 min |
| Jan 11, 10:13 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Greene, Perry, Wayne | 47 min |
| Jan 11, 10:14 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Kemper, Noxubee | 61 min |
| Jan 11, 10:36 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Greene, Pickens, Sumter | 54 min |
| Jan 11, 10:54 AM CST | Tornado Warning | JAN | Kemper, Noxubee | 12 min |
| Jan 11, 10:55 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Choctaw, Washington | 50 min |
| Jan 11, 10:55 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | George, Greene, Perry, Stone | 50 min |
| Jan 11, 11:00 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Greene, Sumter | 30 min |
| Jan 11, 11:01 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Pickens | 42 min |
| Jan 11, 11:27 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Marengo, Pickens and 2 more | 63 min |
| Jan 11, 11:33 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Greene, Pickens, Tuscaloosa | 27 min |
| Jan 11, 11:54 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Mobile, Washington | 51 min |
| Jan 11, 12:01 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb, Fayette, Jefferson, Shelby, Tuscaloosa, Walker | 59 min |
| Jan 11, 12:08 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Jefferson, Tuscaloosa | 24 min |
| Jan 11, 12:09 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb, Perry | 66 min |
| Jan 11, 12:09 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Clarke, Monroe, Wilcox | 51 min |
| Jan 11, 12:24 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Baldwin, Clarke, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe, Washington | 51 min |
| Jan 11, 12:28 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Clarke, Monroe, Wilcox | 47 min |
| Jan 11, 12:34 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Baldwin, Escambia, Mobile | 41 min |
| Jan 11, 12:38 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Blount, Jefferson, St. Clair | 67 min |
| Jan 11, 12:38 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 18 min |
| Jan 11, 12:47 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Dallas, Marengo | 58 min |
| Jan 11, 12:52 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Chilton, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby | 68 min |
| Jan 11, 1:07 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Butler, Conecuh, Monroe, Wilcox | 53 min |
| Jan 11, 1:10 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Baldwin, Escambia | 50 min |
| Jan 11, 1:27 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Autauga, Chilton, Lowndes | 65 min |
| Jan 11, 1:47 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | St. Clair | 28 min |
| Jan 11, 1:47 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Baldwin, Escambia | 43 min |
| Jan 11, 1:50 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Dallas | 12 min |
| Jan 11, 1:54 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Butler, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw | 51 min |
| Jan 11, 2:02 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | St. Clair, Shelby | 14 min |
| Jan 11, 2:29 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Conecuh, Covington, Escambia | 46 min |
| Jan 11, 2:39 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Butler, Covington, Crenshaw | 51 min |
| Jan 11, 2:55 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Covington | 50 min |
| Jan 11, 3:12 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Covington | 34 min |
| Jan 11, 3:44 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Okaloosa | 19 min |
Discussions around it
SPC mesoscale discussions over the same counties from four hours before the watch to its end.
The nearest sounding before it
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 2.0 hours before the alert went out and 149 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 53 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -32 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 729 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 55 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 364 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 587 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
360 WWUS20 KWNS 111355 SEL3 SPC WW 111355 ALZ000-FLZ000-MSZ000-CWZ000-112200- URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED Tornado Watch Number 13 NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 800 AM CST Sat Jan 11 2020 The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a * Tornado Watch for portions of Western and central Alabama Western Florida Panhandle East-central and southeast Mississippi Coastal Waters * Effective this Saturday morning and afternoon from 800 AM until 400 PM CST. * Primary threats include... A few tornadoes likely with a couple intense tornadoes possible Widespread damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely SUMMARY...An extensive squall line will progress quickly east from southeast Louisiana and central Mississippi into Alabama. A few supercells may also form ahead of the line this afternoon. Damaging winds and tornadoes are the expected hazards. The tornado watch area is approximately along and 90 statute miles east and west of a line from 20 miles north of Tuscaloosa AL to 45 miles southeast of Gulfport MS. For a complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU3). PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... REMEMBER...A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible warnings. && OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 8...WW 9...WW 10...WW 11...WW 12... AVIATION...Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to 0.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector 24045. ...Grams
SPC that day
Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 11, 6:12 AM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Colbert, Lauderdale, Limestone, Madison | 93 min |
| Jan 11, 6:57 AM CST | Tornado Watch | SPC | Colbert, Cullman, Fayette, Franklin, Lamar, Lauderdale and 7 more | 7 hr |
| Jan 11, 7:39 AM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Choctaw, Clarke, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Mobile and 3 more | 96 min |
| Jan 11, 9:28 AM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Blount, Cullman, DeKalb, Fayette, Jackson, Lawrence and 7 more | 92 min |
| Jan 11, 9:54 AM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Choctaw, Greene, Marengo, Pickens, Sumter, Washington | 96 min |
| Jan 11, 11:50 AM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Choctaw, Clarke, Cullman and 15 more | 85 min |
| Jan 11, 12:20 PM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne and 9 more | 85 min |
| Jan 11, 12:42 PM CST | Tornado Watch | SPC | Barbour, Bullock, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Clay and 15 more | 7 hr |
| Jan 11, 1:15 PM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chilton, DeKalb, Etowah and 6 more | 90 min |
| Jan 11, 2:26 PM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw and 10 more | 94 min |
| Jan 11, 2:44 PM CST | Tornado Watch | SPC | Coffee, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston | 5 hr |
| Jan 11, 3:16 PM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Bullock, Chambers, Clay, Cleburne, Lee, Macon and 3 more | 89 min |
| Jan 11, 5:21 PM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Houston | 114 min |
| Jan 10, 7:30 PM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Bossier, Caddo, Webster | 2 hr |
| Jan 10, 10:40 PM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, De Soto, Lincoln and 2 more | 2 hr |
| Jan 11, 12:21 AM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Evangeline and 11 more | 99 min |
| Jan 11, 12:28 AM CST | Tornado Watch | SPC | Acadia, Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Calcasieu and 24 more | 8 hr |
| Jan 11, 1:19 AM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Bienville, Caldwell, Claiborne, De Soto, Jackson, Lincoln and 7 more | 86 min |
| Jan 11, 2:22 AM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Catahoula, Concordia, East Carroll, Franklin, Madison, Richland and 2 more | 53 min |
| Jan 11, 2:37 AM CST | Tornado Watch | SPC | Catahoula, Concordia, East Carroll, Franklin, Madison, Morehouse and 3 more | 8 hr |
| Jan 11, 4:31 AM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Acadia, Ascension, Avoyelles, Caldwell, Catahoula, Concordia and 21 more | 59 min |
| Jan 11, 5:18 AM CST | Tornado Watch | SPC | Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Jefferson and 16 more | 7 hr |
| Jan 10, 11:58 PM CST | Tornado Watch | SPC | Bolivar, Coahoma, DeSoto, Leflore, Marshall, Panola and 6 more | 7 hr |
| Jan 11, 3:52 AM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Benton, Bolivar, Coahoma, DeSoto, Grenada, Lafayette and 9 more | 83 min |
| Jan 11, 4:17 AM CST | Tornado Watch | SPC | Alcorn, Benton, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Itawamba, Lafayette and 8 more | 6 hr |
| Jan 11, 5:06 AM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Alcorn, Benton, DeSoto, Lafayette, Lee, Marshall and 7 more | 54 min |
Nearby
Tornado Watches in Alabama, 2020Tornado Watches in Mississippi, 2020Tornado Watches in Florida, 2020Every tornado watch 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.