Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2021

Tornado Warning 6, NWS Huntsville, AL

May 2, 2021Colbert County, Lauderdale County, Alabama

NWS Huntsville, AL issued this tornado warning at May 2, 2021, 11:28 PM CDT for Colbert County, Lauderdale County, Alabama. It was in force for 20 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
May 2, 2021, 11:28 PM CDT (04:28 UTC)
Expired
May 2, 2021, 11:48 PM CDT
In force
20 min
Issued by
NWS Huntsville, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Observed
Hail
0.0 in

Counties Colbert County, AL, Lauderdale County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 101 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:29 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

Little Rock, AR (KLZK), launched 00:00Z, 4.5 hours before the alert went out and 188 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, Little Rock, AR at 00:00Z on 2021-05-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 36 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, Little Rock, AR at 00:00Z on 2021-05-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 59 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
36 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-39 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
777 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
59 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
120 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

625 
WFUS54 KHUN 030428
TORHUN
ALC033-077-030500-
/O.NEW.KHUN.TO.W.0006.210503T0428Z-210503T0500Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
1128 PM CDT Sun May 2 2021

The National Weather Service in Huntsville Alabama has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  South central Lauderdale County in northwestern Alabama...
  Colbert County in northwestern Alabama...

* Until midnight CDT.
    
* At 1128 PM CDT, a tornado producing storm was located 10 miles
  south of Cherokee, or 12 miles east of Tishomingo State Park,
  moving northeast at 40 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...
  Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, Tuscumbia, Cherokee,
  Underwood-Petersville, Posey Loop, Srygley Church, New Bethel and
  Oakland.

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 3494 8788 3480 8758 3457 8789 3458 8806
      3458 8807
TIME...MOT...LOC 0428Z 216DEG 33KT 3461 8797 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...0.00IN

$$

30
2 follow-up statements
996 
WWUS54 KHUN 030439
SVSHUN

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
1139 PM CDT Sun May 2 2021

ALC033-077-030500-
/O.CON.KHUN.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-210503T0500Z/
Lauderdale AL-Colbert AL-
1139 PM CDT Sun May 2 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL LAUDERDALE AND CENTRAL COLBERT COUNTIES...
    
At 1138 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 7 miles southeast of Cherokee, or 9 miles west of 
Tuscumbia, moving northeast at 55 mph. This storm has a history of 
rapidly producing tornadoes.

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...
Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, Tuscumbia, Underwood-Petersville,
Red Rock, Posey Loop, Pride Landing and Oakland.

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 3462 8789 3466 8795 3489 8777 3480 8758
      3466 8776
TIME...MOT...LOC 0438Z 234DEG 46KT 3469 8787 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...0.00IN

$$

30
299 
WWUS54 KHUN 030448
SVSHUN

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
1148 PM CDT Sun May 2 2021

ALC033-077-030457-
/O.CAN.KHUN.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-210503T0500Z/
Lauderdale AL-Colbert AL-
1148 PM CDT Sun May 2 2021

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL LAUDERDALE AND CENTRAL
COLBERT 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.  However gusty winds are
still possible with this thunderstorm.

LAT...LON 3462 8789 3466 8795 3489 8777 3480 8758
      3466 8776
TIME...MOT...LOC 0446Z 216DEG 33KT 3476 8781 

$$

30

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 2, 10:59 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNFranklin46 min
May 2, 11:44 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNColbert46 min
May 3, 1:52 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNDeKalb8 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 2021Every tornado warning in 2021Tornadoes in 2021

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.