Alert archive / Alabama / Mesoscale Discussions in 2021

Mesoscale Discussion 357

April 10, 202114 counties in Alabama; 6 counties in Florida; George County, Greene County, Jackson County, Mississippi

The Storm Prediction Center issued this mesoscale discussion at Apr 10, 2021, 1:52 AM CDT for 14 counties in Alabama; 6 counties in Florida; George County, Greene County, Jackson County, Mississippi. It was in force for 113 min.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Apr 10, 2021, 1:52 AM CDT (06:52 UTC)
Expired
Apr 10, 2021, 3:45 AM CDT
In force
113 min
Issued by
the Storm Prediction Center
Concerning
Tornado watch 87
All 23 counties

Baldwin County, AL, Butler County, AL, Clarke County, AL, Coffee County, AL, Conecuh County, AL, Covington County, AL, Crenshaw County, AL, Dale County, AL, Escambia County, AL, Geneva County, AL, Mobile County, AL, Monroe County, AL, Pike County, AL, Washington County, AL, Escambia County, FL, Holmes County, FL, Okaloosa County, FL, Santa Rosa County, FL, Walton County, FL, Washington County, FL, George County, MS, Greene County, MS, Jackson County, MS

The radar

The Mobile radar (KMOB), 100 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 06:56 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.

The watches that followed

Watches SPC issued over any of the same counties within four hours of this discussion.

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 6.9 hours before the alert went out and 245 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 00:00Z on 2021-04-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 53 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, Birmingham, AL at 00:00Z on 2021-04-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 182 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
53 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-225 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
744 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
33 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
182 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
294 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

832 
ACUS11 KWNS 100653
SWOMCD
SPC MCD 100652 
FLZ000-ALZ000-MSZ000-100845-

Mesoscale Discussion 0357
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0152 AM CDT Sat Apr 10 2021

Areas affected...Southern Mississippi...Southern Alabama...Western
Florida Panhandle

Concerning...Tornado Watch 87...

Valid 100652Z - 100845Z

The severe weather threat for Tornado Watch 87 continues.

SUMMARY...A severe threat is expected to develop across southern
Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle later tonight. Wind
damage, a few tornadoes and isolated large hail will be possible.
Weather watch issuance will likely be needed.

DISCUSSION...The latest radar imagery shows a linear MCS across
southeastern Mississippi extending into north-central Alabama. The
line is being supported by a 40 to 50 kt low-level jet. Ahead of
this line of severe storms, surface dewpoints are in the mid to
upper 60s F across southwest Alabama and the far western Florida
Panhandle, where the RAP is analyzing moderate instability. The line
should be maintained as the low-level jet strengthens, and as the
storms move eastward along the northern edge of moderate
instability. Discrete thunderstorms are also expected to move from
the northern Gulf of Mexico into the coastal areas of Alabama and
the far western Florida Panhandle over the next couple of hours. 

The Mobile, Alabama WSR-88D VWP shows 0-6 km near 65 kt with storm
relative helicity just above 400 m2/s2. This will be favorable for
supercells with a tornado threat. Tornadoes will be possible with
discrete cells that move onshore ahead of the line, and with
rotating elements with the squall line itself. Widespread wind
damage will also be possible along the leading edge of the squall
line. Weather watch issuance will likely be needed to the east of WW
87 in the next 1 to 2 hours.

..Broyles.. 04/10/2021

...Please see www.spc.noaa.gov for graphic product...

ATTN...WFO...TAE...BMX...MOB...LIX...

LAT...LON   31908769 31738847 31498886 30888903 30338906 30128841
            30138763 30188612 30138560 30528532 31258531 31788569
            31918690 31908769

SPC that day

Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 9, 7:20 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCColbert, Lauderdale115 min
Apr 9, 9:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPCBibb, Colbert, Cullman, Dallas, Fayette, Franklin and 14 more7 hr
Apr 9, 10:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPCChoctaw, Clarke, Washington, Wilcox6 hr
Apr 10, 2:30 AM CDTTornado WatchSPCBaldwin, Butler, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw and 7 more8 hr
Apr 10, 4:06 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBaldwin, Butler, Clarke, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington and 8 more114 min
Apr 10, 7:10 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCDale, Geneva, Houston2 hr
Apr 10, 8:58 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBay, Calhoun, Dixie, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf and 9 more92 min
Apr 10, 9:20 AM CDTTornado WatchSPCDixie, Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon and 4 more4 hr
Apr 10, 10:49 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCJefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Madison, Taylor, Wakulla116 min
Apr 10, 2:13 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAlachua, Baker, Bradford, Citrus, Clay, Columbia and 8 more2 hr
Apr 9, 11:00 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAdams, Amite, Copiah, Covington, Franklin, Jefferson and 10 more2 hr
Apr 10, 12:16 AM CDTTornado WatchSPCAmite, Covington, Forrest, George, Greene, Hancock and 15 more7 hr

Nearby

Mesoscale Discussions in Alabama, 2021Mesoscale Discussions in Florida, 2021Mesoscale Discussions in Mississippi, 2021Every mesoscale discussion 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.