Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2023

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 279, NWS Birmingham, AL

July 8, 2023Elmore County, Montgomery County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 8, 2023, 1:46 PM CDT for Elmore County, Montgomery County, Alabama. It was in force for 29 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 8, 2023, 1:46 PM CDT (18:46 UTC)
Expired: Jul 8, 2023, 2:15 PM CDT
In force: 29 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Hail: 0.75 in
Wind: 60.0 mph

Counties Elmore County, AL, Montgomery County, AL

The radar

The Maxwell AFB radar (KMXX), 39 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:47 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

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 6.8 hours before the alert went out and 103 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 685 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -26 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 803 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -6 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 5 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 Birmingham, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 8, 1:01 PM CDT, 45 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 8, 1:01 PM CDT, 45 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 8, 10:30 AM CDT, 3 hours 16 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
1030 AM CDT Sat Jul 8 2023

ALZ011>015-017>050-091830-
Marion-Lamar-Fayette-Winston-Walker-Blount-Etowah-Calhoun-Cherokee-
Cleburne-Pickens-Tuscaloosa-Jefferson-Shelby-St. Clair-Talladega-
Clay-Randolph-Sumter-Greene-Hale-Perry-Bibb-Chilton-Coosa-Tallapoosa-
Chambers-Marengo-Dallas-Autauga-Lowndes-Elmore-Montgomery-Macon-
Bullock-Lee-Russell-Pike-Barbour-
1030 AM CDT Sat Jul 8 2023

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the counties served by the
National Weather Service office in Birmingham.

.DAY ONE...Outlook through Tonight.

There is a low risk of severe storms this afternoon and evening,
mainly west of I-65. Damaging straight line winds is the main threat.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

There is a risk of severe storms Sunday, mainly during the afternoon
and evening hours. The risk on Sunday will include all of Central
Alabama. Damaging straight line winds and large hail are the primary
threats.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Activation of storm spotters and emergency management may be
needed Today and Sunday.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 8, 10:04 AM CDT, 3 hours 42 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
1004 AM CDT Sat Jul 8 2023

ALZ012-081530-
Lamar AL-
1004 AM CDT Sat Jul 8 2023

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southeastern Lamar
County through 1030 AM CDT...

At 1004 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Blooming Grove, or near Vernon, moving southeast at 30 mph.

HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and pea size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Vernon, Millport, Kennedy, Blooming Grove, Crossville, Cody, Hightogy
and Melborne.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3374 8815 3398 8796 3354 8795 3354 8821
TIME...MOT...LOC 1504Z 315DEG 27KT 3375 8801

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

61

Special weather statement, Jul 8, 11:58 AM CDT, 1 hour 48 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
1158 AM CDT Sat Jul 8 2023

ALZ024>026-081730-
Jefferson AL-Shelby AL-St. Clair AL-
1158 AM CDT Sat Jul 8 2023

...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of Shelby, eastern
Jefferson and southern St. Clair Counties through 1230 PM CDT...

At 1158 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from Pinson to Helena to near Coaling. Movement was
east at 30 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects.

Locations impacted include...
Eastern Birmingham, Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Alabaster, Homewood,
Pelham, Mountain Brook, Trussville, Helena, Pell City, Irondale,
Leeds, Moody, Calera, Chelsea, Montevallo, Columbiana, Springville,
Odenville and Wilsonville.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3372 8612 3367 8615 3369 8620 3364 8617
      3359 8622 3353 8620 3349 8625 3351 8628
      3339 8638 3336 8634 3329 8636 3328 8643
      3319 8650 3312 8646 3304 8652 3311 8697
      3316 8697 3317 8702 3327 8690 3376 8668
TIME...MOT...LOC 1658Z 258DEG 26KT 3371 8666 3328 8685 3311 8731

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH

61

Special weather statement, Jul 8, 12:34 PM CDT, 1 hour 12 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 8, 12:58 PM CDT, 48 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 8, 1:18 PM CDT, 28 minutes before

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The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 7, 7:38 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Autauga	37 min
Jul 7, 9:07 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Lowndes, Montgomery	54 min
Jul 8, 10:04 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Lamar	26 min
Jul 8, 11:58 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	St. Clair, Shelby	32 min
Jul 8, 12:34 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Chilton	26 min
Jul 8, 12:58 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Chilton, Coosa	32 min
Jul 8, 1:18 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Autauga	42 min
Jul 8, 2:15 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Elmore	30 min
Jul 8, 2:46 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Bullock, Macon	29 min
Jul 8, 2:56 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Greene, Sumter	34 min
Jul 8, 3:26 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Marengo	34 min
Jul 8, 5:37 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Marengo	3 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2023 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2023

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.