Archive for October, 2009

These are a couple of the storms that we intercepted yesterday in West Alabama. The lead storms is near Pickensville and the second is near Reform. The second storm looked like it might produce, but it spun out as it moved toward the north but reorganized again in Fayette County.

The only evidence of damage that we witnessed was on Thorn Hill just southwest of Haleyville. This area was hit by what looked to have been an EF-1 tornado with several homes being damaged (roof/wall) and at least one house moved off of its foundation. This tornado was on the ground for a short period of time as it moved through the rather heavy areas of forestry in NW AL. We were able to help a lady look for some of her belongings and get her story first hand as seen on FOX-6 last night at 10.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
625 PM CDT FRI OCT 30 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…
SOUTHERN LAWRENCE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA…

* UNTIL 715 PM CDT

* AT 625 PM CDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS
OF 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 9 MILES SOUTH OF LANDERSVILLE…
OR ABOUT 11 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MOULTON…AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30
MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…
MT HOPE…
WREN…LANDERSVILLE…
MOULTON…

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. IF A TORNADO
IS SPOTTED…ACT QUICKLY AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IN A STURDY
STRUCTURE…SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR SMALL INTERIOR ROOM.

Reported 12 miles south of Cherokee located in Colbert county. Reported by Emergency Management.
Trees down and minor damage to a mobile home in the 9000 block of AL HWY 247.

Reported 6 miles SSW of Haleyville located in Marion county. Reported by Emergency Management.
Three homes damages, heavy damage to 2 barns, utility building destroyed, cars damaged, and trees & powerlines down along county road 19 near Thorn.

Reported 1 miles NE of Guin located in Marion county. Reported by Fire Department.
Several more reports of a funnel cloud near Guin.

Reported in Guin located in Marion county. Reported by Emergency Management.
Funnel Cloud report in the town of Guin.

Reported 2 miles north of Eldridge located in Walker county. Reported by Law Enforcement.
Multiple reports of a funnel cloud along hwy 78 near exit 39.

TORNADO WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE FOR WT 786
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
520 PM CDT FRI OCT 30 2009

TORNADO WATCH 786 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM CDT FOR THE
FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
ALABAMA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE

AUTAUGA BIBB BLOUNT
BUTLER CALHOUN CHILTON
CHOCTAW CLARKE CLAY
CONECUH COOSA DALLAS
ELMORE ETOWAH FAYETTE
GREENE HALE JEFFERSON
LAMAR LOWNDES MARENGO
MARION MONROE MONTGOMERY
PERRY PICKENS SHELBY
ST. CLAIR SUMTER TALLADEGA
TUSCALOOSA WALKER WASHINGTON
WILCOX WINSTON

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR…
CENTRAL FRANKLIN COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA…

* UNTIL 530 PM CDT

* AT 454 PM CDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 9 MILES NORTH OF
THARPTOWN…OR ABOUT 6 MILES SOUTH OF TUSCUMBIA…MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 40 MPH.
——————————————————————————–

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR…
SOUTHEASTERN MARION COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA…
THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF WINFIELD…

* UNTIL 530 PM CDT

* AT 445 PM CDT…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETECTED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
GUIN…MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR…
GUIN BY 500 PM CDT…
GU-WIN AND WINFIELD BY 505 PM CDT…
BRILLIANT BY 520 PM CDT…

THIS INCLUDES…
US 78 EXIT NUMBERS 22 THROUGH 34

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR…
CENTRAL WALKER COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA…
THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF JASPER…
EAST CENTRAL FAYETTE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…

* UNTIL 515 PM CDT

* AT 424 PM CDT…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETECTED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
OAKMAN…MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR…
OAKMAN BY 435 PM CDT…
6 MILES NORTHWEST OF PARRISH BY 445 PM CDT…
JASPER BY 500 PM CDT…

THIS INCLUDES…
US 78 EXIT NUMBERS 52 THROUGH 65

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR…
SOUTHERN LAMAR COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF VERNON…
NORTHWESTERN PICKENS COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…

* UNTIL 430 PM CDT

* AT 401 PM CDT…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETECTED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 20 MILES SOUTH OF
VERNON…MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR…
VERNON BY 430 PM CDT…
——————————————————————————-

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR…
SOUTHWESTERN PICKENS COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF…PICKENSVILLE…ALICEVILLE…
EXTREME NORTHWESTERN SUMTER COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…

* UNTIL 445 PM CDT

* AT 405 PM CDT…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETECTED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 13 MILES SOUTH OF
MEMPHIS…MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR…
MEMPHIS BY 430 PM CDT…
ALICEVILLE BY 435 PM CDT…
GARDEN…MCMULLEN AND PICKENSVILLE BY 440 PM CDT…

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER…
CALL 1-800-856-0758.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR…
NORTHWESTERN PICKENS COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…

* UNTIL 230 PM CDT

* AT 142 PM CDT…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETECTED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 6 MILES SOUTH OF
ETHELSVILLE…MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR…
ETHELSVILLE BY 150 PM CDT…

———————————————————————————

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR…
SOUTHWESTERN PICKENS COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF…PICKENSVILLE…ALICEVILLE…

* UNTIL 215 PM CDT

* AT 144 PM CDT…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETECTED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 11 MILES SOUTH OF
MEMPHIS…MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR…
MEMPHIS BY 200 PM CDT…
ALICEVILLE BY 205 PM CDT…
GARDEN AND MCMULLEN BY 210 PM CDT…
PICKENSVILLE BY 215 PM CDT…

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED…IT MEANS THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS
BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND…
OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS
DANGEROUS STORM…MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE LOWEST LEVEL OF THE
BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING…DO NOT SEEK SHELTER
UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES…EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE…LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 785
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1225 PM CDT FRI OCT 30 2009

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF

WESTERN ALABAMA
EASTERN MISSISSIPPI

EFFECTIVE THIS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 1225 PM UNTIL
700 PM CDT.

TORNADOES…HAIL TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER…THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
TO 70 MPH…AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 70 STATUTE
MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 35 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF
MUSCLE SHOALS ALABAMA TO 35 MILES SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF PINE BELT
MISSISSIPPI. FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE
ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU5).

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.

DISCUSSION…EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND
INTENSITY ACROSS THE WATCH AREA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AS HEATING OF
THE DAY AIDS IN BOOSTING SURFACE-BASED INSTABILITY AND STRONG COLD
FRONT PROGRESSES GRADUALLY EAST INTO VERY MOIST AIR MASS. RADAR IS
ALREADY INDICATING WEAK ROTATION WITH MANY OF THE MORE PERSISTENT
CELLS THAT HAVE INCREASED THROUGH THE MORNING. BOTH DEEP-LAYER SHEAR
AND LOW LEVEL HELICITY VALUES WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT STORM
ROTATION/MESOCYCLONES WITH AN INCREASING CHANCE THAT FAST-MOVING
CELLS COULD PRODUCE WIND DAMAGE OR ISOLATED BRIEF TORNADOES AS
GREATER INSTABILITY IS REALIZED.

As you can see above….we are going to target somewhere initially around Macon, Mississippi as the storms begin to develop this afternoon. Our mesoscale model forecast soundings indicate that things could become pretty unstable with plenty of shear around for rotating updrafts. If we can get any sustained isolated convection….discrete supercells with tornadoes will be possible. However, this has to occur ahead of the frontal forcing. We are preparing for deployment at this time.