National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce
Hail and Wind Event - March 23, 2013
 

On the morning of Saturday, March 23, an upper trough began digging into the center of the country.  That evening, within the resultant southwesterly flow aloft that was streaming through the southeastern United States, a surface low began to develop near New Orleans.  Because of the lack of any real upper level feature to drag it or the warm front northward, the surface low never really amounted to much.  North of the warm front, which was draped across the Gulf Coast, elevated storms began to develop.  Steep mid-level lapse rates (evident in the 12z/March 23 BMX and 00z/March 24 JAN upper air soundings below), along with sufficient hail growth zone CAPE values of 1000-1500 J/kg and  0-3km Storm Relative Helicity values of 400-600 m^2/s^2, these elevated storm became well-organized.  Starting in south-central Mississippi and moving into central Alabama, one of these storms traversed Sumter, Hale, Perry, Bibb, Chilton, Coosa and Tallapoosa Counties, dropped hail stones of 1 to 1.75 inches in diameter and created damaging wind gusts.  Below are the environmental conditions and local storm reports from that evening.

 
Environmental Data 

Surface Analysis
Surface analysis at 10 pm Saturday, March 23

Surface Analysis
Surface analysis at 1 am Sunday, March 24

500mb Analysis
500mb analysis at 7 am Saturday, March 23

500mb Analysis
500mb analysis at 7 pm Saturday, March 23

Upper Air Sounding
BMX upper air sounding from 7 am March 23

JAN Upper Air sounding
JAN upper air sounding from 7 pm March 23

SPC Day 2 Outlook
SPC Day 2 Outlook 1230 pm Friday, March 22

SPC Day 1 Outlook
SPC Day 1 Outlook 1 am Saturday, March 23

 

 

 
Preliminary Local Storm Reports - March 23, 2013


..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0343 PM     HAIL             3 S TROY                31.77N 85.97W 
03/23/2013  E0.50 INCH       PIKE               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR  

            PEA TO PENNY SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN THE SOUTHERN CITY 
            LIMITS OF TROY ON INDIAN CREEK TRAIL.

0640 PM     HAIL             CUBA                    32.44N 88.37W 
03/23/2013  E0.25 INCH       SUMTER             AL   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

0645 PM     HAIL             1 N YORK                32.51N 88.30W 
03/23/2013  E0.88 INCH       SUMTER             AL   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

0645 PM     HAIL             YORK                    32.50N 88.30W 
03/23/2013  E0.50 INCH       SUMTER             AL   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

0701 PM     HAIL             4 S BLUFFPORT           32.54N 88.11W 
03/23/2013  E1.75 INCH       SUMTER             AL   PUBLIC          

            GOLF BALL HAIL COVERING THE GROUND AT THE BP FOOD MART ON
            HIGHWAY 28.

0713 PM     TSTM WND DMG     DEMOPOLIS               32.52N 87.84W 
03/23/2013                   MARENGO            AL   BROADCAST MEDIA 

            POWER POLE AND POWER LINES BLOWN DOWN ON HIGHWAY 43 AT 
            THE NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY.

0715 PM     HAIL             1 N DEMOPOLIS           32.53N 87.84W 
03/23/2013  E0.50 INCH       MARENGO            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR  

            MARBLE HAIL COMPLETELY COVERING THE GROUND.

0716 PM     HAIL             2 N DEMOPOLIS           32.54N 87.84W 
03/23/2013  E1.00 INCH       GREENE             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR  

            HAIL AT LEAST ONE HALF INCH DEEP.

0718 PM     HAIL             4 SW DUFFYS BEND        32.61N 87.81W 
03/23/2013  E1.50 INCH       GREENE             AL   PUBLIC          

            ESTIMATED HAIL THE SIZE OF PING PONG BALLS NEAR THE 
            GREENE COUNTY STEAM PLANT ON THE BLACK WARRIOR RIVER. 
            REPORTED BY SOCIAL MEDIA. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.

0723 PM     HAIL             CEDARVILLE              32.61N 87.67W 
03/23/2013  E1.75 INCH       HALE               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR  

            THE GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL IS NOW COMPLETELY COVERING THE 
            GROUND.

0734 PM     HAIL             1 N NEWBERN             32.61N 87.54W 
03/23/2013  E1.75 INCH       HALE               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR  

            GOLF BALL HAIL BROKE OUT WINDOWS AND DAMAGED HOMES NEAR 
            NEWBURN.

0747 PM     HAIL             MARION                  32.63N 87.32W 
03/23/2013  E1.75 INCH       PERRY              AL   AMATEUR RADIO   

            NEAR JUDSON COLLEGE. SEVERAL WINDOW PANES AND WINDOWS 
            BROKEN.

0815 PM     HAIL             MAPLESVILLE             32.79N 86.88W 
03/23/2013  E1.00 INCH       CHILTON            AL   911 CALL CENTER 

0819 PM     HAIL             1 E RAMER               32.05N 86.20W 
03/23/2013  E0.75 INCH       MONTGOMERY         AL   PUBLIC          

0822 PM     HAIL             RAMER                   32.05N 86.22W 
03/23/2013  E0.25 INCH       MONTGOMERY         AL   AMATEUR RADIO   

0830 PM     HAIL             1 SE PINE LEVEL         32.05N 86.04W 
03/23/2013  E1.00 INCH       MONTGOMERY         AL   PUBLIC          

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED NEAR THE AMERIFOODS GAS 
            STATION ON U.S. HIGHWAY 231.

0837 PM     HAIL             4 SW CLANTON            32.80N 86.68W 
03/23/2013  E0.50 INCH       CHILTON            AL   PUBLIC          

            HAIL FELL 5 TO 6 MINUTES

0838 PM     HAIL             1 N CHICKASAW STATE PAR 32.37N 87.79W 
03/23/2013  E1.00 INCH       MARENGO            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR  

            ALONG HIGHWAY 43.

0850 PM     HAIL             2 N VERBENA             32.78N 86.51W 
03/23/2013  E0.88 INCH       CHILTON            AL   PUBLIC          

            NICKEL HAIL ON HIGHWAY 31 JUST NORTH OF VERBENA

1004 PM     HAIL             E EUTAW                 32.84N 87.89W 
03/23/2013  E0.50 INCH       GREENE             AL   911 CALL CENTER 

            DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN DOWNTOWN EUTAW.

1004 PM     TSTM WND DMG     EUTAW                   32.84N 87.89W 
03/23/2013                   GREENE             AL   911 CALL CENTER 

            TREES REPORTED DOWN THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF 
            EUTAW...INCLUDING ONE TREE DOWN ON A VEHICLE.

1004 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 SE EUTAW              32.84N 87.88W 
03/23/2013                   GREENE             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR  

            TREE DOWN ON A HOUSE ON VERA VISTA AVENUE IN EUTAW.

1018 PM     HAIL             3 N CEDARVILLE          32.66N 87.67W 
03/23/2013  E0.50 INCH       HALE               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR  

1022 PM     HAIL             HAVANA                  32.90N 87.62W 
03/23/2013  E1.75 INCH       HALE               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR  

1038 PM     HAIL             ELLARDS                 32.81N 87.26W 
03/23/2013  E0.88 INCH       PERRY              AL   PUBLIC          

            COVERING THE GROUND

1040 PM     HAIL             2 N HEIBERGER           32.79N 87.29W 
03/23/2013  E0.88 INCH       PERRY              AL   PUBLIC          

            COVERING THE GROUND

1042 PM     HAIL             BRENT                   32.94N 87.16W 
03/23/2013  E1.75 INCH       BIBB               AL   BROADCAST MEDIA 

            IN BRENT AND IN PONDVILLE

1045 PM     HAIL             CENTREVILLE             32.97N 87.13W 
03/23/2013  E1.75 INCH       BIBB               AL   911 CALL CENTER 

            COVERING THE ROAD.

1046 PM     HAIL             ROCKFORD                32.89N 86.22W 
03/23/2013  E1.75 INCH       COOSA              AL   LAW ENFORCEMENT 

1047 PM     TSTM WND DMG     CENTREVILLE             32.97N 87.13W 
03/23/2013                   BIBB               AL   BROADCAST MEDIA 

            SHERIFF REPORTING TREES DOWN NEAR VALLEY STREET AND 
            HIGHWAY 219 SOUTH

1054 PM     HAIL             4 WNW ALEXANDER CITY    32.96N 86.00W 
03/23/2013  E1.00 INCH       TALLAPOOSA         AL   EMERGENCY MNGR  

            ALONG HIGHWAY 280 NEAR THE COOSA AND TALLAPOOSA COUNTY 
            LINE. TIME CORRECTED FROM RADAR AND LOCATION CORRECTED.

1101 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 NE LAWLEY             32.90N 86.90W 
03/23/2013                   BIBB               AL   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            A FEW TREES DOWN 1 MILE EAST OF RANDOLPH ALONG COUNTY 
            ROAD 36.

1102 PM     HAIL             4 NW TRUSSVILLE         33.68N 86.64W 
03/23/2013  E0.50 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   PUBLIC          

            IN CHALKVILLE

1102 PM     TSTM WND GST     4 NW TRUSSVILLE         33.68N 86.64W 
03/23/2013  M51.00 MPH       JEFFERSON          AL   PUBLIC          

            IN CHALKVILLE

1102 PM     HAIL             3 NW HUEYTOWN           33.47N 87.03W 
03/23/2013  E0.75 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO   

            IN CONCORD

1106 PM     TSTM WND DMG     VERBENA                 32.75N 86.51W 
03/23/2013                   CHILTON            AL   PUBLIC          

            A HOME WAS DAMAGED ALONG COUNTY ROAD 706.

1107 PM     HAIL             1 S JEMISON             32.95N 86.75W 
03/23/2013  E0.75 INCH       CHILTON            AL   TRAINED SPOTTER 

1121 PM     HAIL             2 NE CLANTON            32.87N 86.61W 
03/23/2013  E1.00 INCH       CHILTON            AL   BROADCAST MEDIA 

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED ALONG INTERSTATE 65 JUST NORTH
            OF EXIT 208 NEAR CLANTON.

1130 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 SW HIGGINS FERRY PARK 32.83N 86.49W 
03/23/2013                   CHILTON            AL   PUBLIC          

            PORTIONS OF A ROOF WERE TORN OFF ALONG WITH SIDING OF A 
            HOME NEAR CARGLE CREEK ON LAKE MITCHELL. REPORTED BY 
            SOCIAL MEDIA. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.

1132 PM     TSTM WND DMG     HIGGINS FERRY PARK      32.86N 86.45W 
03/23/2013                   CHILTON            AL   PUBLIC          

            DAMAGE REPORTED TO CAMPERS AND VEHICLES FROM FALLING 
            TREES AT HIGGINS FERRY PARK ON LAKE MITCHELL. REPORTED 
            FROM SOCIAL MEDIA. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.

1138 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 S LYLE                32.84N 86.33W 
03/23/2013                   COOSA              AL   EMERGENCY MNGR  

            TREES DOWN AT KELLYS CROSSROADS AND ALABAMA HIGHWAY 22.

1142 PM     TSTM WND DMG     HANOVER                 33.00N 86.20W 
03/23/2013                   COOSA              AL   911 CALL CENTER 

            A LARGE TREE FELL AND CAUSED A AUTO ACCIDENT. FIRE CREWS 
            WERE REMOVING TRAPPED PEOPLE IN THE VEHICLE.

1157 PM     TSTM WND DMG     GOODWATER               33.06N 86.05W 
03/23/2013                   COOSA              AL   EMERGENCY MNGR  

            TREES AND POWER LINES REPORTED DOWN THROUGHOUT THE CITY 
            OF GOODWATER.


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