Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 1989

Flash Flood Warning 9, NWS Birmingham, AL

June 19, 1989Bibb County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Jun 19, 1989, 4:45 PM CDT for Bibb County, Alabama. It was in force for 2 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 19, 1989, 4:45 PM CDT (21:45 UTC)
Expired
Jun 19, 1989, 6:45 PM CDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Bibb County, AL

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Centreville/Bibb, AL (KCKL), launched 12:00Z, 9.8 hours before the alert went out and 13 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, Centreville/Bibb, AL at 12:00Z on 1989-06-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1433 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, Centreville/Bibb, AL at 12:00Z on 1989-06-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 24 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1433 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-8 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
642 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
24 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
26 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
0.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KBHM 192147
FFWBHM
ALC007-192345-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
445 PM CDT MON JUN 19 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  645 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN NORTH ALABAMA
          ...BIBB
 
HEAVY RAIN DURING THE PAST HOUR HAVE CAUSED NUMEROUS ROADWAYS
THROUGHOUT BIBB COUNTY ESPECIALLY THE CENTREVILLE TO BECOME COVERED
WITH WATER. RAIN CONTINUES TO FALL OVER MOST OF BIBB COUNTY.
 
DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY.  THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO
CROSS SAFELY.  VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE
ABANDONED QUICKLY.  MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 19, 1:29 PM CDT, 3 hours 16 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
120 PM CDT MON JUN 19 1989

HOUSTON COUNTY...105PM CDT...TREES DOWN AND POWER LINES DOWN AT
COTTONWOOD SOUTH OF DOTHAN. REPORT FROM HOUSTON COUNTY EMA.
WARNINGS OUT NONE.
120PM...AT WEBB IN HOUSTON COUNTY...TREES DOWN AND POWER LINES DOWN.
NEAR COTTONWOOD WITH SECOND STORM OVER AREA TREES AND POWER LINE
DOWN. REPORT FROM HOUSTON COUNTY EMA.
WARNING IN EFFECT...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM...111-215PM CDT.n
PETTIT
Special weather statement, Jun 19, 2:20 PM CDT, 2 hours 25 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
219 PM CDT MON JUN 19 1989

THUNDERSTORMS HAVE INCREASED IN INTENSITY ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL
ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON.

AT 219 PM CDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT CENTREVILLE INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL IN
MARENGO COUNTY NEAR LINDEN. THIS STORM WAS MOVINMG EAST SOUTHEAST.

OTHER STORMS WERE DEVELOPING TO THE NORTH AND WEST OF BIRMINGHAM.

PERSONS IN NORTH AND CENTRAL ALABAM NEED TO BE ALERT FOR THE NEXT FEW
HOURS AS STORMS WILL BE INCREASING IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY AS WE
GET INTO THE HEAT OF THE DAY.

REMEMBER...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF EAST AND SOUTH
ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON. SOME CITIES INCLUDED IN THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH
ARE GADSDEN...ANNISTON...CENTREVILLE...MONTGOMERY AND DOTHAN.
Special weather statement, Jun 19, 2:30 PM CDT, 2 hours 15 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
220 PM CDT MON JUN 19 1989

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR EAST CENTRAL AND MUCH OF SOUTH ALABAMA FOR
THIS AFTERNOON...

WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS....SOME
WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER WILCOX...NORTHERN BUTLER...AND SOUTH
MONTGOMERY COUNTIES AT 220PM CDT. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER
BARBOUR...DALE...HENRY AND HOUSTON COUNTIES. A LONE THUNDERSTORM
WAS OVER SOUTHERN CRENSHAW COUNTY. THE STORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD
THE NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 20 MPH.

NEW STORMS ARE DEVELOPING OVER WEST ALABAMA.
PATCHES OF RAIN AND SCATTERED SHOWERS COVERED THE REST OF SOUTH ALABAMA.

LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY SURFACE WINDS AND POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL MAY
OCCUR NEAR THE HEAVIER STORMS. LOW LAND AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING
CONTINUES OVER MANY COUNTIES OF EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTH ALABAMA.
PETTIT
Special weather statement, Jun 19, 3:11 PM CDT, 1 hour 34 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
308 PM CDT MON JUN 19 1989

THUNDERSTORMS WERE CONTINUING TO DEVELOP ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA THIS
AFTERNOON.

AT 305 PM CDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT CENTREVILLE INDICATED A
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NORTHWEST BLOUNT COUNTY
INTO CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTY. SMALL HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN WAS
REPORTED AS THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVED THROUGH CULLMAN COUNTY.
OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER SOUTHERN PERRY AND MARENGO COUNTIES.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 15 TO 20 MPH.

PERSONS IN NORTH AND CENTRAL ALABAM NEED TO BE ALERT FOR THE NEXT FEW
HOURS AS STORMS WILL BE INCREASING IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY AS WE
GET INTO THE HEAT OF THE DAY.

REMEMBER...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF EAST AND SOUTH
ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON. SOME CITIES INCLUDED IN THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH
ARE GADSDEN...ANNISTON...CENTREVILLE...MONTGOMERY AND DOTHAN.
Special weather statement, Jun 19, 3:35 PM CDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
333 PM CDT MON JUN 19 1989

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS WESTERN ALABAMA.

AT 333 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY
RAIN AND WIND GUSTS AROUND 50 MPH MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN MARENGO COUNTY.
THIS STORM WAS LIKELY AFFECTING SWEETWATER AND WILL BE NEAR DIXON MILLS
BEFORE 4 PM CCT.

DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAIN IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...PERSONS
NEED TO BE ALERT FOR LOCALIZED STREET AND LOW LYING FLOODING. MOTORISTS
SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS AREAS WHERE WATER OF UNKNOWN DEPTH COVERS
THE ROAD.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING BETWEEN BIRMINGHAM AND HUNTSVILLE.
ALL STORM<S WERE MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH. OTHER STORMS WILL
LIKELY DEVELOP AS WE ARE NOW GETTING MAXIMUM HEATING AND THE AIR OVER
US IS VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE.
Special weather statement, Jun 19, 4:24 PM CDT, 21 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
420 PM CDT MON JUN 19 1989

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR EAST CENTRAL AND MUCH OF SOUTH ALABAMA FOR
THIS AFTERNOON...

WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS....SOME
WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM DADEVILLE TO TALLASSEE...RAMER AND NEAR
GREENVILLE AT 415 PM CDT. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WERE
SCATTERED BETWEEN MARION AND THOMASVILLE IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 20 MPH.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER NORTH ALABAMA.

LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY SURFACE WINDS AND POSSIBLE HAIL MAY
OCCUR NEAR THE HEAVIER STORMS. LOW LAND AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING
CONTINUES OVER MANY COUNTIES OF EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 18, 7:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun, Cleburne50 min
Jun 18, 8:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarion60 min
Jun 18, 8:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson, Shelby56 min
Jun 18, 8:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLawrence55 min
Jun 18, 9:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPerry47 min
Jun 19, 1:30 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMorgan60 min
Jun 19, 4:19 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXJefferson, Shelby56 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Alabama, 1989Every flash flood warning in 1989

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.