Alert archive / Tennessee / Flash Flood Warnings in 1989

Flash Flood Warning 17, NWS Atlanta, GA

July 3, 1989Rhea County, Tennessee

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this flash flood warning at Jul 3, 1989, 9:19 PM EDT for Rhea County, Tennessee. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 3, 1989, 9:19 PM EDT (01:19 UTC)
Expired
Jul 4, 1989, 12:15 AM EDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Whole counties

County Rhea County, TN

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

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 00:00Z, 1.3 hours before the alert went out and 162 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 00:00Z on 1989-07-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 353 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 00:00Z on 1989-07-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -19 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
353 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-18 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
767 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
15 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-19 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
19 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KCHA 040122 RRA
FFWCHA
TNC143-040415-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHATTANOOGA TN
919 PM EDT MON JUL 3 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHATTANOOGA HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1215 AM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE
          ...RHEA
 
HEAVY RAIN HAS BEEN FALLING IN THE EVENVILLE AREA OF CENTRAL RHEA
COUNTY FOR SEVERAL HOURS NOW. POLICE REPORT WATER ACROSS A FEW STREETS
AND RISING WATER IS BECOMING A CONCERN IN A MOBILE HOME PARK IN
EVENVILLE. THE RAIN IS FROM A THUNDERSTORM THAT HAS BEEN ALMOST
STATIONARY. SEVERAL HEAVY DOWNPOURS HAVE OCCURRED IN SPRING CITY.
ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WAS INDICATED BY RADAR WEST
OF THE AREA FROM CROSSVILLE SOUTHWARD TO JASPER. THESE STORMS ARE
MOVING EAST AND SHOULD PROVIDE EVEN HEAVY RAIN.
 
 
BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE
THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS.  IF FLASH FLOODING IS
OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY.  MOVE UP TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS.  DO
NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.
 
MOST DEATHS IN FLASH FLOODING OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.  DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO CROSS HBRIDGES...DIPS...OR LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS
THE ROADWAY.  NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A
SMALL ONE...ON FOOT.

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, Jul 3, 4:06 PM EDT, 5 hours 13 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MACON GA
400 PM EDT MON JUL 3 1989

COUNTY..... CRAWFORD
SOURCE..... CRAWFORD COUNTY SHERIFF
TIME....... 1245 PM EDT JUL 3, 1989
LOCATION... NEAR ROBERTA
TYPE STORM. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.
WIDTH...... NA
LENGTH..... NA
HAIL....... NONE REPORTED
DAMAGE..... FEW TREES BROKEN OR UPROOTED
TREES...... FEW BROKEN OR UPROOTED
INJURES.... NONE
COST....... UNKNOWN
WATCHES.... NONE
WARNINGS... NONE

GEORGIA PROWER REPORTED MINOR POWER DISRUPTIONS AS THE THUNDERSTORM
MOVED ACROSS BIBB COUNTY BETWEEN 1 AND 2 PM EDT.
Special weather statement, Jul 3, 5:15 PM EDT, 4 hours 4 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MACON GA
515 PM EDT MON JUL 3 1989

AT 510 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A LARGE AREA OF RAIN WITH
EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS COVERING MUCH OF CENTRAL GEORGIA. THUNDERSTORMS
WITH HEAVY RAIN WERE IN WEST DODGE COUNTY 12 MILES WEST OF EASTMAN AND
IN DOOLY COUNTY 15 MILES WEST OF VIENNA. STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST
15 MILES AN HOUR.

STREET FLOODING OF LOW AREAS IS LIKELY IN PARTS OF VIENNA AND EASTMAN IN
THE NEXT TWO TO THREE HOURS.

STAY TUNED TO A RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER REPORT ON THESE STORMS.
Special weather statement, Jul 3, 5:58 PM EDT, 3 hours 21 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBUS GA
558 PM EDT MON JUL 3 1989

...REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM ALLISON SOAKS THE COLUMBUS METRO AREA...

AS OF 5PM EDT...THE OFFICIAL RAINFALL TOTAL AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICE WAS 3.61 INCHES SINCE MIDNIGHT. MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION
WAS RECORDED DURING PERIODS OF VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND CAUSED LOCALIZED
FLOODING OF SOME STREETS...UNDERPASSES...AS WELL AS LOW LYING AND FLOOD
PRONE AREAS. SO FAR THE FLOODING HAS BEEN MINOR AND MOST OF THE WATER HAS
RECEDED AFTER THE HEAVY RAIN ENDS. HOWEVER...GIVEN THE ABUNDANT RAINFALL
ALREADY RECEIVED...ANY SUBSEQUENT SHOWERS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN MAY CAUSE
SERIOUS PROBLEMS. THE GROUND IS ALREADY SATURATED AND MANY SMALL STREAMS
AND DRAINAGE BASINS ARE NEAR FULL...AND THUNDERSHOWERS ARE FORECAST
TOMORROW.
RESIDENTS OF COLUMBUS...AS WELL AS THE REST OF WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA AND
EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...SHOULD BE ALERT TO THE FLOODING POSSIBILITY DURING
HEAVY RAIN PERIODS. DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE
ROAD. IF YOU ARE NEAR A STREAM...WATCH FOR RAPIDLY RISING WATER LEVELS.
REMAIN INFORMED BY LISTENING TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER LOCAL NEWS.
Special weather statement, Jul 3, 6:01 PM EDT, 3 hours 18 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBUS GA
558 PM EDT MON JUL 3 1989

...REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM ALLISON SOAK THE COLUMBUS METRO AREA...

AS OF 5PM EDT...THE OFFICIAL RAINFALL TOTAL AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICE WAS 3.61 INCHES SINCE MIDNIGHT. MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION
WAS RECORDED DURING PERIODS OF VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND CAUSED LOCALIZED
FLOODING OF SOME STREETS...UNDERPASSES...AS WELL AS LOW LYING AND FLOOD
PRONE AREAS. SO FAR THE FLOODING HAS BEEN MINOR AND MOST OF THE WATER HAS
RECEDED AFTER THE HEAVY RAIN ENDS. HOWEVER...GIVEN THE ABUNDANT RAINFALL
ALREADY RECEIVED...ANY SUBSEQUENT SHOWERS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN MAY CAUSE
SERIOUS PROBLEMS. THE GROUND IS ALREADY SATURATED AND MANY SMALL STREAMS
AND DRAINAGE BASINS ARE NEAR FULL...AND THUNDERSHOWERS ARE FORECAST
THROUGH TOMORROW.
RESIDENTS OF COLUMBUS...AS WELL AS THE REST OF WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA AND
EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...SHOULD BE ALERT TO THE FLOODING POSSIBILITY DURING
HEAVY RAIN PERIODS. DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE
ROAD. IF YOU ARE NEAR A STREAM...WATCH FOR RAPIDLY RISING WATER LEVELS.
REMAIN INFORMED BY LISTENING TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER LOCAL NEWS.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Atlanta, GA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 4, 1:01 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningFFCBledsoe4 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Tennessee, 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.