Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 1989
Flash Flood Warning 19, NWS Mobile, AL
NWS Mobile, AL issued this flash flood warning at Nov 8, 1989, 10:37 AM CST for Dale County, Henry County, Houston County, Alabama. It was in force for 3 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Nov 8, 1989, 10:37 AM CST (16:37 UTC)
- Expired
- Nov 8, 1989, 1:45 PM CST
- In force
- 3 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Mobile, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Dale County, AL, Henry County, AL, Houston 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
Eglin AFB/Valpar, FL (KVPS), launched 12:00Z, 4.6 hours before the alert went out and 145 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1293 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -5 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 629 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 54 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 237 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 278 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 2.2
- Supercell composite
- 13.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KMGM 081639
FFWMGM
ALC031-039-045-061-067-069-081945-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
1037 AM CST WED NOV 8 1989
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MONTGOMERY HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 145 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN SOUTH ALABAMA
...COFFEE...COVINGTON...DALE...GENEVA...HENRY...HOUSTON
HEAVY RAINS HAVE CONTINUED OVER THE WARNED AREAS FOR OVER SIX HOURS.
DOTHAN STATE TROOPERS RECEIVED A REPORT OF SEVERAL CARS UNDER WATER
AT WALLACE COLLEGE IN MIDLAND CITY. OVER SIX INCHES OF RAIN HAVE BEEN
REPORTED IN FLORALA IN THE LAST 24 HOURS.
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS
IMMINENT. MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS...OR LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS
THE ROADWAY. NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL
ONE...ON FOOT. TO ESCAPE RISING WATE:R MOVE UP 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
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 8:25 AM CST, 2 hours 12 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL 725 AM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM CST FOR NORTHWEST FLORIDA... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THIS MORNING FOR THE NORTHERN HALVES OF ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA...AND WALTON COUNTIES OF FLORIDA... ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS THE NORTHERN SECTIONS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE... AT 825 AM CST...THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS...WERE OVER THE NORTH HALVES OF ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA ...AND WALTON COUNTIES OF FLORIDA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF AN EXTENSIVE RAIN PATTERN WHICH COVERED SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...SOUTH ALABAMA AND THE WEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR. SECTIONS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE...SOUTH ALABAMA...SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...AND THE MISSISSIPPI COASTAL WATERS. THE THUNDERSTORM[S ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN... GUSTY WINDS AROUND 40 MILES AN HOUR...FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES... AND FLOODING OF STREETS AND OTHER POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. PERSONS SHOULD TAKE ANY NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS FOR THESE CONDITIONS.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 8:32 AM CST, 2 hours 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL ...CORRECTION FOR TIME... 830 AM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM CST FOR NORTHWEST FLORIDA... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THIS MORNING FOR THE NORTHERN HALVES OF ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA...AND WALTON COUNTIES OF FLORIDA... ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS THE NORTHERN SECTIONS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE... AT 825 AM CST...THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS...WERE OVER THE NORTH HALVES OF ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA ...AND WALTON COUNTIES OF FLORIDA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF AN EXTENSIVE RAIN PATTERN WHICH COVERED SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...SOUTH ALABAMA AND THE WEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN... GUSTY WINDS AROUND 40 MILES AN HOURn...FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES... AND FLOODING OF STREETS AND OTHER POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. PERSONS SHOULD TAKE ANY NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS FOR THESE CONDITIONS.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 9:17 AM CST, 1 hour 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 915 AM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...THUNDERSTORMS HEADED FOR BALDWIN COUNTY ALABAMA... AT 910 AM A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM THE MIDDLE OF MOBILE BAY TO THE WEST END OF DAUPHIN ISLAND. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL BE MOVING ONTO THE EASTERN SHORE OF MOBILE BAY IN THE NEXT 1/2 HOUR. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. THE SOUTHERN HALF OF BALDWIN COUNTY CAN EXPECT HEAVY RAINS FOR THE NEXT 2 HOURS. FLOODING OF LOWING AREAS WILL LIKELY OCCUR AND A FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL PROBABLY BE ISSUED IN THE NEXT HOUR. PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THE WEATHER THIS MORNING. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE WEATHER ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO AND T.V. STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 9:21 AM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION FOR TYPO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 915 AM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...THUNDERSTORMS HEADED FOR BALDWIN COUNTY ALABAMA... AT 910 AM A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM THE MIDDLE OF MOBILE BAY TO THE WEST END OF DAUPHIN ISLAND. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL BE MOVING ONTO THE EASTERN SHORE OF MOBILE BAY IN THE NEXT 1/2 HOUR. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. THE SOUTHERN HALF OF BALDWIN COUNTY CAN EXPECT HEAVY RAINS FOR THE NEXT 2 HOURS. FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS WILL LIKELY OCCUR AND A FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL PROBABLY BE ISSUED IN THE NEXT HOUR. PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THE WEATHER THIS MORNING. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE WEATHER ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO AND T.V. STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 9:33 AM CST, 1 hour 4 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL 925 AM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM CST FOR NORTHWEST FLORIDA... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THIS MORNING FOR THE NORTHERN HALVES OF ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA...AND WALTON COUNTIES OF FLORIDA... ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS THE NORTHERN SECTIONS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE... AT 925 AM CST...THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...WERE IN A LINE STRETCHING FROM DAUPHIN ISLAND ALABAMA NORTHEAST ACROSS ESCAMBIA AND NORTH SANTA ROSA COUNTIES OF FLORIDA...AND BACK INTO SOUTH ALABAMA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF AN EXTENSIVE RAIN PATTERN WHICH COVERED SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...SOUTH ALABAMA AND THE WEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE... AND THE COASTAL WATERS FROM PENSACOLA WEST TO CHANDELEUR ISLAND LOUISIANA. THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE EAST ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN... GUSTY WINDS AROUND 40 MILES AN HOUR...FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES... AND FLOODING OF STREETS...SMALL STREAMS...AND OTHER POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. PERSONS SHOULD TAKE ANY NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS FOR THESE CONDITIONS.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 10:32 AM CST, 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL 1025 AM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM CST FOR NORTHWEST FLORIDA... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN EXTENDED TILL THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE NORTHERN HALVES OF ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA...AND WALTON COUNTIES OF FLORIDA... ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS THE NORTHERN SECTIONS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE WITH MORE MOVING INTO SOUTH ESCAMBIA COUNTY... AT 1025 AM CST...THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...WERE IN A BAND STRETCHING FROM NEAR GULF SHORES ALABAMA NORTHEAST ACROSS ESCAMBIA SANTA ROSA AND OKALOOSA COUNTIES OF FLORIDA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF AN EXTENSIVE RAIN PATTERN OVER SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...SOUTH ALABAMA...THE WEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE...AND THE COASTAL WATERS FROM DESTIN FLORIDA WEST TO CHANDELEUR ISLAND LOUISIANA. THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE EAST ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN... GUSTY WINDS AROUND 40 MILES AN HOUR...FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES... AND FLOODING OF STREETS...SMALL STREAMS...AND OTHER POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. PERSONS SHOULD TAKE ANY NECESSA,RY PRECAUTIONS FOR THESE CONDITIONS.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Mobile, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 8, 5:34 AM CST | Tornado Warning | MOB | Houston | 41 min |
| Nov 8, 6:33 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Coffee, Covington | 42 min |
| Nov 8, 7:20 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Covington, Geneva | 55 min |
| Nov 8, 7:39 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Henry, Houston | 66 min |
| Nov 8, 8:20 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Mobile | 55 min |
| Nov 8, 9:44 AM CST | Tornado Warning | MOB | Houston | 46 min |
| Nov 8, 10:37 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | MOB | Coffee, Covington, Geneva | 3 hr |
| Nov 8, 10:47 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Geneva, Houston | 58 min |
| Nov 8, 1:44 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | MOB | Coffee, Covington, Dale, Geneva, Houston | 3 hr |
| Nov 8, 1:44 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | MOB | Henry | 3 hr |
| Nov 8, 2:13 PM CST | Tornado Warning | MOB | Baldwin | 47 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.