Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 1989
Flash Flood Warning 20, NWS Mobile, AL
NWS Mobile, AL issued this flash flood warning at Nov 8, 1989, 1:44 PM CST for 5 counties in Alabama. It was in force for 3 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Nov 8, 1989, 1:44 PM CST (19:44 UTC)
- Expired
- Nov 8, 1989, 4:45 PM CST
- In force
- 3 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Mobile, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Coffee County, AL, Covington County, AL, Dale County, AL, Geneva 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, 7.7 hours before the alert went out and 108 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 081948
FFWMGM
ALC031-039-045-061-067-069-082245-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
144 PM CST WED NOV 8 1989
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MONTGOMERY HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 445 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN SOUTH ALABAMA
...COFFEE...COVINGTON...DALE...GENEVA...HENRY...HOUSTON
HEAVY RAINS HAVE CONTINUED OVER THE WARNED AREA LAST SEVERAL HOURS.
STATE TROOPERS HAVE REPORTED MANY ROADS CLOSED DUE TO WATER OVER THEM.
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 WATER 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, 10:32 AM CST, 3 hours 12 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.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 10:52 AM CST, 2 hours 52 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 1050 AM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN ALABAMA... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN ALABAMA... ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1245 PM FOR ESCAMBIA COUNTY ALABAMA... THIS MORNING'S WEATHER WAS CHARACTERIZED BY WIDESPREAD RAIN AND SOME STRONG THUNDERSTORMS. THE EMPHASIS OF THIS AFTERNOON'S WEATHER WILL SHIFT FROM FLASH FLOOD PRODUCING RAINS TO SEVERE WEATHER. A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA THIS EVENING. THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WILL NOT BE AS NUMEROUS AS THIS MORNING...HOWEVER...THEY ARE EXPECTED TO BE STRONGER. AS A RESULT... THE TORNADO WATCH WILL LIKELY BE EXTENDED THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS. IN ADDITION...HEAVY RAINS FROM THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY AGGRAVATE THE FLASH FLOODING PROBLEMS. PEOPLE IN SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI eAND ALABAMA SHOULD CONTINUE TO WATCH THE WEATHER CLOSELY THIS AFTERNOON.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 11:28 AM CST, 2 hours 16 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL 1125 AM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL 6 PM CST FOR NORTHWEST FLORIDA INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES. ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA... OKALOOSA...WALTON...WASHINGTON AND HOLMES... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE NORTHERN HALVES OF ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA...AND WALTON COUNTIES OF FLORIDA... AT 1125 AM CST...THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...WERE OVER NORTH WALTON AND HOLMES COUNTIES AND OVER THE SOUTH PORTIONS OF ESCAMBIA AND SANTA ROSA 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 CHADELEUR ISLAND LOUISIANA. 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, 12:42 PM CST, 1 hour 2 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL 1225 PM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST FOR NORTHWEST FLORIDA INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES. ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA... WALTON...WASHINGTON AND HOLMES... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON FOR ALL OF HOLMES AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES AND FOR THE NORTHERN HALVES OF ESCAMBIA... SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA AND WALTON COUNTIES OF FLORIDA... AT 1225 PM CST...THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...WERE PART OF A LARGE RAIN PATTERN OVER SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...SOUTH ALABAMA... NORTHWEST FLORIDA...AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL WERE OVER THE COASTAL WATERS SOUTH OF PENSACLA AND FORT WALTON FLORIDA. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN... STRONG GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND FLOODING OF STREETS... SMALL S5TREAMS...AND OTHER POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. PERSONS SHOULD TAKE ANY NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS FOR THESE CONDITIONS.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 12:45 PM CST, 59 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 1250 PM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWEST ALABAMA UNTIL 6 PM... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHERN ALABAMA... ...A SPECIAL MARINE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ALABAMA COASTAL WATERS UNTIL 145 PM... THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR ESCAMBIA COUNTY ALABAMA EXPIRED AT 1245 PM. THE COUNTY EMA DIRECTOR REPORTED THAT WATER LEVELS HAVE DROPPED AND THERE IS NO LONGER ANY WATER IN BUSINESSES. HOWEVER IF ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN MOVES INTO THIS AREA...ANOTHER WARNING MAY BE ISSUED. THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE AREA ARE DECREASING IN COVERAGE AND INCREASING IN INTENSITY. RESID?ENTS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR THE POSSIBLITY OF SEVERE WEATHER AND/OR FLOODING THIS AFTERNOON.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 1:34 PM CST, 10 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL 125 PM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST FOR NORTHWEST FLORIDA INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES. ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA... WALTON...WASHINGTON AND HOLMES... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AFTERNOON FOR ESCAMBIA... SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA...WALTON...HOLMES AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA... AT 125 PM CST...THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...WERE PART OF A LARGE RAIN PATTERN OVER COASTAL MISSISSIPPI...SOUTH ALABAMA... NORTHWEST FLORIDA...AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL WERE OVER THE COASTAL WATERS SOUTH OF PENSACLA AND FORT WALTON FLORIDA AND BETWEEN PASCAGOULA MISSISSIPPI AND MOBILE ALABAMA. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN... STRONG GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND FLOODING OF STREETS..}. SMALL STREAMS AND OTHER POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. PERSONS SHOULD TAKE ANY NECESSARY 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, 10:37 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | MOB | Dale, Henry, Houston | 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 | 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.