Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990
Flash Flood Warning 12, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Feb 15, 1990, 6:14 PM CST for Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. It was in force for 3 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Feb 15, 1990, 6:14 PM CST (00:14 UTC)
- Expired
- Feb 15, 1990, 9:15 PM CST
- In force
- 3 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
County Tuscaloosa 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 00:00Z, 0.2 hours before the alert went out and 53 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
- 1 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -65 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 598 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 55 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 143 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 239 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KBHM 160016 FFWBHM ALC117-125-160315- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 614 PM CST THU FEB 15 1990 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 915 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... IN NORTH ALABAMA ...SHELBY COUNTY...TUSCALOOSA COUNTY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS EXTENDED THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR TUSCALOOSA AND SHELBY COUNTIES. FLOODING WAS OCCURRING IN SHELBY COUNTY ALONG VALLEYDALE ROAD NEAR INTERSTATE 65 AND ALSO NEAR BRIARWOOD SCHOOL ON ROUTE 119. IN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY FLOODING WAS BEING REPORTED IN THE NORTHPORT AREA AND ALSO ALONG UNIVERSITY ROAD AND GREENSBORO ROAD IN THE CITY OF TUSCALOOSA. RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO FALL THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL REMAINS POSSIBLE AS THUNDERSTORMS OVER MISSISSIPPI MOVE INTO CENTRAL ALABAMA THIS EVENING. 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 RISIWNG 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, Feb 15, 12:55 PM CST, 5 hours 19 minutes before
ALZ004-006-008-005-009-152000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1256 PM CST THU FEB 15 1990 AT 1255 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NORTHWESTERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY SOUTHWESTWARD INTO SOUTHERN GREENE COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD AFFECT THE CITIES OF TUSCALOOSA...MELTON AND MOUNTSVILLE BY 200 PM. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS... BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLE HAIL. PERSONS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA ARE ENCOURAGED TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL NEW OUTLETS AS THE WEATHER MAY CHANGE RA[PIDLY THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON HOURS.
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 1:31 PM CST, 4 hours 43 minutes before
ALZ004-006-008-005-009-152030- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 130 PM CST THU FEB 15 1990 AT 125 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM JUST SOUTH OF TUSCALOOSA SOUTHWESTWARD INTO GREENE COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD AFFECT THE CITY OF GREENSBORO BY 2 PM. POLICE AND TROOPER REPORTS INDICATE THESE STORMS ARE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS. WITH THESE STORMS LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING...ESPECIALLY IN LOW LYING AREAS...MAY OCCUR. THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLE HAIL. PERSONS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA ARE ENCOURAGED TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL NEW OUTLETS AS THE WEATHER MAY CHANGE RAPIDLY THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON HOURS.
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 2:13 PM CST, 4 hours 1 minute before
ALZ004-006-008-005-009-152130- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 213 PM CST THU FEB 15 1990 AT 213 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM JUST WEST OF OAK GROVE IN WESTERN JEFFERSON COUNTY SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE CITIES OF BROOKWOOD...GREENSBORO...TO DEMOPOLIS. THESE STORMS ARE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS. WITH THESE STORMS LOCALIZED FLOODING...ESPECIALLY IN LOW LYING AREAS...MAY OCCUR. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP IN SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI. NUMEROUS REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER AND POSSIBLE TORNDAOES IN MISSISSIPPI HAVE BEEN RECIEVED AT THE WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL BE ISSUED LATER THIS AFTERNOON FOR MUCH OF NORTHERN HALF OF ALABAMA. RESIDENTS IN CENTRAL ALABAMA ARE ENCOURAGED TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS AS THE WEATHER MAY CHANGE RAPIDLY THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON HOURS.
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 4:21 PM CST, 1 hour 53 minutes before
ALZ010-011-012-014-017-018-101600- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 420 PM CST THU FEB 15 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 38 REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF CENTRAL ALABAMA AND PARTS OF SOUTH ALABAMA... WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA INTO EAST MISSISSIPPI. STRONGEST STORMS WERE IN A LINE FROM NEAR TUSCALOOSA SOUTHWESTWARD INTO MISSISSIPPI NEAR MERIDIAN. THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 40 MPH. ELSWHERE LIGHT TO MODERATE SHOWERS WERE OCCURRING OVER SCATTERED AREAS OF SOUTH ALABAMA. THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER IS HIGH FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SO PERSONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH ALABAMA SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST WEATHER BULLETINS FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES.
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 4:46 PM CST, 1 hour 28 minutes before
ALZ010-011-012-014-017-018-160020- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 420 PM CST THU FEB 15 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 38 REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF CENTRAL ALABAMA AND PARTS OF SOUTH ALABAMA... WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA INTO EAST MISSISSIPPI. STRONGEST STORMS WERE IN A LINE FROM NEAR TUSCALOOSA SOUTHWESTWARD INTO MISSISSIPPI NEAR MERIDIAN. THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 40 MPH. ELSWHERE LIGHT TO MODERATE SHOWERS WERE OCCURRING OVER SCATTERED AREAS OF SOUTH ALABAMA. THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER IS HIGH FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SO PERSONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH ALABAMA SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST WEATHER BULLETINS FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES.
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 5:31 PM CST, 43 minutes before
ALZ010-011-012-014-017-018-160145- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 530 PM CST THU FEB 15 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 38 REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CHAMBERS...LEE... TALLAPOOSA...COOSA...ELMORE...AUTAUGA AND DALLAS COUNTIES OF SOUTH ALABAMA... WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR ANNISTON SOUTHWESTWARD TO NEAR DEMOPOLIS. SCATTERED LIGHT TO MODERATE SHOWERS WERE SCATTERED OVER THE REMAINDER OF SOUTH ALABAMA. THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 40MPH. ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN NO SEVERE WEATHER REPORTED OVER SOUTH ALABAMA...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER PARTS OF MISSISSIPPI AND THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY MOVE INTO SOUTH ALABAMA LATER TONIGHT. PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN ON THE ALERT AND PERSONS OUTSIDE THE WATCH IN SOUTH ALABAMA SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST WEATHER ALSO AS WATCHES MAY BE REQUIRED FOR OTHER AREAS OF SOUTH ALABAMA LATER TONIGHT. PETTIT
The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 15, 6:14 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Shelby | 3 hr |
| Feb 15, 6:21 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | DeKalb, Jackson, Marshall | 6 hr |
| Feb 15, 6:22 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb, Perry | 58 min |
| Feb 15, 7:03 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Talladega | 42 min |
| Feb 15, 7:15 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Winston | 30 min |
| Feb 15, 7:50 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Calhoun, St. Clair | 3 hr |
| Feb 15, 8:25 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan | 4 hr |
| Feb 15, 8:25 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Marshall | 4 hr |
| Feb 15, 8:42 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Colbert, Lauderdale | 63 min |
| Feb 15, 8:55 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Talladega | 5 hr |
| Feb 15, 8:55 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Hale | 5 hr |
| Feb 15, 9:02 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Greene, Tuscaloosa | 3 hr |
| Feb 15, 9:02 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Walker | 3 hr |
| Feb 15, 9:34 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Tuscaloosa | 41 min |
| Feb 15, 9:40 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 3 hr |
| Feb 15, 10:43 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Bibb, St. Clair, Shelby | 3 hr |
| Feb 15, 11:46 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Etowah | 29 min |
| Feb 16, 12:04 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Etowah | 3 hr |
| Feb 16, 12:04 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Walker | 3 hr |
| Feb 16, 12:32 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | DeKalb, Jackson, Marshall | 4 hr |
| Feb 16, 12:35 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Blount, Cullman | 4 hr |
| Feb 16, 1:50 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Bibb, Perry, Shelby | 4 hr |
| Feb 16, 1:50 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | St. Clair | 4 hr |
| Feb 16, 2:48 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Clay, Cleburne, Randolph | 4 hr |
| Feb 16, 2:48 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Chilton | 4 hr |
| Feb 16, 2:48 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Etowah, Talladega | 4 hr |
| Feb 16, 2:48 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Walker | 4 hr |
| Feb 16, 3:07 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Cherokee | 4 hr |
| Feb 16, 4:22 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Greene, Hale, Tuscaloosa | 4 hr |
| Feb 16, 5:06 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | DeKalb, Jackson, Marshall | 4 hr |
| Feb 16, 5:29 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Bibb, Jefferson, Perry, Shelby | 3 hr |
| Feb 16, 5:29 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | St. Clair | 3 hr |
| Feb 16, 6:36 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Etowah, Talladega | 3 hr |
| Feb 16, 6:36 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Clay, Randolph | 3 hr |
| Feb 16, 7:03 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Hale | 42 min |
| Feb 16, 8:13 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Randolph | 47 min |
| Feb 16, 8:54 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | DeKalb, Jackson, Marshall | 4 hr |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in Alabama, 1990Every flash flood warning in 1990
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.