Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990
Flash Flood Warning 18, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Feb 15, 1990, 8:55 PM CST for Talladega County, Alabama. It was in force for 5 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Feb 15, 1990, 8:55 PM CST (02:55 UTC)
- Expired
- Feb 16, 1990, 2:00 AM CST
- In force
- 5 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
County Talladega 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, 2.9 hours before the alert went out and 110 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 160502 COR FFWBHM ALC121-065-160800- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING...CORRECTION FOR HALE COUNTY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1055 PM CST THU FEB 15 1990 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 200 AM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... IN NORTH ALABAMA ...TALLADEGA COUNTY IN SOUTH ALABAMA ...HALE COUNTY AT 1050 PM THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WERE MOVING INTO HALE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA AND TALLADEGA COUNTY IN EAST ALABAMA. EXCESSIVE RAINFALL HAS ALREADY FALLEN OVER THESE COUNTIES AND ADDITIONAL RAIN OF 2 OR MORE INCHES IS LIKELY. THIS WILL RESULT IN MORE SERIOUS FLASH FLOODING. WATER WAS ALREADY OVER SOME ROADS IN TALLADEGA COUNTY AND SOME CARS WERE REPORTED UNDER WATER. MUCH OF THE FLOODING IN TALLADEGA COUNTY WAS ON COUNTY ROADS 63 AND 34 BETWEEN TALLADEGA AND LOGAM MARTIN LAKE. MOST DEATHS IN FLASH FLOODING 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.
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, 4:21 PM CST, 4 hours 34 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, 4 hours 9 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, 3 hours 24 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
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 8:06 PM CST, 49 minutes before
ALZ010-011-012-014-017-018-160400- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 800 PM CST THU FEB 15 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 41 REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CHAMBERS...LEE... TALLAPOOSA...COOSA...ELMORE...AUTAUGA AND DALLAS COUNTIES OF SOUTH ALABAMA UNTIL MIDNIGHT... RADAR SHOWED RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTH AND WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA AT 8PM. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAIN...ESPECIALLY IN A BAND FROM BIRMINGHAM TO TUSCALOOSA ...AND SOUTHWESTWARD TO NEAR MERIDIAN MISSISSIPPI. A BAND OF SHOWERS WAS OVER WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA FROM SELMA TO MILLERS FERRY. NEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING OVER MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA...THEREFORE PER!SONS IN SOUTH ALABAMA SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST WEATHER BULLETINS. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE OVER PARTS OF SOUTH AND CENTRAL ALABAMA LATER TONIGHT.
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 | Tuscaloosa | 3 hr |
| 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 | 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.