Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990
Flash Flood Warning 36, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Feb 16, 1990, 5:06 AM CST for DeKalb County, Jackson County, Marshall County, Alabama. It was in force for 4 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Feb 16, 1990, 5:06 AM CST (11:06 UTC)
- Expired
- Feb 16, 1990, 9:15 AM CST
- In force
- 4 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties DeKalb County, AL, Jackson County, AL, Marshall 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
Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 00:00Z, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 185 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
- 7 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -101 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 801 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 64 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 380 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 393 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 KHSV 161108 FFWHSV ALC049-071-095-161515- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 506 AM CST FRI FEB 16 1990 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 915 AM CST FOR THE FOLLOWING NORTH ALABAMA COUNTIES... IN NORTH ALABAMA ...DEKALB COUNTY...JACKSON COUNTY...MARSHALL COUNTY HUNTSVILLE RADAR AT 500 AM INDICATED A LINE OF HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO THE WESTERN SECTIONS OF JACKSON AND MARSHALL COUNTIES. SERIOUS FLOODING HAS BEEN OCCURRING IN THE THREATENED AREA AND WITH THE ADDTIONAL HEAVY RAIN FLOODING WILL LIKELY CONTINUE. 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, Feb 16, 12:06 AM CST, 5 hours before
ALZ010-011-012-014-017-018-160800- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 1200 AM CST FRI FEB 16 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 42 AND 43 IN EFFECT FOR AUTAUGA...DALLAS... WILCOX AND COOSA COUNTIES OF SOUTH ALABAMA UNTIL 4 AM CST FRI... AT 1150 PM CST WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMRY SHOWED AN EXTENSIVE AND WIDE BAND OF RAIN FROM WAYNESBORO MISSISSIPPI TO ALTOONA IN ETOWAH COUNTY. AND FROM REFORM IN PICKENS COUNTY TO MAPLESVILLE IN CHILTON COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 45 MILES AN HOUR... THE BAND OF PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING SLOWLY EASTWARD. SOME OF THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE JUST WEST OF DALLAS COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING AND SOME MAY PENETRATE INTO THE EXTREME WEST PART OF THE COUNTY. RESIDENTS THERE CAN EXPECT STRONG GUSTY WINDS...TORRENTIAL RAINS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR LATER BULLETINS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. mSNELL
Special weather statement, Feb 16, 1:32 AM CST, 3 hours 34 minutes before
ALZ010-011-012-014-017-018-160800- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 130 AM CST FRI FEB 16 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 42 AND 43 IN EFFECT FOR AUTAUGA...DALLAS... WILCOX AND COOSA COUNTIES OF SOUTH ALABAMA UNTIL 4 AM CST FRI... AT 125 AM CST MONTGOMERY RADAR SHOWED AN EXTENSIVE BAND OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM 25 MILES SOUTH OF MERIDIAN TO RANDOLPH COUNTY. VERY HEAVY RAINS WERE OBSERVED IN THUNDERSTORMS IN DALLAS COUNTY ABOUT 8 MILES WEST SOUTH WEST OF SELMA ALABAMA. THIS THUNDERSTORM IS MOVING NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR AND HAS BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY HEAVY RAINS AND GUSTY WINDS ACCORDING TO THE SELMA STATE TROOPERS OFFICE. RESIDENTS OF SELMA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPID CHANGES IN WEATHER CONDITIONS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER UPDATES. SNELL
Special weather statement, Feb 16, 1:49 AM CST, 3 hours 17 minutes before
ALZ006-009-013-160839- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 148 AM CST FRI FEB 16 1990 AT 148 AM CST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT CENTREVILLE SHOWED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM ALONG THE HALE/PERRY COUNTY LINE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF MARION AND CENTREVILLE. PERSONS IN HALE...PERRY...AND BIBB COUNTIES SHOULD EXPECT GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND LOCALIZED FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS BEFORE 230 AM CST. PERSONS IN PERRY...HALE...AND BIBB COUNTIES SHOULD MONITOR THE VERY LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Special weather statement, Feb 16, 2:02 AM CST, 3 hours 4 minutes before
ALZ010-011-012-014-017-018-160910- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 201 AM CST FRI FEB 16 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 42 AND 43 IN EFFECT FOR AUTAUGA...DALLAS... WILCO
Special weather statement, Feb 16, 2:10 AM CST, 2 hours 56 minutes before
ALZALL-161215- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 207 AM CST FRI FEB 16 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH AND FLASH FLOOD WATCH CANCELLED FOR LAUDERDALE... COLBERT...FRANKLIN..AND LAWRENCE COUNTIES... AT 205 AM CST THE THREAT FOR TORNADOES AND MORE HEAVY RAIN HAD ENDED FOR EXTREME NORTHWEST ALABAMA...
Special weather statement, Feb 16, 3:47 AM CST, 1 hour 19 minutes before
ALZ010-011-012-014-017-018-160910- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 345 AM CST FRI FEB 16 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 44 IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF CENTRAL ALABAMA UNTIL 10 AM CST... AT 335 AM CST MONTGOMERY RADAR CONTINUED TO SHOW THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN MOVING NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR. THE MOST ACTIVE THUNDERSTORMS WERE OBSERVED TO BE IN SOUTHERN CHILTON ...AND COOSA COUNTIES. OTHER THUNDERSTOEMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WAS MOVING INTO SOUTHWEST LOWNDES COUNTY. NO DAMAGE HAS BEEN REPORTED SO FAR THIS EVENING IN SOUTH ALABAMA... NEVERTHELESS THIS SITUATION MAY DETERIORATE RAPIDLY. LISTENERS ARE ADVISED TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO.
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 | 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, 5:29 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.