Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990

Flash Flood Warning 36, NWS Birmingham, AL

February 16, 1990DeKalb County, Jackson County, Marshall County, Alabama

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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Nashville Metro, TN at 00:00Z on 1990-02-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 7 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Nashville Metro, TN at 00:00Z on 1990-02-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 380 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
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

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 15, 6:14 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXTuscaloosa3 hr
Feb 15, 6:14 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXShelby3 hr
Feb 15, 6:21 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXDeKalb, Jackson, Marshall6 hr
Feb 15, 6:22 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Perry58 min
Feb 15, 7:03 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTalladega42 min
Feb 15, 7:15 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXWinston30 min
Feb 15, 7:50 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXCalhoun, St. Clair3 hr
Feb 15, 8:25 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXLauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan4 hr
Feb 15, 8:25 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXMarshall4 hr
Feb 15, 8:42 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXColbert, Lauderdale63 min
Feb 15, 8:55 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXTalladega5 hr
Feb 15, 8:55 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXHale5 hr
Feb 15, 9:02 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXGreene, Tuscaloosa3 hr
Feb 15, 9:02 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXWalker3 hr
Feb 15, 9:34 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTuscaloosa41 min
Feb 15, 9:40 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXJefferson3 hr
Feb 15, 10:43 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXBibb, St. Clair, Shelby3 hr
Feb 15, 11:46 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun, Etowah29 min
Feb 16, 12:04 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXEtowah3 hr
Feb 16, 12:04 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXWalker3 hr
Feb 16, 12:32 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXDeKalb, Jackson, Marshall4 hr
Feb 16, 12:35 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXBlount, Cullman4 hr
Feb 16, 1:50 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXBibb, Perry, Shelby4 hr
Feb 16, 1:50 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXSt. Clair4 hr
Feb 16, 2:48 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXClay, Cleburne, Randolph4 hr
Feb 16, 2:48 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXChilton4 hr
Feb 16, 2:48 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXCalhoun, Etowah, Talladega4 hr
Feb 16, 2:48 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXWalker4 hr
Feb 16, 3:07 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXCherokee4 hr
Feb 16, 4:22 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Tuscaloosa4 hr
Feb 16, 5:29 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXBibb, Jefferson, Perry, Shelby3 hr
Feb 16, 5:29 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXSt. Clair3 hr
Feb 16, 6:36 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXCalhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Etowah, Talladega3 hr
Feb 16, 6:36 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXClay, Randolph3 hr
Feb 16, 7:03 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXHale42 min
Feb 16, 8:13 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXRandolph47 min
Feb 16, 8:54 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXDeKalb, Jackson, Marshall4 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.