Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990
Flash Flood Warning 38, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Feb 16, 1990, 5:29 AM CST for St. Clair County, Alabama. It was in force for 3 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Feb 16, 1990, 5:29 AM CST (11:29 UTC)
- Expired
- Feb 16, 1990, 8:30 AM CST
- In force
- 3 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
County St. Clair 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, 11.5 hours before the alert went out and 122 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 161130 FFWBHM ALC007-073-117-115-105-161430- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 529 AM CST FRI FEB 16 1990 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 830 AM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... IN NORTH ALABAMA ...BIBB COUNTY...JEFFERSON COUNTY...SHELBY COUNTY...ST.CLAIR COUNTY IN SOUTH ALABAMA ...PERRY COUNTY AT 526 AM CST WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND TORRENTIAL RAIN MOVING ACROSS BIBB AND SHELBY COUNTIES...SPREADING INTO JEFFERSON AND ST CLAIR COUNTIES..AND INTO PERRY COUNTY FROM THE WEST. DUE TO PAST HEAVY RAINS...RUN-OFF FROM THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE QUICK RISES IN ALREADY FLOODED CREEKS AND STREAMS PLUS FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS SAFELY. VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY. MOVE 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, 1:32 AM CST, 3 hours 57 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 40 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 27 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, 3 hours 19 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 42 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.
Special weather statement, Feb 16, 5:19 AM CST, 10 minutes before
ALZ010-011-012-014-017-018-160910- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 515 AM CST FRI FEB 16 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 44 IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF CENTRAL ALABAMA UNTIL 10 AM CST... AT 510 AM CST MONTGOMERY WEATHER RADAR SHOWED LARGE AREAS OF RAIN WITH THUNDERSTORMS...MANY WITH HEAVY RAIN. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR. THE MOST ACTIVE THUNDERSTORMS WERE SOUTH OF LAKE MARTIN...JUST SOUTH OF PINE APPLE AND NEAR CHAPMAN AND IN A BAND THAT WAS MOVING ACROSS WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA TOWARDS DALLAS AND WILCOX COUNTIES. THIS LATTER LINE SHOULD ARRIVE BEFORE 6AM. THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE HAD DAMAGING WINDS. RESIDENTS NEAR THESE AREAS SHOULD PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST STRONG GUSTY WINDS...LETHAL LIGHTNING AND TORRENTIAL RAINS. SNELL
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, 5:06 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, 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.