Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990

Flash Flood Warning 61, NWS Birmingham, AL

July 12, 1990Bibb County, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Jul 12, 1990, 5:48 PM CDT for Bibb County, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. It was in force for 57 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 12, 1990, 5:48 PM CDT (22:48 UTC)
Expired
Jul 12, 1990, 6:45 PM CDT
In force
57 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

Counties Bibb County, AL, 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 12:00Z, 10.8 hours before the alert went out and 30 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, Centreville/Bibb, AL at 12:00Z on 1990-07-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 927 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, Centreville/Bibb, AL at 12:00Z on 1990-07-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -36 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
927 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-29 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
714 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
10 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-36 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-29 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 KBHM 122250
FFWBHM
ALC007-125-122345-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
548 PM CDT THU JUL 12 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  645 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTH ALABAMA
 
   ...NORTHERN BIBB COUNTY...EASTERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY
 
AT 545 PM A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING THROUGH EASTERN TUSCALOOSA
COUNTY AND INTO NORTHERN BIBB COUNTY. IT WAS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY
RAINFALL THAT WILL LIKELY RESULT IN FLASH FLOODING. THE STORM WAS
MOVING SLOWLY TO THE EAST.
 
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, Jul 12, 12:10 PM CDT, 5 hours 38 minutes before
ALZ004>009-011-013-121800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...TIME CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1205 PM CDT THU JUL 12 1990

...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS NORTHEAST AND CENTRAL
ALABAMA...

NUMEROUS SHOWERS WITH SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED IN A LINE
FROM SUMTER COUNTY IN WESTCENTRAL ALABAMA TO CHEROKEE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST
ALABAMA.  THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE OCCURING IN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY NEAR
THE CITY OF TUSCALOOSA AND IN CALHOUN COUNTY JUST SOUTH OF ANNISTON.
OTHER STORMS WERE SCATTERED ACROSS PICKENS AND CLAY COUNTIES.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINS...GUSTY WINDS...
LIGHTNING...AND SOME HAIL AS THEY MOVE TO THE NORTHEAST AT 15 MILES AN
HOUR.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TO DEVELOP THROUGHOUT THE DAY. AS A
RESULT...PERSONS SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO...TV...
OR LOCAL RADIO FOR THE LATEST STATEMENTS.
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 2:14 PM CDT, 3 hours 34 minutes before
ALZ004>009-011-013-122000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
215 PM CDT THU JUL 12 1990

AT 213 PM NUMEROUS SHOWERS WITH SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ACROSS
NORTH AND CENTRAL ALABAMA.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURING IN
SHELBY COUNTY NEAR THE TOWN OF ALABASTER AND NEAR THE WINSTON/CULLMAN
COUNTY LINE.  OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE SPREAD ACROSS THE COUNTIES OF
TALLADEGA...FAYETTE...GREENE...LAMAR....AND WALKER.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY DOWNPOURS...GUSTY WINDS...
LIGHTNING...AND SOME HAIL AS THEY MOVE NORTHEAST AT AROUND 15 MILES AN
HOUR.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TO DEVELOP THROUGHOUT THE DAY SO
PERSONS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND
LISTEN FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER STATEMENTS.
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 3:04 PM CDT, 2 hours 44 minutes before
ALZ004>009-011-013-122100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
304 PM CDT WED JUL 11 1990

AT 300 PM NUMEROUS SHOWERS WITH SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ACROSS
NORTH AND CENTRAL ALABAMA.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS OCCURING IN
BIBB COUNTY NEAR CENTREVILLE.  STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SOME HAIL CAN BE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

ELSEWHERE...OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE SPREAD ACROSS SHELBY...ST.CLAIR...
CULLMAN...FAYETTE...AND WALKER COUNTIES.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY DOWNPOURS...GUSTY WINDS...
LIGHTNING...AND SOME HAIL AS THEY CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHEAST AT AROUND
15 MILES AN HOUR.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TO DEVELOP THROUGHOUT THE DAY SO
PERSONS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND
LISTEN FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER STATEMENTS.
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 3:49 PM CDT, 1 hour 59 minutes before
ALZ004>009-011-013-122130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
351 PM CDT THU JUL 12 1990

NUMEROUS SHOWERS WITH SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ACROSS NORTH
AND CENTRAL ALABAMA.  AT 350 PM SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN A LINE
FROM PICKENS COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA TO BLOUNT COUNTYIN NORTH
CENTRAL ALABAMA.   THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURING IN PICKENS
COUNTY BETWEEN ALICEVILLE AND GORDO...AND ON THE ABLOUNT/CULLMAN COUNTY
LINE.

OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE SPREAD ACROSS TUSCALOOSA...FAYETTE...SHELBY
AND BIBB COUNTIES.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TO DEVELOP INTO THE NIGHTIME HOURS SO
PERSONS ARE URGED TO LISTEN FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS.
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 4:40 PM CDT, 1 hour 8 minutes before
ALZ004>009-122245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
440 PM CDT THU JUL 12 1990

AT 435 PM WEATHER RADAR INDICTED A BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY
RAINFALL FROM PICKENSVILLE IN PICKENS COUNTY EXTENDING NORTHEASTWARD
ALONG AND JUST NORTH OF A TUSCALOOSA TO BIRMINGHAM LINE. THE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH WHILE THE ENTIRE BAND OF
STORMS WAS MOVING SLOWLY EASTWARD.

THIS MOVEMENT WOULD PLACE THE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE BIRMINGHAM AND
TUSCALOOSA AREAS BETWEEN 500 AND 530 PM. WITH THE RUSH HOUR JUST
GETTING STARTED...PERSONS ARE URGED TO SLOW DOWN AND ALLOW EXTRA
TIME TO REACH THEIR DESTINATION.

ALONG WITH HEAVY RAINS THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS CLOUD
TO GROUND LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND POSSIBLE SMALL
HAIL.
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 5:33 PM CDT, 15 minutes before
ALZ004>009-122340-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
533 PM CDT THU JUL 12 1990

   ....THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL ALABAMA...

AT 532 PM WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY
RAINFALL FROM NEAR BOLIGEE IN GREENE COUNTY  EXTENDING NORTHEASTWARD
ALONG A LINE JUST NORTH OF VANCE IN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY TO BIRMINGHAM
TO NEAR GADSDEN IN ETOWAH COUNTY. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE
NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH WHILE THE ENTIRE BAND WAS MOVING SLOWLY EASTWARD

DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT AND INTENSITY OF THESE STORMS HEAVY RAINS
MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.
ALONG WITH HEAVY RAINS THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS CLOUD
TO GROUND LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND POSSIBLY SMALL
HAIL.

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.