Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990

Flash Flood Warning 63, NWS Birmingham, AL

December 22, 19905 counties in Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Dec 22, 1990, 2:24 AM CST for 5 counties in Alabama. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: Dec 22, 1990, 2:24 AM CST (08:24 UTC)
Expired: Dec 22, 1990, 6:30 AM CST
In force: 4 hr
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Whole counties

Counties Colbert County, AL, Lauderdale County, AL, Lawrence County, AL, Limestone County, AL, Morgan County, AL

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KHSV 220825
FFWHSV
ALC033-077-079-083-089-103-221230-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
224 AM CST SAT DEC 22 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  630 AM CST
 
 
IN NORTH ALABAMA
 
   ...COLBERT COUNTY...LAUDERDALE COUNTY...LAWRENCE COUNTY
   ...LIMESTONE COUNTY...MADISON COUNTY...MORGAN COUNTY
 
HUNTSVILLE RADAR AT 220 THIS MORNING INDICATED WIDESPREAD RAIN OVER
THE WARNED AREA WITH NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY PRODUCING VERY
HEAVY RAIN. TORRENTIAL RAIN HAS BEEN FALLING AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICE AT HUNTSVILLE.
 
THIS HEAVY RAIN HAS BEEN FALLING ON RAIN SOAKED SOILS AND IN SOME
CASES WHERE THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN SOME FLOODING.
 
 
BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE
THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS.  IF FLASH FLOODING IS
OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY.  MOVE UP TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS.  DO
NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

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, Dec 21, 10:08 PM CST, 4 hours 16 minutes before

ALZ001>009-011-220510-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1007 PM CST FRI DEC 21 1990

   ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE ACROSS NORTHWEST ALABAMA AND
     MOVE INTO WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
     ....FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR LAMAR...MARION...WINSTON...
     FAYETTE...AND WALKER COUNTIES FOR TONIGHT...

AT 1006PM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NORTHWEST ALABAMA AND BACK INTO EAST CENTRAL
MISSISSIPPI. THE AREA EXTENDED FROM NEAR HUNTSVILLE SOUTHWESTWARD
TO NEAR CARBON HILL IN WALKER COUNTY TO NEAR MILLPORT IN LAMAR COUNTY
AND BACK INTO EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE
OF P(RODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. MOVEMENT WAS
TO THE NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. OTHER SCATTERED SHOWERS WERE OCCURRING
ACROSS WEST AND CENTRAL ALABAMA.

Special weather statement, Dec 22, 12:19 AM CST, 2 hours 5 minutes before

ALZ001>009-011-220745-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1220 AM CST SAT DEC 22 1990

   ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE ACROSS NORTHWEST ALABAMA AND
                            WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR LAMAR...MARION...WINSTON...
           FAYETTE...AND WALKER COUNTIES FOR TONIGHT...

     AT 1220 AM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA ACROSS WEST
CENTRAL ALABAMA INTO EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI.  THE LINE OF SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM SCOTTSBORO IN JACKSON COUNTY
SOUTHWESTWARD ACROSS CULLMAN...WALKER...WINSTON...MARION...FAYETTE...
LAMAR...AND PICKENS COUNTIES.

     THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN CULLMAN...WALKER...
AND FAYETTE COUNTIES.  THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15
MILES AN HOUR.

     THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO THE COUNITES OF BLOUNT...
JEFFERSON...AND TUSCALOOSA DURING THE NEXT HOUR OR SO.

     PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN ALABAMA CAN EXPECT GUSTY WIND...
AND HEAVY RAIN WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS.  THE HAVY RAIN COULD PRODUCE
A PROBLEM FOR MOTORISTS...SO DRIVERS ARE URGED TO EXERCISE CAUTION
WHEN DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN.  FLASH FLOODING OF LOW LYING ROADWAYS
IS ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY IN HEAVY RAIN.

     PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN ALABAMA ARE ENCOURAGED TO KEEP
UP WITH THE WEATHER SHOULD THESE THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP RAPIDLY.

Special weather statement, Dec 22, 1:07 AM CST, 1 hour 17 minutes before

ALZ001>009-011-220845-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
105 AM CST SAT DEC 22 1990

   ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE ACROSS NORTHWEST ALABAMA AND
                            WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR LAMAR...MARION...WINSTON...
           FAYETTE...AND WALKER COUNTIES FOR TONIGHT...

     AT 105 AM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA.  THE
AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE AFFECTING MARION...LAMAR...
WINSTON...FAYETTE...WALKER...CULLMAN...AND BLOUNT COUNTIES.  THE
STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS INDICATED IN NORTHEAST WALKER COUNTY AND
SOUTHWEST CULLMAN COUNTY.

     RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST TO NORTHEAST AT 15 MILES
AN HOUR.
     THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO ETOWAH COUNTY DURING THE
NEXT HOUR OR SO.

     PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN ALABAMA CAN EXPECT GUSTY WIND...
SMALL HAIL...AND HEAVY RAIN WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS.  THE HEAVY
RAIN COULD PRODUCE LOCALIZED FLOODING CREATING A PROBLEM FOR
MOTORISTS...SO DRIVERS ARE URGED TO EXERCISE CAUTION WHEN DRIVING
INTO HEAVY RAIN.  FLASH FLOODING OF LOW LYING ROADWAY/S IS ALWAYS
A POSSIBILITY IN HEAVY RAIN.

     PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN ALABAMA ARE ENCOURAGED TO KEEP
UP WITH THE WEATHER SHOULD THESE THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP RAPIDLY.

Special weather statement, Dec 22, 1:41 AM CST, 43 minutes before

ALZ001>009-011-220900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
140 AM CST SAT DEC 22 1990

   ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR LAMAR...MARION...WINSTON...
           FAYETTE...AND WALKER COUNTIES FOR REMAINDER TONIGHT...

     AT 140 AM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA.  THE
AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE AFFECTING MARION...WINSTON...
CULLMAN...NORTHERN LAMAR...NORTHERN WALKER...AND EXTREME WESTERN BLOUNT
COUNTIES.  OTHER SMALL SHOWERS WITH LIGHT RAIN WERE INDICATED IN
FAYETTE...SOUTHERN WALKER...AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

     RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

     PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN ALABAMA CAN EXPECT GUSTY WIND...
SMALL HAIL...AND HEAVY RAIN WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS.  THE HEAVY
RAIN COULD PRODUCE LOCALIZED FLOODING CREATING A PROBLEM FOR
MOTORISTS...SO DRIVERS ARE URGED TO EXERCISE CAUTION WHEN DRIVING
INTO HEAVY RAIN.  FLASH FLOODING OF LOW LYING ROADWAYS IS ALWAYS
A POSSIBILITY IN HEAVY RAIN.

     THE IMMEDIATE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER OR HEAVY RAIN TO MUCH OF
CENTRAL ALABAMA HAS DECREASED DURING THE LAST HOUR OR SO.  ONE UPPER
LEVEL DISTURBANCE IS MOVING RAPIDLY NORTHEAST AS INDICATED BY THE
MOVEMENT OF THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA.

     HOWEVER...ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE HAS TRIGGERED
THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHWEST MISSISSIPPI PROMPTING THE ISSUANCE OF A
TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF MISSISSIPPI.

     TODAY IS EXPECTED TO BE A RATHER ACTIVE WEATHER DAY FOR ALABAMA...
SO PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN SALABAMA ARE ENCOURAGED TO KEEP
UP WITH THE WEATHER DURING THE DAY.

Special weather statement, Dec 22, 2:11 AM CST, 13 minutes before

ALZ001>009-011-220930-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
210 AM CST SAT DEC 22 1990

   ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR LAMAR...MARION...WINSTON...
           FAYETTE...AND WALKER COUNTIES FOR REMAINDER TONIGHT...

     AT 140 AM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA.  THE
AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE AFFECTING MARION...LAMAR...
WINSTON...AND CULLMAN COUNTIES.  OTHER AREAS OF LIGHT RAIN WERE
INDICATED IN JEFFERSON AND WALKER COUNTIES.

     THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE INDICATED IN NORTHERN LAMAR...
AND MARION COUNTIES.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS CONTAIN HEAVY RAIN WITH THE
POSSIBILITY OF SMALL HAIL AND STRONG GUST WIND.

     RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

     THE THUNDERSTORMS IN LAMAR AND MARION COUNTIES CONTAIN VERY
HEAVY RAIN.  REPORTS FROM EASTERN MISSISSIPPI INDICATE THAT SOME
FLOODING HAS OCCURRED WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS.

     MOTORISTS SHOULD PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO ROAD CONDITIONS
WHEN DRIVING INTO HEAVY RAIN.  THE HEAVY RAIN COULD PRODUCE
LOCALIZED FLOODING CREATING A HAZARDOUS SITUATION FOR
MOTORISTS...SO DRIVERS ARE URGED TO EXERCISE CAUTION WHEN DRIVING
INTO HEAVY RAIN.  FLASH FLOODING OF LOW LYING ROADWAYS IS ALWAYS
A POSSIBILITY IN HEAVY RAIN.

     THE IMMEDIATE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER TO MUCH OF CENTRAL
ALABAMA HAS DECREASED.  ONE UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE IS MOVING
RAPIDLY NORTHEAST AS INDICATED BY THE MOVEMENT OF THE SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA.

     TODAY IS EXPECTED TO BE A RATHER ACTIVEz WEATHER DAY FOR ALABAMA...
SO PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN ALABAMA ARE ENCOURAGED TO KEEP
UP WITH THE WEATHER DURING THE DAY.

Special weather statement, Dec 22, 2:13 AM CST, 11 minutes before

ALZ001>009-011-220930-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED TIME IN FIRST PARAGRAPH...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
210 AM CST SAT DEC 22 1990

   ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR LAMAR...MARION...WINSTON...
           FAYETTE...AND WALKER COUNTIES FOR REMAINDER TONIGHT...

     AT 210 AM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA.  THE
AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE AFFECTING MARION...LAMAR...
WINSTON...AND CULLMAN COUNTIES.  OTHER AREAS OF LIGHT RAIN WERE
INDICATED IN JEFFERSON AND WALKER COUNTIES.

     THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE INDICATED IN NORTHERN LAMAR...
AND MARION COUNTIES.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS CONTAIN HEAVY RAIN WITH THE
POSSIBILITY OF SMALL HAIL AND STRONG GUST WIND.

     RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

     THE THUNDERSTORMS IN LAMAR AND MARION COUNTIES CONTAIN VERY
HEAVY RAIN.  REPORTS FROM EASTERN MISSISSIPPI INDICATE THAT SOME
FLOODING HAS OCCURRED WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS.

     MOTORISTS SHOULD PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO ROAD CONDITIONS
WHEN DRIVING INTO HEAVY RAIN.  THE HEAVY RAIN COULD PRODUCE
LOCALIZED FLOODING CREATING A HAZARDOUS SITUATION FOR
MOTORISTS...SO DRIVERS ARE URGED TO EXERCISE CAUTION WHEN DRIVING
INTO HEAVY RAIN.  FLASH FLOODING OF LOW LYING ROADWAYS IS ALWAYS
A POSSIBILITY IN HEAVY RAIN.

     THE IMMEDIATE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER TO MUCH OF CENTRAL
ALABAMA HAS DECREASED.  ONE UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE IS MOVING
RAPIDLY NORTHEAST AS INDICATED BY THE MOVEMENT OF THE SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA.

     TODAY IS EXPECTED TO BE A RATHER ACTIVE WEATHER DAY FOR ALABAMA...
SO PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN ALABAMA ARE ENCOURAGED TO KEEP
UP WITH THE WEATHER DURING THE DAY.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Dec 21, 8:18 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion	42 min
Dec 21, 8:23 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Colbert, Lauderdale	4 hr
Dec 21, 8:33 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Colbert, Franklin	57 min
Dec 21, 10:43 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pickens	32 min
Dec 21, 10:48 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar	42 min
Dec 22, 2:24 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Madison	4 hr
Dec 22, 2:34 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Lamar, Marion	4 hr
Dec 22, 2:34 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Winston	4 hr
Dec 22, 6:30 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Limestone, Madison, Morgan	4 hr
Dec 22, 6:30 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence	4 hr
Dec 22, 6:39 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Marion, Winston	2 hr
Dec 22, 6:39 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Lamar	2 hr
Dec 22, 6:58 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Pickens	32 min
Dec 22, 10:18 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Cullman, Fayette, Walker	117 min
Dec 22, 10:18 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Lamar, Pickens	117 min
Dec 22, 10:30 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Jackson, Madison, Marshall	4 hr
Dec 22, 10:30 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence	4 hr
Dec 22, 10:30 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Limestone, Morgan	4 hr
Dec 22, 12:15 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Cullman, Walker	3 hr
Dec 22, 12:15 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Pickens	3 hr
Dec 22, 1:40 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Marion, Winston	80 min
Dec 22, 2:46 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene	29 min
Dec 22, 3:04 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	56 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Alabama, 1990 Every 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.