Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990
Flash Flood Warning 78, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Dec 22, 1990, 1:40 PM CST for Marion County, Winston County, Alabama. It was in force for 80 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Dec 22, 1990, 1:40 PM CST (19:40 UTC)
- Expired
- Dec 22, 1990, 3:00 PM CST
- In force
- 80 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Marion County, AL, Winston 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, 7.7 hours before the alert went out and 144 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
- 142 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -14 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 559 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 45 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 199 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 201 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.8
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KBHM 221941 FFWBHM ALC093-133-222100- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 140 PM CST SAT DEC 22 1990 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 300 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... IN NORTH ALABAMA ...MARION COUNTY...WINSTON COUNTY THUNDERSTOMS WITH HEAVY RAIN ARE MOVING NORTHEAST BACK INTO MARION AND WINSTON COUNTIES...WHERE FLASH FLOODING HAS ALREADY OCCURRED LAST NIGHT AND EARLIER TODAY. MOST DEATHS IN FLASH FLOODING 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.
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 22, 10:50 AM CST, 2 hours 50 minutes before
ALZ004>009-011-221800- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1047 AM CST SAT DEC 22 1990 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHERN ALABAMA TODAY... ...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR LAMAR..PICKENS..FAYETTE ..WALKER..AND CULLMAN...UNTIL 1215 PM... AT 1045 AM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING OUT OF WALKER INTO CULLMAN COUNTY. STRONG GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY RAINS..LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL WILL ACCOMPANY THIS STORM. OTHER STORMS WERE MOVING INTO PICKENS...AND SOUTHERN LAMAR COUNTIES. ALL OF THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF STRONG GUSY WINDS...HEAVY DOWNPOURS ...LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL AS THEY CONTINUE SOUTHEAST AROUND 15 MILES AN HOUR. FLOODING HAS BECOME A MAJOR PROBLEM ACROSS MANY LOCATIONS IN THE NORTH- WEST COUNTIES AND THESE AREAS SHOULD BE AVOIDED IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. MANY ROADS HAVE BEEN CLOSED AS WELL AS CARS ABANDONDED. THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXIST THROUGHOUT TODAY AS A STRONG COLD FRONT SLIDES INTO VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE IN PLACE OVER ALABAMA. PERSONS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Special weather statement, Dec 22, 11:42 AM CST, 1 hour 58 minutes before
ALZ004>009-011-221900- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1142 AM CST SAT DEC 22 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 600 PM FOR MUCH OF NORTH AND WEST ALABAMA... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHERN ALABAMA TODAY... ...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR LAMAR..PICKENS..FAYETTE ..WALKER..AND CULLMAN...UNTIL 1215 PM... AT 1140 AM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A BAND OF RAIN CONTAINING ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING INTO CULLMAN COUNTY AND WAS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN..LIGHTNING..AND GUSTY WINDS. OTHER STORMS WERE IN FAYETTE AND MARION COUNTIES. ALL OF THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF STRONG GUSY WINDS...HEAVY DOWNPOURS ...LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL AS THEY CONTINUE SOUTHEAST AROUND 15 MILES AN HOUR. WEST COUNTIES AND THESE AREAS SHOULD BE AVOIDED IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. MANY ROADS HAVE BEEN CLOSED AS WELL AS CARS ABANDONDED. THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXIST THROUGHOUT TODAY AS A STRONG COLD FRONT SLIDES INTO VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE IN PLACE OVER ALABAMA. PERSONS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Special weather statement, Dec 22, 11:57 AM CST, 1 hour 43 minutes before
ALZ004>009-011-221900- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTIONS TO SEVERAL ITEMS. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1142 AM CST SAT DEC 22 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 600 PM FOR MUCH OF NORTH AND WEST ALABAMA... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHERN ALABAMA TODAY... ...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR LAMAR..PICKENS..FAYETTE ..WALKER..AND CULLMAN...UNTIL 1215 PM... AT 1140 AM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A BAND OF RAIN CONTAINING ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING INTO CULLMAN COUNTY AND WAS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN..LIGHTNING..AND GUSTY WINDS. OTHER STORMS WERE IN FAYETTE AND MARION COUNTIES. ALL OF THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF STRONG GUSY WINDS...HEAVY DOWNPOURS ...LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL AS THEY CONTINUE NORTHEAST AROUND 15 MILES AN HOUR. > FLOODING HAS BECOME A MAJOR PROBLEM ACROSS MANY LOCATIONS IN THE NORTH- WEST COUNTIES AND THESE AREAS SHOULD BE AVOIDED IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. MANY ROADS HAVE BEEN CLOSED AS WELL AS CARS ABANDONDED. THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXIST THROUGHOUT TODAY AS A STRONG COLD FRONT SLIDES INTO VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE IN PLACE OVER ALABAMA. PERSONS SHOUL+D REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Special weather statement, Dec 22, 12:11 PM CST, 1 hour 29 minutes before
ALZ004>009-011-221900- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1210 PM CST SAT DEC 22 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 600 PM FOR MUCH OF NORTH AND WEST ALABAMA... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHERN ALABAMA TODAY... ...FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR LAMAR..PICKENS..FAYETTE..WALKER..AND CULLMAN COUNTIES EXTENDED UNTIL 300 PM... AT 1208 PM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A BAND OF RAIN CONTAINING ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM IN CULLMAN COUNTY AND WAS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN..LIGHTNING..AND GUSTY WINDS. ANOTHER STORM WAS MOVING OUT OF WALKER COUNTY INTO WINSTON. ALL OF THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF STRONG GUSY WINDS...HEAVY DOWNPOURS ...LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL AS THEY CONTINUE NORTHEAST AROUND 35 MILES AN HOUR. > THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXIST THROUGHOUT TODAY AS A STRONG COLD FRONT SLIDES INTO VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE IN PLACE OVER ALABAMA. PERSONNS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Special weather statement, Dec 22, 1:08 PM CST, 32 minutes before
ALZ004>009-011-221900- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 105 PM CST SAT DEC 22 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 600 PM FOR MUCH OF NORTH AND WEST ALABAMA... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHERN ALABAMA TODAY... ...FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR LAMAR..PICKENS..FAYETTE ..WALKER..AND CULLMAN COUNTIES UNTIL 300 PM... AT 105 PM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED LARGE AREAS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN ACROSS MUCH OF NORTH AND WESTERN ALABAMA. THE RAIN AREA IS GENERALLY NORTH OF A LINE FROM FORT PAYNE IN DE KALB COUNTY TO ALICEVILLE IN PICKENS COUNTY. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS IN NORTHERN LAMAR COUNTY NEAR SULLIGENT. THE RAIN ACTIVITY WAS MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST 15 MILES AN HOUR. THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXIST THROUGHOUT TODAY AS A STRONG COLD FRONT SLIDES INTO VERY MOIST AND WARM AIR IN PLACE OVER ALABAMA. PERSONS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST UPDATES.
Special weather statement, Dec 22, 1:14 PM CST, 26 minutes before
ALZ004>009-011-221900- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION TO RAIN MOVEMENT.... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 105 PM CST SAT DEC 22 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 600 PM FOR MUCH OF NORTH AND WEST ALABAMA... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHERN ALABAMA TODAY... ...FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR LAMAR..PICKENS..FAYETTE ..WALKER..AND CULLMAN COUNTIES UNTIL 300 PM... AT 105 PM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED LARGE AREAS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN ACROSS MUCH OF NORTH AND WESTERN ALABAMA. THE RAIN AREA IS GENERALLY NORTH OF A LINE FROM FORT PAYNE IN DE KALB COUNTY TO ALICEVILLE IN PICKENS COUNTY. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS IN NORTHERN LAMAR COUNTY NEAR SULLIGENT. THE RAIN ACTIVITY WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST 35 MILES AN HOUR. THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXIST THROUGHOUT TODAY AS A STRONG COLD FRONT SLIDES INTO VERY MOIST AND WARM AIR IN PLACE OVER ALABAMA. PERSONS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST UPDATES.
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 | Colbert, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Morgan | 4 hr |
| 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, 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, 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.