Alert archive / Georgia / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990

Flash Flood Warning 14, NWS Atlanta, GA

February 16, 1990Fannin County, Gilmer County, Murray County, Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this flash flood warning at Feb 16, 1990, 6:29 AM EST for Fannin County, Gilmer County, Murray County, Georgia. It was in force for 6 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Feb 16, 1990, 6:29 AM EST (11:29 UTC)
Expired
Feb 16, 1990, 12:30 PM EST
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Fannin County, GA, Gilmer County, GA, Murray County, GA

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

Athens Municipal, GA (KAHN), launched 00:00Z, 11.5 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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Athens Municipal, GA at 00:00Z on 1990-02-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Athens Municipal, GA at 00:00Z on 1990-02-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 131 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
1 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1378 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
55 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
131 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
171 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 KATL 161131
FFWATL
GAC015-055-111-115-123-129-213-227-233-161730-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTA GA
629 AM EST FRI FEB 16 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ATLANTA HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1230 PM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN NORTHWEST GEORGIA
          ...BARTOW...CHATTOOGA...FANNIN...FLOYD...GILMER...GORDON
          ...MURRAY...PICKENS...POLK
 
FROM 3 TO OVER 9 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN THE LAST 12 TO 15 HOURS
IN NORTHWEST GEORGIA... INCLUDING OVER 9 INCHES IN SUMMERVILLE AND
7 INCHES IN CHATSWORTH. MANY ROADS ARE CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING AND
SEVERAL EVACUATIONS HAVE BEEN NECESSARY.
 
THIS WARNING IS TO EXTEND THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING IN NORTHWEST
GEORGIA UNTIL 12:30 PM.
 
 
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.
 
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 STsREAM...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, Feb 16, 2:34 AM EST, 3 hours 55 minutes before
GAZ002-004-160900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
230 AM EST FRI FEB 16 1990

FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR EXTREME NORTH GEORGIA
FOR THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT.  THE WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND NORTH
OF A LINE FROM CEDARTOWN TO GAINESVILLE TO TOCCOA.

THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WERE SCATTERED OVER THE AREA BETWEEN
ROME AND CANTON IN NORTHWEST GEORGIA AND NORTHWARD INTO SOUTHEAST
TENNESSEE EAST OF CHATTANOOGA.  MOVEMENT NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

ELSEWHERE IN GEORGIA RAIN COVERED THE AREA NORTH OF CARROLLTON
TO HARTWELL.  THIS RAIN AREA EXTENDED NORTH INTO SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE
AND SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA AND EAST OVER EXTREME NORTHWEST
SeOUTH CAROLINA.
Special weather statement, Feb 16, 5:38 AM EST, 51 minutes before
GAZ003-161300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTA GA
537 AM EST FRI FEB 16 1990

A BAND OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NORTHWEST OF ATLANTA
NEAR LAKE ALLATOONA SOUTHEAST TO NEAR BREMAN...AND THEN SOUTH INTO
CARROLL COUNTY AND NEAR FRANKLIN IN HEARD COUNTY AT 535 AM.

THE STRONGEST STORM IN THIS BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED
ABOUT 45 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ATLANTA BETWEEN CARROLLTON AND FRANKLIN.
STRONG GUSTY WINDS..*.DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY RAINS CAN
BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS AS THEY MOVE NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
Special weather statement, Feb 16, 5:59 AM EST, 30 minutes before
GAZ-002-004-161200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
545 AM EST FRI FEB 16 1990

...HEAVY RAIN CONTINUE ACROSS EXTREME NORTH GEORGIA...

RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF 4 INCHES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN RABUN
COUNTY OF NORTHEAST GEORGIA WITH RAIN STILL FALLING.

SMALL STREAMS MAY QUICKLY GET OUT OF THIER BANKS RESULTING IN FLOODING.
STREETS AND HIGHWAYS WITH POOR DRAINAGE RISK GETTING WATER COVERED.

SOME MUD SLIDES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE EASTERN PART OF UNION
COUNTY ON HWY 76.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR NORTH GEORGIA THROUGH TODAY.
THE WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM CEDARTOWN TO
GAINESVILLE TO TOCCOA.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE
WATCH AREA.  PEOPLE IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD KEEP INFORMED
AND STAY TUNED TO NOAA RADIO OR OTHER RADIO AND TELEVISION
FOR LATEST INFORMATION.

FLASH FLOOD WARNING MAY BE NEEDED AT ANY TIME IN TH<E MOUNTAIN
COUNTIES OF NORTHEAST GEORGIA.
Local storm report, Feb 16, 6:28 AM EST, 1 minute before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTA GA
625 AM EST FRI FEB 16 1990

COUNTY......COWETA
SOURCE......SHERIFF VIA SPOTTER
TIME........600 AM
LOCATION....4 N NEWNAN
DAMAGE......WIND DAMAGE...TnREES BLOWN DOWN BLOCKING ROAD.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Atlanta, GA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 16, 12:16 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCChattooga, Floyd3 hr
Feb 16, 12:52 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCBartow, Gilmer, Gordon, Pickens3 hr
Feb 16, 12:52 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCFannin, Murray3 hr
Feb 16, 1:22 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCFloyd, Polk53 min
Feb 16, 1:23 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCDade, Walker3 hr
Feb 16, 1:23 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCCatoosa, Whitfield3 hr
Feb 16, 3:08 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCChattooga, Floyd3 hr
Feb 16, 3:51 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCPolk4 hr
Feb 16, 3:51 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCFannin4 hr
Feb 16, 3:51 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCBartow, Gilmer, Gordon, Murray, Pickens4 hr
Feb 16, 4:39 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCCatoosa, Walker, Whitfield3 hr
Feb 16, 4:39 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCDade3 hr
Feb 16, 5:58 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCobb, Douglas, Fulton47 min
Feb 16, 6:29 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCBartow, Floyd, Gordon, Pickens, Polk6 hr
Feb 16, 6:29 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCChattooga6 hr
Feb 16, 6:58 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHall62 min
Feb 16, 7:03 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCGwinnett27 min
Feb 16, 7:20 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCNewton, Walton55 min
Feb 16, 7:20 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBanks, Barrow, Jackson55 min
Feb 16, 7:20 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHabersham55 min
Feb 16, 8:55 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCRockdale35 min
Feb 16, 9:39 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHeard, Troup66 min
Feb 16, 10:04 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCoweta41 min
Feb 16, 10:43 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCCobb, DeKalb, Fulton4 hr
Feb 16, 12:38 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHouston37 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Georgia, 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.