Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 1992

Flash Flood Warning 8, NWS Birmingham, AL

August 27, 1992Jefferson County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Aug 27, 1992, 12:28 PM CDT for Jefferson County, Alabama. It was in force for 2 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 27, 1992, 12:28 PM CDT (17:28 UTC)
Expired
Aug 27, 1992, 2:30 PM CDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Jefferson County, AL

The nearest sounding before it

Centreville/Bibb, AL (KCKL), launched 12:00Z, 5.5 hours before the alert went out and 78 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 1992-08-27Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 959 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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 1992-08-27The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 260 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
959 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
590 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
260 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
247 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.8
Supercell composite
7.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBHM 271728
FFWBHM
ALC073-117-021-271930-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1228 PM CDT THU AUG 27 1992
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  230 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTH ALABAMA
 
   ...JEFFERSON COUNTY...SHELBY COUNTY
 
IN SOUTH ALABAMA
 
   ...CHILTON COUNTY
 
AT 12:28 PM RADAR CONTINUES TO SHOW VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS
JEFFERSON...SHELBY...AND CHILTON COUNTIES. THIS RAINFALL WILL PRODUCE
FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS...CREEKS AND STREAMS.
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS
IMMINENT.  MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS 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.  TO ESCAPE RISING WATER MOVE UP 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, Aug 27, 6:28 AM CDT, 6 hours before
ALZ010-011-014-015-271330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
630 AM CDT THU AUG 27 1992

...TORNADO WATCH FOR PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA UNTIL
900 AM CDT...

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL ALABAMA TODAY...

AT 630 AM CDT...WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED WIDESPREAD RAIN
...ALONG WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER WEST CENTRAL
AND SOUTH ALABAMA. THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WERE LOCATED IN SUMTER
AND CHOCTAW COUNTIES...AND NEAR FLORALA...IN COVINGTON COUNTY. THE RAIN
AREA CONTINUED TO MOVE EAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR...WHILE THE INDIVIDUAL
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVED TOWARD THE NORTH AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS INDICATED BY RADAR AT THIS TIME...HOWEVER SEVERAL
TORNADOES HAVE OCCURRED ACROSS CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI AND WEST CENTRAL
ALABAMA DURING THE NIGHT...AND THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
...DAMAGING WINDS...TORRENTIAL RAIN...AND POSSI"BLE TORNADOES...WILL
CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY...AS THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE ANDREW
MOVE THROUGH.

STAY TUNED TO THE LOCAL BROADCAST MEDIA...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO...
FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Aug 27, 8:43 AM CDT, 3 hours 45 minutes before
ALZ010-011-012-014-017-018-271500-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
845 AM CDT THU AUG 27 1992

...TORNADO WATCH FOR MOST OF SOUTH ALABAMA UNTIL 3 PM CDT.

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL ALABAMA TODAY...

AT 840 AM CDT...WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED WIDESPREAD RAIN
...ALONG WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER WEST CENTRAL
AND SOUTH ALABAMA. THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WERE LOCATED IN
COVINGTON COUNTY...COFFEE COUNTY AND PIKE COUNTY. THE RAIN AREA
CONTINUED TO MOVE EAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR...WHILE THE INDIVIDUAL
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVED TOWARD THE NORTH AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.
...DAMAGING WINDS...TORRENTIAL RAIN...AND POSSIBLE TORNADOES...WILL
CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY...AS THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE ANDREW
MOVE THROUGH.

STAY TUNED TO THE LOCAL BROADCAST MEDIA...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO...
FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS.
Local storm report, Aug 27, 9:15 AM CDT, 3 hours 13 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
915 AM CDT THU AUG 27 1992

HERE ARE SOME PRELIMINARY DAMAGE INFORMATION WE HAVE THUS FAR:

...NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN IN SUMTER COUNTY.
...TREES AND POWER LINE DOWN IN PICKENS COUNTY.
...LARGE TREE ACROSS I-59 NORTH OF BOLIGEE IN GREENE COUNTY.
...TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN IN MARGENO COUNTY.
...ROOF OFF HOME IN LIVINGSTON IN SUMTER COUNTY.
...TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN IN NORTHPORT AND TUSCALOOSA IN TUSCALOOSA
   COUNTY
Local storm report, Aug 27, 11:04 AM CDT, 1 hour 24 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1100 AM CDT THU AUG 27 1992

10:15 AM   LAKE LURLEEN AREA IN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY HAD WIND ESTIMATED
           35 MPH - FROM EMA.
10:30 AM   LAKE TUSCALOOSA AREA IN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY WINDS ESTIMATED
           AT 50+ MPH - FROM EMA.
5:30 TO
   8:00 AM TREE AND POWER LINE DAMAGE AROUND THE ALICEVILLE AREA.
           ROOF DAMAGE IN SAME AREA FROM FALLING TREES - FROM HAM
           RADIO OPERATORS RELAYED THROUGH EMA.
11:00 AM   STREET FLOODING IN TUSCALOOSA AT WOODLAND ROAD AND 32ND
           AVENUE, AROUND UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA CAMPUS, AND AT
           UNIVERSITY BLVD AT 5 POINTS - FROM EMA.
11:00 AM   SPORADIC POWER OUTAGES THROUGHOUT TUSRCALOOSA COUNTY - FROM
           EMA.
Special weather statement, Aug 27, 11:21 AM CDT, 1 hour 7 minutes before
ALZ010-011-012-014-017-018-271800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
1120 AM CDT THU AUG 27 1992

...TORNADO WATCH FOR MOST OF SOUTH ALABAMA UNTIL 3 PM CDT.

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL ALABAMA TODAY...

AT 1115 AM CDT...WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED WIDESPREAD RAIN
...ALONG WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER WEST CENTRAL
AND SOUTH ALABAMA. THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WERE LOCATED IN
LOWNDES...BUTLER AND PIKE COUNTIES. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING
NORTHNORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR. MANY OF THE THUNDERSTORMS EVEN THOUGH
NOT SEVERE ARE BRINGING VERY GUSTY WINDS IN MANY PLACES ALONG WITH TORRENTIAL
DOWNPOURS THAT LIMIT VISIBILITIES TO A FEW HUNDRED FEET.

CONDITIONS ARE NOT LIKELY TO IMPROVE AS THE DAY CONTINUES. THESE THUNDERSTORMS
ARE ALSO INCLINED TO PRODUCE TORNADOES...THEREFORE A TORNADO WATCH IS
CONTINUED THROUGH 3PM CDT FOR MOST OF SOUTH ALABAMA.

SNELL
Local storm report, Aug 27, 12:07 PM CDT, 21 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
1205 PM CDT THU AUG 27 1992

.MONTGOMERY COUNTY...LARGE TREE  LIMBS ON POWER LINE NEAR PINE LEVEL.
                     1015 CDT. REPORT FROM DIXIE ELECTRIC. SEVERE
                     THUNDERSTORM WARNING 1002 CDT TILL 1100 CDT.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 27, 6:04 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXPickens41 min
Aug 27, 6:48 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXGreene, Pickens57 min
Aug 27, 7:20 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXLamar55 min
Aug 27, 7:40 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXGreene, Pickens50 min
Aug 27, 7:51 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXMarengo69 min
Aug 27, 7:59 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXGreene, Pickens3 hr
Aug 27, 8:24 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXHale2 hr
Aug 27, 8:42 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTuscaloosa2 hr
Aug 27, 8:53 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar2 hr
Aug 27, 9:00 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarengo60 min
Aug 27, 9:19 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette116 min
Aug 27, 9:35 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Perry115 min
Aug 27, 9:56 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXTuscaloosa3 hr
Aug 27, 10:40 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTuscaloosa65 min
Aug 27, 10:51 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson, Walker2 hr
Aug 27, 11:19 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXShelby116 min
Aug 27, 11:23 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChilton2 hr
Aug 27, 11:33 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount, Cullman117 min
Aug 27, 11:33 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXSt. Clair117 min
Aug 27, 12:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMorgan59 min
Aug 27, 12:28 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXChilton, Shelby2 hr
Aug 27, 12:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLawrence69 min
Aug 27, 12:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson34 min
Aug 27, 1:01 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXTalladega119 min
Aug 27, 1:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTalladega119 min
Aug 27, 1:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFranklin66 min
Aug 27, 1:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMorgan55 min
Aug 27, 1:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXSt. Clair2 hr
Aug 27, 1:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMadison66 min
Aug 27, 1:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount60 min
Aug 27, 1:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay2 hr
Aug 27, 1:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLawrence65 min
Aug 27, 2:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLimestone66 min
Aug 27, 2:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLauderdale55 min
Aug 27, 2:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXDeKalb, Jackson65 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Alabama, 1992Every flash flood warning in 1992

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.