Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 1996
Flash Flood Warning 10, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Mar 6, 1996, 7:31 AM CST for Jefferson County, Alabama. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Mar 6, 1996, 7:31 AM CST (13:31 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 6, 1996, 10:30 AM CST
- In force
- 3 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
County Jefferson County, AL
The radar
The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 44 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:33 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
The nearest sounding before it
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 1.5 hours before the alert went out and 43 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
- 168 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -14 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 561 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 63 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 320 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 332 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.3
- Supercell composite
- 1.4
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KBHM 061334 FFWBHM ALC073-061630- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 731 AM CST WED MAR 6 1996 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1030 AM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN CENTRAL ALABAMA ...JEFFERSON COUNTY A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY DUE TO HEAVY RAINFALL THAT HAS OCCURRED SINCE TUESDAY EVENING. MANY CREEKS AND STREAMS ARE OUT OF THEIR BANKS...AND EVEN THOUGH THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL HAS MOVED OUT OF THE AREA...FLOODING WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS. PERSONS IN LOW-LYING AREAS NEAR STREAMS AND CREEKS...OR IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS...SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IF FLOOD WATERS APPROACH. 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, Mar 6, 4:37 AM CST, 2 hours 54 minutes before
ALZALL-GAZ089-090-102-120-FLZ001>015-061115- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 436 AM CST (536 AM EST) WED MAR 6 1996 ...RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS ALABAMA...WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA... AND THE WESTERN PANHANDLE OF FLORIDA... A STRONG UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM CONTINUES TO MOVE ACROSS PARTS OF ALABAMA...AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS MORNING. THIS UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WAS INTERACTING WITH THE WARM...MOIST...UNSTABLE... ACROSS THE AREA. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THESE REST OF THE MORNING ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF ALABAMA AND INTO WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA. THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF LARGE HAIL ASSOCIATED WITH STORMS THIS MORNING AND DAMAGE TO TRAILERS IN DALLAS COUNTY ALABAMA. THE THREAT OF DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES IS REAL AND YOU SHOULD TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS FOR THE SEVERE WEATHER NOW. A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF EAST AND SOUTHEAST ALABAMA THROUGH 1000 AM THIS MORNING. THIS STORM SYSTEM WILL EXIT THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...A SECOND STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT AND INTO THURSDAY MORNING BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF SEVERE WEATHER. THE ATMOSPHERE ACROSS ALABAMA...WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA WILL CONTINUE TO BE WARM AND UNSTABLE. THE MAIN THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER THROUGH THE NIGHTTIME HOURS WILL BE ACROSS THE PARTS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL ALABAMA...BUT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WEATHER TO OCCUR ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF ALABAMA...WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA AND THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE. DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT PLEASE KEEP UPDATED ON THIS DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION THROUGH THURSDAY.
Local storm report, Mar 6, 6:00 AM CST, 1 hour 31 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
600 AM CST WED MAR 06 1996
TIME(CST) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
510 AM CITY OF MONTGOMERY AL
03/06/96 MONTGOMERY
DIME SIZE HAIL SOUTH MONTGOMERY. HOMES DAMAGED IN CITY OF MONTGOMERY.
NUMEROUS HOME AND BUSINESSES DAMAGED. ROOFS BLOWN FROM SEVERAL
APARTMENTS AND SEVERAL OTHERS ONLY PARTIAL ROOFS REMAIN. MOST OF THE
DAMAGE APPARENTLY OCCURRED IN THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN PART OF THE CITY
OF MONTGOMERY ESPECIALLY IN THE NORMANDALE AREA. NORMANDALE MALL
EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED. SEVERAL TREES REPORTED ON HOMES. EIGHTEEN WHEELER
BLOWN OFF INTERSTATE 65. NUMEROC
tTERSTATE 65. NUMEROUS SIGNS BLOWN DOWN. TWO HOME SEVERLY
DAMAGED TO THE POINT UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF MOBILE HOMES OR HOUSES.
INJURIES UNKNOWN OR NOT REPORTED AT THIS TIME.Local storm report, Mar 6, 6:02 AM CST, 1 hour 29 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
600 AM CST WED MAR 06 1996
TIME(CST) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
245 AM CORDOVA AL MARBLE SIZE HAI.
03/06/96 WALKER
351 AM DALLAS? AL ALABAMA POWER REPORTS A
03/06/96 POWER LOCKOUT BETWEEN SELMA
AND DEMOPOLIS.
451 AM DALLAS AL DALLAS CO SHERIFF REPORTS A
TRAILER PARK HIT JUST NORTH
OF SELMA. AT LEAST 2 TRAILERS
2 HIT.
...MORE REPORTS TO FOLLOW...Local storm report, Mar 6, 6:10 AM CST, 1 hour 21 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
600 AM CST WED MAR 06 1996
TIME(CST) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
510 AM CITY OF MONTGOMERY AL
03/06/96 MONTGOMERY
DIME SIZE HAIL SOUTH MONTGOMERY. HOMES DAMAGED IN CITY OF MONTGOMERY.
NUMEROUS HOME AND BUSINESSES DAMAGED. ROOFS BLOWN FROM SEVERAL
APARTMENTS AND SEVERAL OTHERS ONLY PARTIAL ROOFS REMAIN. MOST OF THE
DAMAGE APPARENTLY OCCURRED IN THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN PART OF THE CITY
OF MONTGOMERY ESPECIALLY IN THE NORMANDALE AREA. NORMANDALE MALL
EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED. SEVERAL TREES REPORTED ON HOMES. EIGHTEEN WHEELER
BLOWN OFF INtTERSTATE 65. NUMEROUS SIGNS BLOWN DOWN. TWO HOME SEVERLY
DAMAGED TO THE POINT UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF MOBILE HOMES OR HOUSES.
INJURIES UNKNOWN OR NOT REPORTED AT THIS TIME.Special weather statement, Mar 6, 6:57 AM CST, 34 minutes before
ALZ025-027>029-033>038-040-054-055-061400- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 657 AM CST WED MAR 6 1996 TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 56 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...SHELBY...TALLADEGA...CLAY...RANDOLPH...BIBB...CHILTON... COOSA...TALLAPOOSA...CHAMBERS...PERRY...DALLAS...WILCOX...AND MONROE.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 5, 6:06 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Walker | 54 min |
| Mar 5, 9:04 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marion | 41 min |
| Mar 5, 9:34 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Winston | 41 min |
| Mar 5, 9:45 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Franklin, Lawrence | 60 min |
| Mar 5, 10:21 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Morgan | 69 min |
| Mar 6, 12:56 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lawrence | 64 min |
| Mar 6, 1:26 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Colbert, Lauderdale | 3 hr |
| Mar 6, 2:15 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Sumter | 45 min |
| Mar 6, 3:44 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Perry | 31 min |
| Mar 6, 3:52 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Dallas | 53 min |
| Mar 6, 3:59 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Chilton | 46 min |
| Mar 6, 4:12 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Autauga | 48 min |
| Mar 6, 4:19 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Lowndes | 41 min |
| Mar 6, 4:58 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Lowndes | 47 min |
| Mar 6, 5:03 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Montgomery | 57 min |
| Mar 6, 5:11 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Montgomery | 49 min |
| Mar 6, 5:27 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Bullock, Macon | 63 min |
| Mar 6, 5:51 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Lee, Russell | 69 min |
| Mar 6, 6:37 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Barbour, Bullock | 38 min |
| Mar 6, 8:50 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Barbour | 40 min |
| Mar 6, 12:54 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Colbert, Lawrence | 66 min |
| Mar 6, 1:39 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Lawrence | 66 min |
| Mar 6, 2:10 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette, Walker | 50 min |
| Mar 6, 2:37 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cullman | 53 min |
| Mar 6, 2:52 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Blount, Jefferson | 38 min |
| Mar 6, 3:14 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Blount, Jefferson | 46 min |
| Mar 6, 3:19 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Walker | 41 min |
| Mar 6, 3:26 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | St. Clair | 49 min |
| Mar 6, 4:11 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Talladega | 34 min |
| Mar 6, 4:40 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Talladega | 35 min |
| Mar 6, 4:52 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Clay, Cleburne | 53 min |
| Mar 6, 4:56 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | St. Clair | 49 min |
| Mar 6, 4:58 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lauderdale, Limestone | 62 min |
| Mar 6, 5:22 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Madison | 68 min |
| Mar 6, 5:31 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Limestone | 59 min |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in Alabama, 1996Every flash flood warning in 1996
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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.