Alert archive / Indiana / Flash Flood Warnings in 1998

Flash Flood Warning 23, NWS Wilmington, OH

April 16, 1998Dearborn County, Franklin County, Ripley County, Indiana

NWS Wilmington, OH issued this flash flood warning at Apr 16, 1998, 3:35 AM EDT for Dearborn County, Franklin County, Ripley County, Indiana. 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: Apr 16, 1998, 3:35 AM EDT (07:35 UTC)
Expired: Apr 16, 1998, 7:00 AM EDT
In force: 3 hr
Issued by: NWS Wilmington, OH
Area: Whole counties

Counties Dearborn County, IN, Franklin County, IN, Ripley County, IN

The radar

The Cincinnati radar (KILN), 112 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:37 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

Cncnati-Daytn, OH (KILN), launched 00:00Z, 7.6 hours before the alert went out and 114 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 835 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 56 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 137 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 283 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KCVG 160737
FFWILN
INC029-047-137-161100-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
335 AM EDT (235 AM EST) THU APR 16 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  DEARBORN COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN INDIANA
  FRANKLIN COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN INDIANA
  RIPLEY COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN INDIANA

* EFFECTIVE UNTIL 700 AM EDT (600 AM EST)

* AT 230 AM EST (330 AM EDT)...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER
RADAR ESTIMATED THAT BETWEEN 3 AND 6 INCHES OF RAIN HAD FALLEN
SINCE 10 PM EST (11 PM EDT) WEDNESDAY EVENING.

MANY ROADS IN THESE COUNTIES HAVE BEEN WASHED OUT OR FLOODED.
THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN THROUGH 6 AM
EST (7 AM EDT)...AND THIS RAINFALL WILL PRODUCE ADDITIONAL FLASH
FLOODING.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. TRAVEL IS NOT RECOMMEDNED IN THESE
COUNTIES.

IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND
TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING
WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

IT IS VERY DIFFICULT AT NIGHT TO TELL HOW MUCH WATER IS ON ROADS.
MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE THROUGH WATER OF UNKNOWN DEPTH.

ROWLEY

&

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.

NWS Wilmington, OH wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Apr 16, 2:08 AM EDT, 1 hour 27 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 16, 2:08 AM EDT, 1 hour 27 minutes before

FORECAST COORDINATION MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
208 AM EDT THU APR 16 1998

FCST PROBS TDA ARE TIMING OF PRECIP...ASSESSMENT OF NEED FOR
FLASH FLOOD WATCHES AND AFFECTS ON TEMPS. LTST/, SFC ANALYS SHWS
LO PRES IN SE IA WITH QUASI-STATIONARY WRMFNT XTNDG E FM NR
IND TO CVG. TSTMS DVLPG IN WRM SECTOR ACRS SRN IL AND SRN IL
WHERE MSTR FLUX CNVRGC IS VRY FAVORABLE AND CAPES ARND 2000 J/KG.
THESE STMS TRAINING E ACRS PTN OF SE IN AND SRN OH. RIPLEY CNTY
IN HS RCVD 3.2 INCHES OF RAIN IN PAST 2 HRS AND MANY ROADS ARE
WASHED OUT. FRANKLIN AND DEARBORN ALSO HV FLOOD PROBLEMS. IN VRY
MOIST SWRLY UPR FLO...H7 S/WV OVR SRN OH THIS MRNG. WITH THE
PASSAGE OF THIS S/WV XPCT A BRIEF LULL IN ACTIVITY WITH ADDITIONAL
TSTM DVLPMNT THIS AFTN AS CDFNT APPROACHES. CAPES AHD OF THIS FNT
ARE XPCTD TO BE IN 800-1200 J/KG RANGE. SVR STMS ARE NOT OUT OF
THE QUESTION AGN TDA. BASED ON ALL THE RAIN WE ARE RECEIVING AND
ADDITIONAL TSTMS XPCTD TDA...STGLY SUGG FLASH FLOOD WATCHES FOR E
CNTRL AND SE IN...SRN OH AND NRN KY.

CDFNT TO PASS THRU OH TNGT WITH THE PRECIP COMING TO AN END ACRS
ALL BUT S CNTRL OH/NE KY AS DRIER AIR FILTERS INTO THE RGN. DEEPER
MSTR MOVS TO E BUT GRIDDED 1000/850 MB SHWG HI LYR AVG RH. XPCT SKIES
TO RMN MSTLY CLDY OVRNGT.

A FW MRNG SHWRS MAY LINGER OVR S CNTL OH AND NE KY. OTHERWISE...
SFC RDG BLDS INTO OH ON FRI WITH DEEPER MSTR SHUNTED TO THE
S AND E WITH FRONTAL BNDRY. UNDER CONTD DRYING WE SHUD SEE
PTLY SUNNY COND FRI.

CVG 075/051 059/041 062 +62
DAY 071/048 058/039 060 +62
CMH 072/052 060/040 061 +82

RANDALL

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 16, 2:40 AM EDT, 55 minutes before

INZ066-073>075-080-KYZ089>100-OHZ070>073-077>082-088-161200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
240 AM EDT THU APR 16 1998

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST INDIANA -
THE MIAMI VALLEY -SOUTH WEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL OHIO - PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL OHIO AND ALL OF NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNTIL 8 AM EDT...

STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA
ALONG AND SOUTH OF A WARM FRONT THAT EXTENDS FROM INDIANAPOLIS TO
CINCINNATI. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD TOWARD THE EAST
AND NORTHEAST AND INTO THE REST OF THE TORNADO WATCH AREA.

CITIES IN THE WATCH AREA INCLUDE BROOKVILLE...CINCINNATI...HAMILTON...
PORTSMOUTH...OWENTON AND MAYSVILLE.

CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO INTENSIFY RAPIDLY TO
PRODUCE TORNADOES...DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL. THEREFORE
A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM EDT.

THESE STORMS WILL TRACK ACROSS VERY SATURATED GROUND. THEREFORE THE
POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING REMAINS HIGH. PEOLPLE ALONG CREEKS AND
STREAMS SHOULD MONITOR WATER LEVELS FREQUENTLY.

IF YOU ARE LOCATED WITHIN OR CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA...YOU ARE
STRONGLY URGED TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...
LOCAL OR CABLE TELEVISION FOR UPDATES CONCERNING THIS POTENTIALLY
DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.

RANDALL

Special weather statement, Apr 16, 2:40 AM EDT, 55 minutes before

INZ066-073>075-080-KYZ089>100-OHZ070>073-077>082-088-161200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
240 AM EDT THU APR 16 1998

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST INDIANA -
THE MIAMI VALLEY -SOUTH WEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL OHIO - PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL OHIO AND ALL OF NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNTIL 8 AM EDT...

STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA
ALONG AND SOUTH OF A WARM FRONT THAT EXTENDS FROM INDIANAPOLIS TO
CINCINNATI. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD TOWARD THE EAST
AND NORTHEAST AND INTO THE REST OF THE TORNADO WATCH AREA.

CITIES IN THE WATCH AREA INCLUDE BROOKVILLE...CINCINNATI...HAMILTON...
PORTSMOUTH...OWENTON AND MAYSVILLE.

CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO INTENSIFY RAPIDLY TO
PRODUCE TORNADOES...DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL. THEREFORE
A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM EDT.

THESE STORMS WILL TRACK ACROSS VERY SATURATED GROUND. THEREFORE THE
POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING REMAINS HIGH. PEOLPLE ALONG CREEKS AND
STREAMS SHOULD MONITOR WATER LEVELS FREQUENTLY.

IF YOU ARE LOCATED WITHIN OR CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA...YOU ARE
STRONGLY URGED TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...
LOCAL OR CABLE TELEVISION FOR UPDATES CONCERNING THIS POTENTIALLY
DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.

RANDALL

Local storm report, Apr 16, 3:25 AM EDT, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OHIO
325 AM EDT THU APR 16 1998

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0130 AM                              IN   FLOODING
04/16/98   FRANKLIN                       ROADS CLOSED DUE TO HIGH
                                          WATER AT 1230 AM EST

0223 AM                              IN   FLOODING
04/16/98   RIPLEY                         ROADS WASHED OUT AT 123 AM
                                          EST

0225 AM                              IN   FLOODING
04/16/98   DEARBORN                       HIGH WATER ON ROADS AT 125 AM
                                          EST

0228 AM                              IN   FLOODING
04/16/98   FRANKLIN                       ROADS WASHED OUT

Local storm report, Apr 16, 3:25 AM EDT, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OHIO
325 AM EDT THU APR 16 1998

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0130 AM                              IN   FLOODING
04/16/98   FRANKLIN                       ROADS CLOSED DUE TO HIGH
                                          WATER AT 1230 AM EST

0223 AM                              IN   FLOODING
04/16/98   RIPLEY                         ROADS WASHED OUT AT 123 AM
                                          EST

0225 AM                              IN   FLOODING
04/16/98   DEARBORN                       HIGH WATER ON ROADS AT 125 AM
                                          EST

0228 AM                              IN   FLOODING
04/16/98   FRANKLIN                       ROADS WASHED OUT

Local storm report, Apr 16, 3:32 AM EDT, 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OHIO
332 AM EDT THU APR 16 1998

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0258 AM                              OH   FLOODING
04/16/98   BUTLER                         SEVERAL ROADS WITH HIGH
                                          WATER

Local storm report, Apr 16, 3:32 AM EDT, 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OHIO
332 AM EDT THU APR 16 1998

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0258 AM                              OH   FLOODING
04/16/98   BUTLER                         SEVERAL ROADS WITH HIGH
                                          WATER

The office that day

Everything else NWS Wilmington, OH issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 15, 10:53 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	ILN	Franklin	2 hr
Apr 15, 11:09 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILN	Franklin, Ripley	46 min
Apr 16, 12:30 AM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	ILN	Dearborn, Ripley	2 hr
Apr 16, 12:47 AM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	ILN	Franklin	118 min
Apr 16, 1:35 AM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	ILN	Dearborn, Franklin, Ripley	115 min
Apr 16, 5:10 AM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	ILN	Ohio, Switzerland	3 hr
Apr 16, 7:03 AM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	ILN	Dearborn, Franklin, Ripley	3 hr
Apr 16, 7:30 AM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	ILN	Switzerland	3 hr
Apr 16, 7:30 AM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	ILN	Ohio	3 hr
Apr 16, 5:14 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILN	Franklin	56 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Indiana, 1998 Every flash flood warning in 1998

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.