Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 2004

Flash Flood Warning 49, NWS Huntsville, AL

September 16, 2004Jackson County, Alabama

NWS Huntsville, AL issued this flash flood warning at Sep 16, 2004, 8:40 PM CDT for Jackson County, Alabama. It was in force for 5 hr. 3 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Sep 16, 2004, 8:40 PM CDT (01:40 UTC)
Expired
Sep 17, 2004, 1:30 AM CDT
In force
5 hr
Issued by
NWS Huntsville, AL
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Jackson County, AL

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 23 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:44 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Sep 17, 1:00 AM CDTFLOODPaint Rock, ALFLOODING ALONG HIGHWAY 72.
Sep 17, 1:00 AM CDTFLASH FLOODPaint Rock, ALSEVERAL INCHES OF WATER OVER THE ROAD.
Sep 17, 1:00 AM CDTFLASH FLOODPaint Rock, ALSEVERAL INCHES OF WATER OVER THE ROAD.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 00:00Z, 1.7 hours before the alert went out and 163 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 00:00Z on 2004-09-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 28 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 00:00Z on 2004-09-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 42 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
28 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-41 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
691 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
26 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
42 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
111 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 
WGUS54 KHUN 170140
FFWHUN
ALC071-170630-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
840 PM CDT THU SEP 16 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  JACKSON COUNTY IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA

* UNTIL 130 AM CDT

* AT 840 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED VERY HEAVY RAINFALL
  WAS OCCURRING OVER ALL OF JACKSON COUNTY. GROUND TRUTH REPORTS     
  SHOW RAINFALL OF THREE AND A HALF TO FIVE AND A HALF INCHES SO FAR 
  TODAY. EXPECT RAINFALL OF AROUND AN INCH PER HOUR TO CONTINUE AT   
  LEAST FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS. THIS WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF CREEKS   
  AND STREAMS. THERE COULD ALSO BE CONCERNS WITH LANDSLIDES WHEN THE 
  HEAVY RAIN AND SATURATED SOILS COMBINE WITH THE HIGH WINDS.

* SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...
  BRIDGEPORT...HOLLYWOOD...PISGAH...SCOTTSBORO...SECTION...SKYLINE...
  STEVENSON AND WOODVILLE

DURING FLASH FLOODING...WATER LEVELS IN AREA STREAMS AND RIVERS CAN
RAPIDLY INCREASE...TRANSFORMING THEM INTO RAGING CURRENTS. NEVER
ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOOD WATERS BY VEHICLE OR FOOT. MOVE TO HIGHER
GROUND

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED...
ACT QUICKLY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE RISING WATERS

LAT...LON 3498 8548 3461 8579 3447 8604 3461 8636
      3500 8631

$$ 

JE/23
2 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS74 KHUN 170329
FFSHUN
ALC049-071-089-095-170630-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
1030 PM CDT THU SEP 16 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR MARSHALL...MADISON...JACKSON
AND DEKALB COUNTIES UNTIL 130 AM CDT...

AT 1030 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
VERY HEAVY RAINFALL CONTINUING OVER NORTHEAST ALABAMA...ESPECIALLY 
IN JACKSON AND DEKALB COUNTIES. RAINFALL IN JACKSON AND DEKALB 
COUNTIES COULD APPROACH ONE INCH PER HOUR THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING 
HOURS. LIGHTER RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED IN MADISON AND MARSHALL 
COUNTIES...BUT WITH STORM TOTAL PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS BETWEEN XX AND 
XX INCHES ACROSS THE AREA...ANY ADDITIONAL RAIN WILL ONLY AGGRAVATE 
FLOODING CONCERNS.

HIGH RIVER AND CREEK LEVELS CONTINUE ACROSS THE WARNING AREA. A 
DANGEROUS FLOOD SITUATION STILL REMAINS ON BIG WILLS CREEK NEAR FORT 
PAYNE. AT 945 PM CDT...THE STAGE WAS 12.36 FEET...UNCHANGED FROM THE 
PREVIOUS HOUR. HOWEVER...MEDIA REPORTS INDICATED THAT FLOOD WATERS 
WERE BEGINNING TO RECEDE FROM THE AREA EAST OF HIGHWAY 35 AND NORTH 
OF INTERSTATE 59 IN FORT PAYNE. 

MEANWHILE...INDIAN CREEK AT MADISON REMAINS NEAR BANKFULL...WITH A 
STAGE AROUND SIX FEET. OTHER CREEKS AND STREAMS REMAIN HIGH AS WELL.

SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED THROUGH 130 AM CDT INCLUDE...
ALBERTVILLE...ARAB...BOAZ...BRIDGEPORT...COLLINSVILLE...CROSSVILLE...
FORT PAYNE...FYFFE...GERALDINE...GRANT...GUNTERSVILLE...GURLEY...
HARVEST...HAZEL GREEN...HENAGAR...HOLLYWOOD...HUNTSVILLE...IDER...
MADISON...MERIDIANVILLE...MOORES MILL...NEW HOPE...NEW MARKET...OWENS
CROSSROADS...PISGAH...POWELL...RAINSVILLE...REDSTONE ARSENAL...
SCOTTSBORO...SECTION...SKYLINE...STEVENSON...SYLVANIA...TRIANA AND 
WOODVILLE.

FLOODING IN MOUNTAINOUS AREAS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS. HEAVY 
RAINFALL...EVEN IN THE DISTANCE...CAN CREATE SUDDEN FLOWS. MOVE TO 
HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS. IF FLASH FLOODING IS 
OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD 
WATERS. IF YOU SEE WATER OVER A ROADWAY...DO NOT TRY TO CROSS IT. 
TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN

LAT...LON 3501 8561 3452 8552 3421 8586 3412 8632
      3433 8658 3451 8659 3459 8680 3501 8680

$$

JE/23
000 
WGUS74 KHUN 170330 CCA
FFSHUN
ALC049-071-089-095-170630-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
1030 PM CDT THU SEP 16 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR MARSHALL...MADISON...JACKSON
AND DEKALB COUNTIES UNTIL 130 AM CDT...

AT 1030 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
VERY HEAVY RAINFALL CONTINUING OVER NORTHEAST ALABAMA...ESPECIALLY 
IN JACKSON AND DEKALB COUNTIES. RAINFALL IN JACKSON AND DEKALB 
COUNTIES COULD APPROACH ONE INCH PER HOUR THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING 
HOURS. LIGHTER RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED IN MADISON AND MARSHALL 
COUNTIES...BUT WITH STORM TOTAL PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS BETWEEN 4 AND 
7 INCHES ACROSS THE AREA...ANY ADDITIONAL RAIN WILL ONLY AGGRAVATE 
FLOODING CONCERNS.

HIGH RIVER AND CREEK LEVELS CONTINUE ACROSS THE WARNING AREA. A 
DANGEROUS FLOOD SITUATION STILL REMAINS ON BIG WILLS CREEK NEAR FORT 
PAYNE. AT 945 PM CDT...THE STAGE WAS 12.36 FEET...UNCHANGED FROM THE 
PREVIOUS HOUR. HOWEVER...MEDIA REPORTS INDICATED THAT FLOOD WATERS 
WERE BEGINNING TO RECEDE FROM THE AREA EAST OF HIGHWAY 35 AND NORTH 
OF INTERSTATE 59 IN FORT PAYNE. 

MEANWHILE...INDIAN CREEK AT MADISON REMAINS NEAR BANKFULL...WITH A 
STAGE AROUND SIX FEET. OTHER CREEKS AND STREAMS REMAIN HIGH AS WELL.

SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED THROUGH 130 AM CDT INCLUDE...
ALBERTVILLE...ARAB...BOAZ...BRIDGEPORT...COLLINSVILLE...CROSSVILLE...
FORT PAYNE...FYFFE...GERALDINE...GRANT...GUNTERSVILLE...GURLEY...
HARVEST...HAZEL GREEN...HENAGAR...HOLLYWOOD...HUNTSVILLE...IDER...
MADISON...MERIDIANVILLE...MOORES MILL...NEW HOPE...NEW MARKET...OWENS
CROSSROADS...PISGAH...POWELL...RAINSVILLE...REDSTONE ARSENAL...
SCOTTSBORO...SECTION...SKYLINE...STEVENSON...SYLVANIA...TRIANA AND 
WOODVILLE.

FLOODING IN MOUNTAINOUS AREAS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS. HEAVY 
RAINFALL...EVEN IN THE DISTANCE...CAN CREATE SUDDEN FLOWS. MOVE TO 
HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS. IF FLASH FLOODING IS 
OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD 
WATERS. IF YOU SEE WATER OVER A ROADWAY...DO NOT TRY TO CROSS IT. 
TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN

LAT...LON 3501 8561 3452 8552 3421 8586 3412 8632
      3433 8658 3451 8659 3459 8680 3501 8680

$$

JE/23

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 16, 7:45 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningHUNDeKalb6 hr
Sep 16, 7:56 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningHUNMarshall6 hr
Sep 16, 9:25 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningHUNMadison4 hr
Sep 16, 9:58 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningHUNColbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Morgan6 hr
Sep 17, 1:28 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningHUNDeKalb, Jackson, Madison, Marshall3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Alabama, 2004Every flash flood warning in 2004

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.