Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 2005

Flash Flood Warning 10, NWS Birmingham, AL

March 30, 2005Elmore County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Mar 30, 2005, 11:23 PM CST for Elmore County, Alabama. It was in force for 97 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Mar 30, 2005, 11:23 PM CST (05:23 UTC)
Expired: Mar 31, 2005, 1:00 AM CST
In force: 97 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Elmore County, AL

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this flash flood warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 5.4 hours before the alert went out and 90 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: 135 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -297 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1597 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 49 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 109 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 268 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 KBMX 310523
FFWBMX
ALC051-310700-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1123 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  ELMORE COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF WETUMPKA

* UNTIL 100 AM CST

* AT 1123 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  FLASH FLOODING FROM A THUNDERSTORM OVER THE WARNED AREA.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO TITUS...
  KENT...ECLECTIC AND COOSA RIVER.

VERY HEAVY RAIN ON ALREADY SATURATED GROUND WILL PRODUCE SOME 
FLOODING. MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO 
NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS WATER COVERED BRIDGES...DIPS...OR LOW WATER 
CROSSINGS. NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL 
ONE...ON FOOT. TO ESCAPE RISING WATER MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...
CALL 1-800-856-0758.

LAT...LON 3245 8638 3252 8625 3243 8607 3248 8590
      3274 8592 3275 8640

$$

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 Birmingham, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Mar 30, 3:30 PM CST, 7 hours 53 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 30, 3:30 PM CST, 7 hours 53 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
330 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005

.DISCUSSION...
SHORT WAVE TROUGH OVER THE MIDWEST STATES WILL LIFT NORTHEAST AND
PUSH A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY INTO NORTHWEST ALABAMA.  SCATTERED
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT
LATE TONIGHT OVER WEST ALABAMA AND SPREAD EASTWARD.  VORT MAX WILL
PASS OVER ALABAMA ON THURSDAY AND PUSH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
INTO GEORGIA THURSDAY AFTERNOON.  SHOULD BE A BREAK IN THE
PRECIPITATION THURSDAY EVENING AS SURFACE LOW DEEPENS TO THE WEST
OF ALABAMA.  CONVECTION WILL SPREAD BACK INTO ALABAMA LATE
THURSDAY NIGHT AS SURFACE LOW TRACKS NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE
AREA.  UPPER TROUGH WILL PASS EAST OF THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT, AND
COOLER AND DRIER CONDITIONS WILL RETURN IN TIME FOR THE WEEKEND.

.SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY)
LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IS INCREASING RAPIDLY OVER THE AREA WITH
DEWPOINTS CLIMBING INTO THE LOWER 60S IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA.
JACKSON 18Z UPPER AIR SOUNDING SHOWS A STRONG CAP AT 850MB WHICH
IS SUPPRESSING CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY.  STORM PREDICTION CENTER IS
FORECASTING CAP TO ERODE LATER TONIGHT WITH STRONG TO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI AND SPREADING
INTO WESTERN ALABAMA AFTER MIDNIGHT.  FORECAST SOUNDINGS FROM THE
ETA SHOW CAPE VALUES APPROACHING 1000 J/KG BY 12Z THURSDAY.  WIND
PROFILES ALSO INDICATE SHEAR WILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR ISOLATED
SUPERCELLS.  SHORT WAVE TROUGH WILL PASS EAST OF THE AREA ON
THURSDAY AFTERNOON, AND CONVECTION SHOULD DECREASE AS THE
AFTERNOON PROGRESSES.  PW VALUES WILL DECREASE THURSDAY AFTERNOON
AND EVENING AS DRY AIR ADVECTS INTO THE MID LEVELS.  THE AIRMASS
WILL LIKELY BE CAPPED THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING UNTIL DEEPER
MOISTURE MOVES BACK INTO THE AREA AS MAIN UPPER TROUGH APPROACHES
FROM THE WEST.  DEEPENING SURFACE LOW WILL PROVIDE FAVORABLE
CONDITIONS FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE ENTIRE CWA LATE
THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON FRIDAY.  PW VALUES APPROACH
1.5 INCHES EARLY FRIDAY MORNING, AND THERE WILL BE A THREAT OF
HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLASH FLOODING.  SURFACE LOW AND ASSOCIATED
FRONT WILL EXIT ALABAMA FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND BRING AN END TO THE
CONVECTION.  GIVEN STRENGTH OF UPPER TROUGH, THERE WILL LIKELY BE
SOME WRAP-AROUND MOISTURE ACROSS NORTH ALABAMA FRIDAY EVENING.
CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO DECREASE ACROSS THE AREA FROM THE SOUTHWEST
STARTING LATE FRIDAY NIGHT WITH CLEARING SKIES ACROSS THE
REMAINDER OF THE AREA SATURDAY MORNING.

.LONG TERM...(SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)
SURFACE HIGH WILL BUILD INTO THE AREA ON SUNDAY WITH SEASONAL
TEMPERATURES EXPECTED.  SURFACE RIDGE WILL MOVE EASTWARD, AND
SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL RETURN MONDAY AND TUESDAY.  THE NEXT SYSTEM IS
EXPECTED TO APPROACH ALABAMA ON WEDNESDAY.  SYSTEM LOOKS STRONG
ENOUGH TO PRODUCE THUNDERSTORMS.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GADSDEN     60  74  61  69 /  60  50  50  70
ANNISTON    60  74  61  70 /  60  60  50  80
BIRMINGHAM  63  74  63  69 /  60  50  70  60
TUSCALOOSA  63  75  64  70 /  60  50  70  60
CALERA      63  75  64  71 /  60  50  70  70
AUBURN      60  77  61  74 /  50  70  50  80
MONTGOMERY  63  77  64  76 /  60  60  50  80
TROY        60  77  64  77 /  40  70  50  80

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE.

&&

58/92

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 30, 10:01 PM CST, 1 hour 22 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1001 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0915 PM     HAIL             6 W NORTHPORT           33.24N 87.70W
03/30/2005  1.75 INCH        TUSCALOOSA         AL   AMATEUR RADIO

0927 PM     HAIL             NORTHPORT               33.24N 87.59W
03/30/2005  1.00 INCH        TUSCALOOSA         AL   PUBLIC

0937 PM     HAIL             11 E TUSCALOOSA         33.24N 87.35W
03/30/2005  0.88 INCH        TUSCALOOSA         AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            COALING AL

&&

81/JD

Local storm report, Mar 30, 10:13 PM CST, 1 hour 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1013 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1004 PM     HAIL             HUEYTOWN                33.44N 87.00W
03/30/2005  1.00 INCH        JEFFERSON          AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

1009 PM     HAIL             6 NE SUMITON            33.81N 86.97W
03/30/2005  1.00 INCH        WALKER             AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            HAIL BREAKING WINDSHIELDS IN EMPIRE

&&

81/JD

Local storm report, Mar 30, 10:38 PM CST, 45 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1038 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1005 PM     HAIL             4 W BIRMINGHAM          33.53N 86.87W
03/30/2005  1.00 INCH        JEFFERSON          AL   PUBLIC

            NICKEL TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED

1015 PM     HAIL             BIRMINGHAM              33.53N 86.80W
03/30/2005  0.75 INCH        JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            PENNY HAIL REPORTED AT LEGION FIELD

1025 PM     HAIL             TRUSSVILLE              33.64N 86.59W
03/30/2005  1.00 INCH        JEFFERSON          AL   PUBLIC

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED ON JANA ROAD

&&

81/JD

Local storm report, Mar 30, 10:40 PM CST, 43 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1040 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1025 PM     HAIL             7 W HAYDEN              33.90N 86.88W
03/30/2005  1.00 INCH        BLOUNT             AL   PUBLIC

            AT EXIT 289 ON INTERSTATE 65

&&

81/JD

Local storm report, Mar 30, 10:53 PM CST, 30 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1053 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1044 PM     HAIL             MOODY                   33.60N 86.49W
03/30/2005  0.88 INCH        ST. CLAIR          AL   PUBLIC

1044 PM     HAIL             BLOUNTSVILLE            34.08N 86.59W
03/30/2005  1.75 INCH        BLOUNT             AL   LAW ENFORCEMENT

&&

81/JD

Local storm report, Mar 30, 11:11 PM CST, 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1111 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1044 PM     HAIL             4 SE MONTGOMERY         32.31N 86.24W
03/30/2005  0.50 INCH        MONTGOMERY         AL   PUBLIC

            HAIL COVERING THE GROUND

1059 PM     HAIL             SNOWDOUN                32.24N 86.29W
03/30/2005  1.75 INCH        MONTGOMERY         AL   AMATEUR RADIO

1059 PM     HAIL             6 E HAYNEVILLE          32.18N 86.48W
03/30/2005  1.00 INCH        LOWNDES            AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL COVERING THE GROUND

&&

81/JD

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Mar 30, 9:01 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Hale	44 min
Mar 30, 9:07 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pickens	23 min
Mar 30, 9:09 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	36 min
Mar 30, 9:16 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb	44 min
Mar 30, 9:25 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion	35 min
Mar 30, 9:31 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marengo	29 min
Mar 30, 9:35 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Walker	40 min
Mar 30, 9:43 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	47 min
Mar 30, 9:53 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lowndes	52 min
Mar 30, 9:58 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion	47 min
Mar 30, 10:06 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas	39 min
Mar 30, 10:09 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount	54 min
Mar 30, 10:13 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson	47 min
Mar 30, 10:26 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Montgomery	64 min
Mar 30, 10:27 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	St. Clair	48 min
Mar 30, 10:27 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pickens	48 min
Mar 30, 10:45 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lowndes	15 min
Mar 30, 10:46 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Etowah	44 min
Mar 30, 10:53 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Montgomery	2 hr
Mar 30, 11:05 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Macon	40 min
Mar 30, 11:09 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Perry	36 min
Mar 30, 11:15 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Elmore, Tallapoosa	30 min
Mar 30, 11:38 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lee	52 min
Mar 30, 11:41 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Macon	34 min
Mar 30, 11:45 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Walker	48 min
Mar 30, 11:50 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Elmore, Tallapoosa	25 min
Mar 31, 12:12 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Montgomery	21 min
Mar 31, 12:20 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Macon	10 min
Mar 31, 12:26 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Elmore	34 min
Mar 31, 12:28 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Lee	2 hr
Mar 31, 12:28 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lee	47 min
Mar 31, 12:55 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Elmore, Montgomery	2 hr
Mar 31, 1:21 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Macon	24 min
Mar 31, 1:35 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Sumter	41 min
Mar 31, 2:11 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Lee	2 hr
Mar 31, 2:29 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Sumter	46 min
Mar 31, 3:01 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Elmore	119 min
Mar 31, 3:08 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Tuscaloosa	52 min
Mar 31, 3:11 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marengo	64 min
Mar 31, 4:45 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas, Perry	45 min
Mar 31, 6:00 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Chilton	45 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Alabama, 2005 Every flash flood warning in 2005

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.