Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 2011

Flash Flood Warning 1, NWS Birmingham, AL

January 1, 20115 counties in Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Jan 1, 2011, 1:17 AM CST for 5 counties in Alabama. It was in force for 4 hr. 2 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: Jan 1, 2011, 1:17 AM CST (07:17 UTC)
Expired: Jan 1, 2011, 5:00 AM CST
In force: 4 hr
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

Counties Fayette County, AL, Lamar County, AL, Marion County, AL, Walker County, AL, Winston County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 46 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:20 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Jan 1, 2:30 AM CST	FLASH FLOOD	Haleyville, AL	A COUPLE OF ROADS WASHED OUT IN HALEYVILLE. TIME ESTIMATED
Jan 1, 3:00 AM CST	FLASH FLOOD	Vernon, AL	SEVERAL ROADS ACROSS THE COUNTY WERE WASHED OUT OR COMPLETELY IMPASSABLE. TIME ESTIMATED.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 7.3 hours before the alert went out and 133 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: 1020 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 52 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 270 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 398 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

136 
WGUS54 KBMX 010717
FFWBMX
ALC057-075-093-127-133-011100-
/O.NEW.KBMX.FF.W.0001.110101T0717Z-110101T1100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
117 AM CST SAT JAN 1 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  FAYETTE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  LAMAR COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  MARION COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA...
  NORTHWESTERN WALKER COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  WINSTON COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 500 AM CST

* AT 114 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE
  WARNED AREA. RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR ARE POSSIBLE
  IN AND NEAR THE WARNED AREA...WITH TOTALS 3 TO 5 INCHES THROUGH
  5 AM CST.

* RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO
  OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...
  CARBON HILL...FAYETTE...HALEYVILLE...HAMILTON...LYNN...MILLPORT...
  SULLIGENT...VERNON...WINFIELD...ASHBANK...ASHRIDGE...BEAVERTON...
  BEDFORD...BELK...BLOOMING GROVE...BLUFF...BRILLIANT...BRINN...
  BRUSHY LAKE...CORINTH REC AREA...CREWS...DETROIT...DOUBLE
  SPRINGS...ELDRIDGE...GLEN ALLEN...GU-WIN...GUIN...HACKLEBURG...
  HOUSTON RECREATIONAL AREA AND INMANFIELD.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. RAINFALL FROM PERSISTENT RAINBANDS 
WILL PRODUCE FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS AND ALONG STREETS.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE 
DANGERS OF FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. DO 
NOT ENTER THE WATER. TURN AROUND AND MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO 
ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN 
WATER BEGINS RISING.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3432 8817 3431 8711 3386 8750 3354 8784
      3354 8826

$$

2 follow-up statements

519 
WGUS74 KBMX 010817
FFSBMX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
217 AM CST SAT JAN 1 2011

ALC057-075-093-127-133-011100-
/O.CON.KBMX.FF.W.0001.000000T0000Z-110101T1100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
FAYETTE AL-WALKER AL-LAMAR AL-WINSTON AL-MARION AL-
217 AM CST SAT JAN 1 2011

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 AM CST FOR
MARION...WINSTON...LAMAR...NORTHWESTERN WALKER AND FAYETTE
COUNTIES...

AT 206 AM CST...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTINUED TO DETECT 
THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER THE WARNED AREA. RADAR 
HAS ESTIMATED RAINFALL TOTALS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES OF RAINFALL SINCE 11 
PM FRIDAY IN A BAND FROM DETROIT IN NORTHERN LAMAR COUNTY...TO
HAMILTON...TO HALEYVILLE.  HALEYVILLE AIRPORT REPORTED 1.65 INCHES
OF RAINFALL BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND 2 AM CST.  THUNDERSTORMS WITH
VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE ACROSS LAMAR...SOUTHERN MARION...
NORTHWEST FAYETTE...AND WESTERN WINSTON COUNTIES THROUGH 4 AM 
CST..PRODUCING RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. MOVE
UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS
SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY
AUTOMOBILE.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3432 8817 3431 8711 3386 8750 3354 8784
      3354 8826

$$

456 
WGUS74 KBMX 010925
FFSBMX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
325 AM CST SAT JAN 1 2011

ALC057-075-093-127-133-011100-
/O.CON.KBMX.FF.W.0001.000000T0000Z-110101T1100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
FAYETTE AL-WALKER AL-LAMAR AL-WINSTON AL-MARION AL-
325 AM CST SAT JAN 1 2011

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 AM CST FOR
SOUTHEASTERN MARION...WINSTON...LAMAR...NORTHWESTERN WALKER AND
FAYETTE COUNTIES...

AT 318 AM CST...THE NATIONAL WEATHER CONTINUED TO DETECT 
THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER THE WARNED AREA. THE 
HEAVIEST RAINFALL HAS SHIFTED EASTWARD FROM MILLPORT...TO
FAYETTE...TO DOUBLE SPRINGS.  ADDITIONAL RAINFALL TOTALS OF 1 TO 2 
INCHES THROUGH 5 AM CST ARE POSSIBLE FOR AREAS ALONG AND EAST OF 
THIS LINE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE 
DANGERS OF FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. MOVE 
UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS 
SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3386 8822 3404 8782 3431 8711 3386 8750
      3354 8784 3354 8826

$$

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Dec 31, 8:43 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Pickens	47 min
Dec 31, 11:15 PM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Marion, Walker, Winston	3 hr
Jan 1, 12:28 AM CST	Wind Advisory	BMX	Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun and 33 more	9 hr
Jan 1, 12:57 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion, Winston	33 min
Jan 1, 1:53 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Marion	37 min
Jan 1, 2:26 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker	34 min
Jan 1, 2:27 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Pickens	48 min
Jan 1, 3:10 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Pickens, Tuscaloosa	35 min
Jan 1, 3:36 AM CST	Flash Flood Watch	BMX	Etowah, St. Clair	8 hr
Jan 1, 3:37 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Fayette, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Winston	3 hr
Jan 1, 3:37 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Pickens, Sumter	38 min
Jan 1, 4:13 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Greene, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa	47 min
Jan 1, 4:36 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Blount, Greene, Hale, Jefferson, Marengo and 3 more	39 min
Jan 1, 5:27 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Greene, Hale, Perry, Sumter, Tuscaloosa	48 min
Jan 1, 5:46 AM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Tuscaloosa	3 hr
Jan 1, 9:29 AM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo, Pickens, Sumter	24 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Alabama, 2011 Every flash flood warning in 2011

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.