Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 2011

Flash Flood Warning 51, NWS Birmingham, AL

September 5, 2011Pickens County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Sep 5, 2011, 9:40 AM CDT for Pickens County, Alabama. It was in force for 6 hr. 1 report 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 5, 2011, 9:40 AM CDT (14:40 UTC)
Expired
Sep 5, 2011, 3:30 PM CDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Pickens County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 82 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 14:41 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 5, 10:50 AM CDTFLASH FLOODReform, ALUP TO 6 INCHES OF FLOWING WATER ACROSS MANY STREETS IN REFORM.

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 12:00Z, 2.7 hours before the alert went out and 113 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, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2011-09-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 371 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, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2011-09-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 238 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
371 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-4 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
471 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
238 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
277 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.4
Supercell composite
2.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

429 
WGUS54 KBMX 051440
FFWBMX
ALC107-051730-
/O.NEW.KBMX.FF.W.0051.110905T1440Z-110905T1730Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
940 AM CDT MON SEP 5 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN PICKENS COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 1230 PM CDT

* AT 938 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED AN HEAVY 
RAINFALL SPREADING ACROSS THE AREA.  RAINFALL OF TWO TO THREE INCHES 
HAS OCCURRED DURING THE PAST FEW HOURS...AND AN ADDITIONAL ONE TO 
TWO INCHES WITH LOCALLY GREATER AMOUNTS IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 
TWO HOURS.

* RUNOFF FROM THIS RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO OCCUR. SOME 
LOCATIONS THAT MAY EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...GORDO...REFORM AND 
BENEVOLA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...HIGHWAYS AND UNDERPASSES. ADDITIONALLY...
COUNTRY ROADS AND FARMLANDS ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS...STREAMS AND
OTHER LOW LYING AREAS ARE SUBJECT TO FLOODING.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3353 8806 3352 8784 3315 8784 3311 8794
      3308 8797 3306 8803 3305 8803 3304 8805
      3306 8808

$$

41
2 follow-up statements
744 
WGUS74 KBMX 051700
FFSBMX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1200 PM CDT MON SEP 5 2011

ALC107-051730-
/O.CON.KBMX.FF.W.0051.000000T0000Z-110905T1730Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
PICKENS AL-
1200 PM CDT MON SEP 5 2011

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR EASTERN PICKENS COUNTY
UNTIL 1230 PM CDT...

AT 1158 AM CDT...RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF HEAVY RAINFALL CONTINUED
ACROSS THE WARNED AREA...WITH OVER FIVE INCHES IN SOME AREA.  STREET
FLOODING HAS ALSO BEEN REPORTED IN THE TOWN OF REFORM WITH SIX INCHES
OF WATER ON SOME STREETS AND ROADS. 

ADDITIONAL RUNOFF FROM RAINFALL THAT IS STILL OCCURRING WILL CAUSE 
FLASH FLOODING TO CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL 
EXPERIENCE FLASH FLOODING INCLUDE...GORDO...REFORM AND BENEVOLA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL CREEKS
AND STREAMS...HIGHWAYS AND UNDERPASSES. ADDITIONALLY...COUNTRY ROADS
AND FARMLANDS ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS...STREAMS AND OTHER LOW LYING
AREAS ARE ALSO SUBJECT TO FLOODING.

&&

LAT...LON 3353 8806 3352 8784 3315 8784 3311 8794
      3308 8797 3306 8803 3305 8803 3304 8805
      3306 8808

$$

41
340 
WGUS54 KBMX 051723
FFWBMX
ALC107-052030-
/O.EXT.KBMX.FF.W.0051.000000T0000Z-110905T2030Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1223 PM CDT MON SEP 5 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS EXTENDED THE

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN PICKENS COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 330 PM CDT

* AT 1221 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED AN AREA OF 
  RAINFALL CONTINUING ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. RADAR INDICATES OVER 
  FIVE INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN SO FAR IN SOME AREAS...AND AN
  ADDITIONAL INCH OR TWO IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT ONE TO TWO
  HOURS.  STREET FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED THIS MORNING IN THE
  TOWN OF REFORM.

* RUNOFF FROM ADDITIONAL RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO
  OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT MAY EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...
  GORDO...REFORM AND BENEVOLA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...HIGHWAYS AND UNDERPASSES. ADDITIONALLY...
COUNTRY ROADS AND FARMLANDS ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS...STREAMS AND
OTHER LOW LYING AREAS ARE SUBJECT TO FLOODING.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3353 8806 3352 8784 3315 8784 3311 8794
      3308 8797 3306 8803 3305 8803 3304 8805
      3306 8808

$$

41

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 5, 4:31 AM CDTWind AdvisoryBMXAutauga, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun and 33 more26 hr
Sep 5, 5:34 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXMontgomery3 hr
Sep 5, 5:54 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXElmore, Montgomery2 hr
Sep 5, 6:19 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXPickens7 hr
Sep 5, 6:20 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXPickens24 min
Sep 5, 6:44 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXLamar4 hr
Sep 5, 6:57 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXLamar7 hr
Sep 5, 7:16 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXFayette, Marion, Walker, Winston8 hr
Sep 5, 8:27 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXSumter4 hr
Sep 5, 9:01 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningBMXLamar60 hr
Sep 5, 9:29 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter48 hr
Sep 5, 10:07 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningBMXJefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker72 hr
Sep 5, 10:07 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter, Tuscaloosa59 hr
Sep 5, 10:07 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Marengo5 days
Sep 5, 10:14 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXBullock, Pike13 min
Sep 5, 10:16 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXGreene6 hr
Sep 5, 10:28 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXLamar4 hr
Sep 5, 10:31 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXLee, Macon, Russell29 min
Sep 5, 10:48 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXBibb, Hale, Perry27 min
Sep 5, 10:51 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXLee24 min
Sep 5, 11:11 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXChambers34 min
Sep 5, 11:36 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXTuscaloosa7 hr
Sep 5, 11:39 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXPerry36 min
Sep 5, 12:20 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXDallas25 min
Sep 5, 12:21 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXBullock, Pike24 min
Sep 5, 12:35 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXChilton, Dallas, Perry25 min
Sep 5, 12:40 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningBMXPickens3 hr
Sep 5, 1:00 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXLee, Russell30 min
Sep 5, 1:09 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXJefferson6 hr
Sep 5, 1:27 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningBMXPickens3 hr
Sep 5, 1:47 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningBMXPickens3 hr
Sep 5, 2:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson48 min
Sep 5, 2:28 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXBlount, Jefferson4 hr
Sep 5, 3:01 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningBMXFayette, Marion, Walker, Winston17 hr
Sep 5, 3:03 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXLee, Macon27 min
Sep 5, 3:26 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningBMXJefferson15 hr
Sep 5, 4:06 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningBMXPickens16 hr
Sep 5, 4:39 PM CDTFlash Flood Warning EmergencyBMXJefferson5 hr
Sep 5, 4:52 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXBibb, Shelby3 hr
Sep 5, 5:08 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXBlount, Jefferson67 min
Sep 5, 5:12 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXEtowah, St. Clair6 hr
Sep 5, 6:12 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXBlount, Jefferson78 min
Sep 5, 6:18 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningBMXTuscaloosa6 hr
Sep 5, 6:38 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXBlount3 hr
Sep 5, 6:41 PM CDTHigh Wind WarningBMXBlount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Etowah and 5 more3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Alabama, 2011Every 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.