Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 2011

Flash Flood Warning 7, NWS Birmingham, AL

March 9, 20117 counties in Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Mar 9, 2011, 6:00 AM CST for 7 counties in Alabama. It was in force for 4 hr. 7 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: Mar 9, 2011, 6:00 AM CST (12:00 UTC)
Expired: Mar 9, 2011, 10:00 AM CST
In force: 4 hr
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

Counties Blount County, AL, Calhoun County, AL, Cherokee County, AL, Etowah County, AL, Shelby County, AL, St. Clair County, AL, Talladega County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 103 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 12:02 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
Mar 9, 7:15 AM CST	FLASH FLOOD	Alpine, AL	SWIFT WATER OVER ROADWAY ALONG RENFRO AND PLANT ROADS.
Mar 9, 7:18 AM CST	FLASH FLOOD	Childersburg, AL	RESIDENT REPORTS WATER INTO A HOME ON 8TH AVENUE SW.
Mar 9, 7:31 AM CST	FLASH FLOOD	Sycamore, AL	6 INCHES OF WATER COVERING 80-100 FEET OF MAIN STREET.
Mar 9, 7:33 AM CST	FLASH FLOOD	Eastaboga, AL	FLOODING OF HIGHWAY 78 NORTH IN EASTABOGA NEAR MUDD STREET.
Mar 9, 7:52 AM CST	FLASH FLOOD	Gadsden, AL	MULTIPLE ROADS FLOODED IN GADSDEN INCLUDING 11TH STREET, 6TH STREET, FURMAN ROAD, AND COLLEGE PARKWAY.
Mar 9, 8:40 AM CST	FLASH FLOOD	Weaver, AL	FLOODED MOBILE HOME ON HIGHWAY 9 AND ROAD FLOODING ON POST OAK ROAD IN ALEXANDRIA.
Mar 9, 9:28 AM CST	FLOOD	3 Ene Childersburg, AL	HWY 76 NEAR DESOTO CAVERNS...WATER HAS ENTERED MOBILE HOMES AND WOOD FRAME HOMES WITH SOME DEPTHS 3 TO 5 FEET AND FLOWING RAPIDLY. MANY ROADS IN SOUTHERN PART OF COUNRY COVERED IN FLOWING WATER.

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, 0.0 hours before the alert went out and 103 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: 467 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 58 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 743 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 1250 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.

385 
WGUS54 KBMX 091200
FFWBMX
ALC009-015-019-055-115-117-121-091600-
/O.NEW.KBMX.FF.W.0007.110309T1200Z-110309T1600Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
600 AM CST WED MAR 9 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  CALHOUN COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  CHEROKEE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA...
  EAST CENTRAL BLOUNT COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  EAST CENTRAL SHELBY COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  EASTERN ST. CLAIR COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  ETOWAH COUNTY IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA...
  TALLADEGA COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 1000 AM CST

* AT 553 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED AN AREA OF 
  VERY HEAVY RAINFALL CONTINUED TO SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA.  ONE TO 
  TWO INCHES OF RAIN HAS ALREADY FALLEN...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER 
  AMOUNTS...AND AN ADDITIONAL ONE TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN IS EXPECTED 
  OVER THE AREA DURING THE NEXT TWO HOURS.  FLOODING OF FLOOD PRONE
  STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS NEAR SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS CAN BE
  EXPECTED IN THE GADSDEN...SYLACAUGA...AND TALLADEGA AREAS DURING 
  THE NEXT FEW HOURS.

* RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO
  OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE... 
  ANNISTON...CEDAR BLUFF...CENTRE...CHILDERSBURG......FORT
  MCCLELLAN...GADSDEN...JACKSONVILLE...OXFORD...PELL  
  CITY...RAINBOW CITY...SAKS...SYLACAUGA... TALLADEGA... AND 
  ANNISTON.
 

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.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE 
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS 
SAFELY.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3396 8539 3387 8564 3381 8559 3378 8564
      3365 8564 3360 8574 3355 8574 3350 8591
      3330 8598 3330 8612 3311 8617 3309 8658
      3381 8620 3392 8639 3415 8642 3418 8636
      3411 8630 3420 8618 3421 8585 3452 8551

$$

1 follow-up statement

394 
WGUS74 KBMX 091402
FFSBMX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
802 AM CST WED MAR 9 2011

ALC009-015-019-055-115-117-121-091600-
/O.CON.KBMX.FF.W.0007.000000T0000Z-110309T1600Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
SHELBY AL-TALLADEGA AL-CALHOUN AL-ST. CLAIR AL-ETOWAH AL-BLOUNT AL-
CHEROKEE AL-
802 AM CST WED MAR 9 2011

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 AM CST FOR
CHEROKEE...EAST CENTRAL BLOUNT...ETOWAH...EASTERN ST. CLAIR...
CALHOUN...TALLADEGA AND EAST CENTRAL SHELBY COUNTIES...

AT 755 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTINUED TO INDICATE 
MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL SPREADING ACROSS THE AREA.  AN ADDITIONAL 
ONE TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT TWO HOURS.

STREET FLOODING IS BEING REPORTED AROUND THE GADSDEN AREA IN SUCH 
PLACES AS THE 6TH STREET PROJECTS...ALONG NORTH 11TH STREET AND 
FURMAN ROAD.  SEVERAL REPORTS OF STREET FLOODING HAVE ALSO BEEN 
RECEIVED ACROSS TALLADEGA COUNTY THIS MORNING...INCLUDING SUCH AREAS 
AS ALPINE...CHILDERSBURG AND SYLACAUGA.  FLOODING OF SOME STREETS 
AND HIGHWAYS ACROSS THE WARNED AREA WILL CONTINUE FOR AT LEAST THE 
NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO WEISS LAKE...
TABOR ROAD......NOCCALULA FALLS...GADSDEN...CLOUDLAND...WALNUT 
GROVE...STEELE...SNEAD...SARDIS CITY......REECE CITY...RAINBOW 
CITY...PIEDMONT...OHATCHEE...LEESBURG...JACKSONVILLE...HOKES 
BLUFF...GLENCOE...GAYLESVILLE...GADSDEN...CENTRE...ATTALLA AND 
ALTOONA

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.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO
AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLY
DEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL
ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED
ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3396 8539 3387 8564 3381 8559 3378 8564
      3365 8564 3360 8574 3355 8574 3350 8591
      3330 8598 3330 8612 3311 8617 3309 8658
      3381 8620 3392 8639 3415 8642 3418 8636
      3411 8630 3420 8618 3421 8585 3452 8551

$$

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Mar 8, 6:21 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Lamar	24 min
Mar 8, 7:06 PM CST	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Lamar	3 hr
Mar 8, 8:42 PM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo, Pickens, Sumter	3 hr
Mar 8, 9:00 PM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter	4 days
Mar 8, 9:49 PM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Bibb, Jefferson, Shelby	36 hr
Mar 8, 9:49 PM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Bibb, Dallas, Perry	61 hr
Mar 8, 10:33 PM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter	9 days
Mar 8, 10:38 PM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo	8 days
Mar 8, 11:21 PM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Greene, Hale, Lamar, Marengo, Pickens, Sumter	3 hr
Mar 8, 11:55 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Dallas, Perry	50 min
Mar 9, 1:02 AM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Fayette, Jefferson, Marion, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Winston	3 hr
Mar 9, 1:15 AM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Marengo	30 min
Mar 9, 1:37 AM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Dallas	38 min
Mar 9, 2:29 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Walker and 1 more	6 hr
Mar 9, 2:47 AM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Perry	43 min
Mar 9, 3:32 AM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo, Perry, Sumter	3 hr
Mar 9, 3:56 AM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Bibb, Blount, Jefferson, Shelby, Tuscaloosa	3 hr
Mar 9, 4:21 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Bibb, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Perry, Sumter and 1 more	6 hr
Mar 9, 4:38 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marengo, Sumter	37 min
Mar 9, 4:59 AM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Bibb, Hale, Jefferson, Perry, Tuscaloosa	46 min
Mar 9, 5:24 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Dallas, Jefferson, Perry and 3 more	6 hr
Mar 9, 5:27 AM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Jefferson	16 hr
Mar 9, 5:48 AM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Autauga, Blount, Calhoun, Chilton, Coosa, Dallas and 5 more	57 min
Mar 9, 6:46 AM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Clay, Coosa, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery, Talladega and 1 more	59 min
Mar 9, 6:53 AM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Clay, Coosa, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery, Talladega and 1 more	52 min
Mar 9, 7:38 AM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Bullock, Chambers, Lee, Macon, Montgomery, Pike and 1 more	67 min
Mar 9, 8:25 AM CST	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Lamar	24 hr
Mar 9, 8:34 AM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Barbour, Bullock, Chambers, Lee, Macon, Russell	56 min
Mar 9, 8:53 AM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Talladega	6 hr
Mar 9, 9:25 AM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker	59 hr
Mar 9, 9:46 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pike	29 min
Mar 9, 10:00 AM CST	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Talladega	12 hr
Mar 9, 10:03 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Barbour, Pike	42 min
Mar 9, 10:40 AM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Chambers, Randolph, Tallapoosa	3 hr
Mar 9, 10:46 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Barbour	29 min
Mar 9, 10:59 AM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo, Tuscaloosa	33 hr
Mar 9, 10:59 AM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter, Tuscaloosa	68 hr
Mar 9, 11:18 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Cleburne	3 hr
Mar 9, 12:04 PM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Chilton, Coosa, Elmore, Shelby, Talladega	45 hr
Mar 9, 3:56 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Marion	34 min
Mar 9, 4:00 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Lamar	30 min
Mar 9, 4:04 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Pickens	26 min
Mar 9, 4:24 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Fayette	36 min
Mar 9, 4:45 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Pickens	30 min
Mar 9, 4:56 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Winston	34 min
Mar 9, 5:00 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Fayette	30 min
Mar 9, 5:14 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Fayette	31 min
Mar 9, 5:31 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Winston	29 min
Mar 9, 5:36 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Walker	39 min
Mar 9, 5:46 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Tuscaloosa	44 min

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.