Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 2012

Flash Flood Warning 40, NWS Birmingham, AL

September 4, 20124 counties in Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Sep 4, 2012, 10:28 AM CDT for 4 counties in Alabama. It was in force for 3 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 4, 2012, 10:28 AM CDT (15:28 UTC)
Expired: Sep 4, 2012, 1:30 PM CDT
In force: 3 hr
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Emergency: Flash flood emergency
Flood severity: None

Counties Autauga County, AL, Dallas County, AL, Lowndes County, AL, Perry County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 87 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:30 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
Sep 4, 11:00 AM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	1 Nne Selma, AL	WATER ENTERING SELMA MALL FROM NEARBY CREEK.
Sep 4, 11:35 AM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	4 Nne Selma, AL	ROUNDTREE DRIVE OFF COUNTY ROAD 81 IS WASHED OUT.
Sep 4, 11:45 AM CDT	HEAVY RAIN 9.64	2 Wsw Selma, AL

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, 3.5 hours before the alert went out and 88 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: 1659 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -23 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 531 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 24 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 26 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.

305 
WGUS54 KBMX 041528
FFWBMX
ALC001-047-085-105-041830-
/O.NEW.KBMX.FF.W.0040.120904T1528Z-120904T1830Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1028 AM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN DALLAS COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  NORTHERN LOWNDES COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  SOUTHERN PERRY COUNTY IN ALABAMA...
  WESTERN AUTAUGA COUNTY IN ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 130 PM CDT

* AT 1026 AM CDT...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED SERIOUS FLASH 
FLOODING IN DOWNTOWN SELMA...AND A FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY IS NOW IN  
EFFECT.  NUMEROUS STREETS AND BUSINESSES ARE FLOODED IN THE DOWNTOWN 
SELMA AREA...WITH WATER THREE FEET DEEP ACROSS SOME ROADWAYS.

* SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...MARION...  
SELMA...SELMONT-WEST SELMONT...VALLEY GRANDE...OLD CAHABA PARK... 
AND WHITE HALL.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS IS A DANGEROUS...LIFE THREATENING SITUATION AND EVERY PRECAUTION
SHOULD BE TAKEN TO AVOID LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY. EXTENSIVE
FLOODING IS EXPECTED. MOTORISTS SHOULD AVOID WATER COVERED ROADS AND
FIND ALTERNATIVE ROUTES.

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 OR TWEET YOUR REPORT USING HASHTAG ALWX

LAT...LON 3223 8703 3266 8744 3271 8702 3266 8701
      3266 8677 3236 8649 3234 8649 3233 8648
      3229 8649 3227 8648 3226 8642 3224 8641
      3222 8641

$$

2 follow-up statements

578 
WGUS74 KBMX 041623
FFSBMX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1123 AM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012

ALC001-047-085-105-041830-
/O.CON.KBMX.FF.W.0040.000000T0000Z-120904T1830Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
DALLAS AL-LOWNDES AL-PERRY AL-AUTAUGA AL-
1123 AM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN AUTAUGA...
SOUTHERN PERRY...NORTHERN LOWNDES AND NORTHEASTERN DALLAS COUNTIES
UNTIL 130 PM CDT...

...A FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY FOR NORTHEASTERN DALLAS COUNTY INCLUDING 
THE CITY OF SELMA...

AT 1120 AM CDT...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED THAT FLASH FLOODING 
WAS OCCURRING IN SERIOUS FLASH FLOODING IN DOWNTOWN SELMA. NUMEROUS 
STREETS AND BUSINESSES ARE FLOODED IN THE DOWNTOWN SELMA AREA...WITH 
WATER THREE FEET DEEP ACROSS SOME ROADWAYS. PORTIONS OF THE SELMA 
MALL IS FLOODED AS WELL DUE TO WATER RISING ABOVE THE BANKS OF A 
CREEK BEHIND THE MALL. AN ADDITIONAL ONE INCH OF RAIN MAY OCCUR BY 
1230 PM WITH ANOTHER BAND OF RAIN THAT WILL MOVE THROUGH. 

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLASH FLOODING INCLUDE...
MARION...SELMA...SELMONT-WEST SELMONT...VALLEY GRANDE...OLD CAHABA 
PARK...AND WHITE HALL.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS IS A DANGEROUS...LIFE THREATENING SITUATION AND EVERY PRECAUTION
SHOULD BE TAKEN TO AVOID LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY. EXTENSIVE
FLOODING IS EXPECTED. MOTORISTS SHOULD AVOID WATER COVERED ROADS AND
FIND ALTERNATIVE ROUTES.

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.

&&

LAT...LON 3223 8703 3266 8744 3271 8702 3266 8701
      3266 8677 3236 8649 3234 8649 3233 8648
      3229 8649 3227 8648 3226 8642 3224 8641
      3222 8641

$$

16

215 
WGUS74 KBMX 041829
FFSBMX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
129 PM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012

ALC001-047-085-105-041837-
/O.EXP.KBMX.FF.W.0040.000000T0000Z-120904T1830Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
DALLAS AL-LOWNDES AL-PERRY AL-AUTAUGA AL-
129 PM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING THAT WAS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN AUTAUGA...
SOUTHERN PERRY...NORTHERN LOWNDES AND NORTHEASTERN DALLAS COUNTIES
WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 130 PM CDT...

EXCESS RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAIN HAS ENDED OVER WESTERN AUTAUGA... 
SOUTHERN PERRY...NORTHERN LOWNDES AND NORTHEASTERN DALLAS COUNTIES. 
THE EMERGENCY MANAGER IN DALLAS COUNTY REPORTS THAT THE FLOODING IN 
SELMA IS BEGINNING TO RECEDE. STREAMS AND CREEKS IN THE WARNED AREA 
HAVE ALSO RECEDED OR WERE BEGINNING TO RECEDE...ENDING THE FLOOD 
THREAT. IF FLOODING HAS BEEN OBSERVED... PLEASE REPORT IT TO YOUR 
LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

AN AREAL FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF DALLAS COUNTY 
TO THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST OF SELMA THROUGH 300 PM CDT. REMEMBER... 
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.

LAT...LON 3223 8703 3266 8744 3271 8702 3266 8701
      3266 8677 3236 8649 3234 8649 3233 8648
      3229 8649 3227 8648 3226 8642 3224 8641
      3222 8641

$$

77/GLEASON

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Sep 3, 7:01 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Pike	59 min
Sep 3, 7:06 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Perry	39 min
Sep 3, 7:20 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Jefferson	115 min
Sep 3, 7:23 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Pickens	52 min
Sep 3, 7:24 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Tuscaloosa	51 min
Sep 3, 7:38 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pickens	52 min
Sep 3, 8:01 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Hale	44 min
Sep 3, 8:03 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Barbour	42 min
Sep 3, 8:09 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Walker	36 min
Sep 3, 8:24 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Greene	66 min
Sep 3, 8:30 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Greene, Pickens	3 hr
Sep 3, 8:36 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Pickens	54 min
Sep 3, 8:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pickens	31 min
Sep 3, 9:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene	42 min
Sep 3, 9:15 PM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Hale, Perry	3 hr
Sep 3, 9:18 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Pickens	3 hr
Sep 3, 9:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pickens	60 min
Sep 3, 9:49 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Greene	41 min
Sep 3, 9:51 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Cherokee	39 min
Sep 3, 9:56 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	3 hr
Sep 3, 10:40 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Greene	65 min
Sep 3, 10:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Sumter	53 min
Sep 3, 10:58 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Greene, Sumter	11 min
Sep 3, 11:51 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Sumter	39 min
Sep 4, 4:36 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Lowndes	24 min
Sep 4, 6:08 AM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Autauga, Lowndes	3 hr
Sep 4, 6:19 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Dallas, Lowndes	6 hr
Sep 4, 6:30 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Bibb, Hale, Perry, Tuscaloosa	3 hr
Sep 4, 6:50 AM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Autauga, Chilton, Dallas, Perry	3 hr
Sep 4, 7:03 AM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Tuscaloosa	3 hr
Sep 4, 7:22 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Autauga, Dallas, Lowndes, Perry	3 hr
Sep 4, 9:02 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Dallas, Perry	3 hr
Sep 4, 9:28 AM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Bibb, Chilton, Hale, Perry	3 hr
Sep 4, 9:32 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Dallas	43 min
Sep 4, 11:57 AM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Dallas	3 hr
Sep 4, 12:27 PM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Dallas, Lowndes	3 hr
Sep 4, 3:14 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Greene	61 min
Sep 4, 3:51 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Greene, Hale	3 hr
Sep 4, 4:42 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Marengo	3 hr
Sep 4, 4:53 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Marengo	52 min
Sep 4, 5:41 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Marengo	49 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Alabama, 2012 Every flash flood warning in 2012

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.