Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Watches in 2012

Flash Flood Watch 2, NWS Birmingham, AL

February 17, 201216 counties in Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood watch at Feb 17, 2012, 2:33 PM CST for 16 counties in Alabama. It took effect at Feb 18, 2012, 3:00 PM CST. It was in force for 5 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Feb 17, 2012, 2:33 PM CST (20:33 UTC)
In effect from
Feb 18, 2012, 3:00 PM CST
Expired
Feb 18, 2012, 8:23 PM CST
In force
5 hr
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Flood severity
None

Counties Autauga County, AL, Barbour County, AL, Bullock County, AL, Dallas County, AL, Elmore County, AL, Greene County, AL, Hale County, AL, Lee County, AL, Lowndes County, AL, Macon County, AL, Marengo County, AL, Montgomery County, AL, Perry County, AL, Pike County, AL, Russell County, AL, Sumter County, AL

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 8.6 hours before the alert went out and 92 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 2012-02-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 2012-02-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -18 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
865 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-18 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
18 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.

118 
WGUS64 KBMX 172033
FFABMX

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
233 PM CST FRI FEB 17 2012

...HEAVY RAIN WILL OCCUR ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA...

.RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF GENERALLY 1 TO 3 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED OVER
THE SOUTHERN HALF OF CENTRAL ALABAMA SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SUNDAY MORNING... WITH THE HIGHEST TOTALS... POSSIBLY UP TO 4
INCHES... NEAR THE I-85 CORRIDOR SOUTHWARD.

ALZ030>033-039>050-181200-
/O.NEW.KBMX.FF.A.0002.120218T2100Z-120219T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
SUMTER-GREENE-HALE-PERRY-MARENGO-DALLAS-AUTAUGA-LOWNDES-ELMORE-
MONTGOMERY-MACON-BULLOCK-LEE-RUSSELL-PIKE-BARBOUR-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LIVINGSTON...EUTAW...GREENSBORO...
MOUNDVILLE...MARION...DEMOPOLIS...LINDEN...SELMA...PRATTVILLE...
FORT DEPOSIT...HAYNEVILLE...WETUMPKA...TALLASSEE...MONTGOMERY...
TUSKEGEE...UNION SPRINGS...AUBURN...OPELIKA...PHENIX CITY...
TROY...EUFAULA
233 PM CST FRI FEB 17 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
LATE SATURDAY NIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA...INCLUDING
  THE FOLLOWING AREAS...AUTAUGA...DALLAS...ELMORE...LOWNDES...
  MONTGOMERY...PERRY...LEE...MACON...RUSSELL...BARBOUR...BULLOCK...
  PIKE...GREENE...HALE...MARENGO AND SUMTER.

* FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING.

* HEAVY RAIN WILL MOVE INTO THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA
  SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND WILL CONTINUE DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS
  SATURDAY NIGHT. RAINFALL OF 1 TO 3 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE
  ACROSS THE SOUTH... WITH LOCALIZED AREAS RECEIVING HIGHER
  TOTALS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION
SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

&&

$$
3 follow-up statements
925 
WGUS64 KBMX 181153
FFABMX

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
553 AM CST SAT FEB 18 2012

...HEAVY RAIN WILL OCCUR ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA...

.RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF GENERALLY 1 TO 3 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED OVER
THE SOUTHERN HALF OF CENTRAL ALABAMA SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SUNDAY MORNING...WITH THE HIGHEST TOTALS...NEAR THE I-85 CORRIDOR
AND SOUTHWARD.

ALZ030>033-039>050-190000-
/O.CON.KBMX.FF.A.0002.120218T2100Z-120219T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
SUMTER-GREENE-HALE-PERRY-MARENGO-DALLAS-AUTAUGA-LOWNDES-ELMORE-
MONTGOMERY-MACON-BULLOCK-LEE-RUSSELL-PIKE-BARBOUR-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LIVINGSTON...EUTAW...GREENSBORO...
MOUNDVILLE...MARION...DEMOPOLIS...LINDEN...SELMA...PRATTVILLE...
FORT DEPOSIT...HAYNEVILLE...WETUMPKA...TALLASSEE...MONTGOMERY...
TUSKEGEE...UNION SPRINGS...AUBURN...OPELIKA...PHENIX CITY...
TROY...EUFAULA
553 AM CST SAT FEB 18 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA...EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...SOUTHEAST 
  ALABAMA AND WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING 
  AREAS...IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...AUTAUGA...DALLAS...ELMORE... 
  LOWNDES...MONTGOMERY AND PERRY. IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA... 
  LEE...MACON AND RUSSELL. IN SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...BARBOUR... 
  BULLOCK AND PIKE. IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...GREENE...HALE... 
  MARENGO AND SUMTER. 

* FROM 3 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TONIGHT

* HEAVY RAIN WILL MOVE INTO THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA 
  SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND WILL CONTINUE DURING THE OVERNIGHT 
  HOURS SATURDAY NIGHT. RAINFALL OF 1 TO 3 INCHES WILL BE 
  POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SOUTH... WITH LOCALIZED AREAS RECEIVING 
  HIGHER TOTALS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION
SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

&&

$$
255 
WGUS64 KBMX 182219
FFABMX

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
419 PM CST SAT FEB 18 2012

...HEAVY RAIN WILL CONTINUE ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...

.RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF GENERALLY 1 TO 3 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED
HIGHER AMOUNTS...CAN BE EXPECTED OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF
CENTRAL ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. THE HIGHEST
TOTALS WILL BE NEAR THE I-85 CORRIDOR AND SOUTHWARD.

ALZ030>033-039>050-191200-
/O.CON.KBMX.FF.A.0002.000000T0000Z-120219T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
SUMTER-GREENE-HALE-PERRY-MARENGO-DALLAS-AUTAUGA-LOWNDES-ELMORE-
MONTGOMERY-MACON-BULLOCK-LEE-RUSSELL-PIKE-BARBOUR-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LIVINGSTON...EUTAW...GREENSBORO...
MOUNDVILLE...MARION...DEMOPOLIS...LINDEN...SELMA...PRATTVILLE...
FORT DEPOSIT...HAYNEVILLE...WETUMPKA...TALLASSEE...MONTGOMERY...
TUSKEGEE...UNION SPRINGS...AUBURN...OPELIKA...PHENIX CITY...
TROY...EUFAULA
419 PM CST SAT FEB 18 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA...EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...SOUTHEAST 
  ALABAMA AND WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING 
  AREAS...IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...AUTAUGA...DALLAS...ELMORE... 
  LOWNDES...MONTGOMERY AND PERRY. IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA... 
  LEE...MACON AND RUSSELL. IN SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...BARBOUR... 
  BULLOCK AND PIKE. IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...GREENE...HALE... 
  MARENGO AND SUMTER. 

* THROUGH LATE TONIGHT

* HEAVY RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF
  THE AREA THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3
  INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SOUTH...WITH ISOLATED HIGHER
  AMOUNTS POSSIBLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION
SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

&&

$$
177 
WGUS64 KBMX 190223
FFABMX

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
823 PM CST SAT FEB 18 2012

...THREAT OF EXCESSIVE RAIN ENDING...

ALZ030>033-039>050-190330-
/O.CAN.KBMX.FF.A.0002.000000T0000Z-120219T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
SUMTER-GREENE-HALE-PERRY-MARENGO-DALLAS-AUTAUGA-LOWNDES-ELMORE-
MONTGOMERY-MACON-BULLOCK-LEE-RUSSELL-PIKE-BARBOUR-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LIVINGSTON...EUTAW...GREENSBORO...
MOUNDVILLE...MARION...DEMOPOLIS...LINDEN...SELMA...PRATTVILLE...
FORT DEPOSIT...HAYNEVILLE...WETUMPKA...TALLASSEE...MONTGOMERY...
TUSKEGEE...UNION SPRINGS...AUBURN...OPELIKA...PHENIX CITY...
TROY...EUFAULA
823 PM CST SAT FEB 18 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS CANCELLED...

THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA...EAST
CENTRAL ALABAMA...SOUTHEAST ALABAMA AND WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA HAS
BEEN CANCELLED. A FEW LOCATIONS MAY STILL RECEIVE A QUARTER TO
HALF INCH OF RAINFALL OVERNIGHT...BUT AVERAGES WILL BE AROUND A
TENTH OF AN INCH IN THE PREVIOUS THREAT AREA. RUNOFF MAY OCCUR FOR
SEVERAL MORE HOURS AS SEVERAL LOCATIONS HAVE RECEIVED 2 INCHES OR
MORE OF RAIN...BUT IF ANY PROBLEMS OCCUR...IT WILL BE MORE OF A
NUISANCE TYPE RUNOFF.

$$

Nearby

Flash Flood Watches in Alabama, 2012Every flash flood watch 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.