Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 2012

Flash Flood Warning 34, NWS Huntsville, AL

August 10, 2012Limestone County, Madison County, Alabama

NWS Huntsville, AL issued this flash flood warning at Aug 10, 2012, 5:29 PM CDT for Limestone County, Madison County, Alabama. It was in force for 3 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
Aug 10, 2012, 5:29 PM CDT (22:29 UTC)
Expired
Aug 10, 2012, 8:30 PM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Huntsville, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Limestone County, AL, Madison County, AL

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 68 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:30 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 10, 6:05 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD3 Nw Madison, ALCARS REPORTED TO BE PARTIALLY UNDERWATER NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF BROWNS FERRY AND COUNTY LINE ROADS IN MADISON.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 12:00Z, 10.5 hours before the alert went out and 160 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 12:00Z on 2012-08-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1560 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 12:00Z on 2012-08-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 13 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
1560 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-29 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
621 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
13 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
71 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.5
Supercell composite
3.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

288 
WGUS54 KHUN 102229
FFWHUN
ALC083-089-110130-
/O.NEW.KHUN.FF.W.0034.120810T2229Z-120811T0130Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
529 PM CDT FRI AUG 10 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN LIMESTONE COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  SOUTHWESTERN MADISON COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 830 PM CDT

* AT 526 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING
  HEAVY RAIN ACROSS SOUTHEAST LIMESTONE AND SOUTHWEST MADISON COUNTY. 
  UP TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN HAVE ALREADY FALLEN. FLASH FLOODING CAN BE 
  EXPECTED AS ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN OCCURS.

* SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...
  MADISON.
  RURAL AREAS IN LIMESTONE COUNTY BETWEEN HIGHWAY 72 AND 
  INTERSTATE 65.

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...DON'T DROWN.

&&

LAT...LON 3462 8668 3464 8692 3480 8690 3480 8669

$$

DJN
3 follow-up statements
524 
WGUS74 KHUN 102319
FFSHUN

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
619 PM CDT FRI AUG 10 2012

ALC083-089-110130-
/O.CON.KHUN.FF.W.0034.000000T0000Z-120811T0130Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
LIMESTONE AL-MADISON AL-
619 PM CDT FRI AUG 10 2012

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 830 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN LIMESTONE AND SOUTHWESTERN MADISON COUNTIES...

AT 615 PM CDT...LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED FLASH FLOODING 
IN MADISON...AT THE INTERSECTION OF BROWNSFERRY ROAD AND COUNTY LINE 
ROAD. CARS ARE REPORTEDLY PARTIALLY UNDER WATER AT THIS INTERSECTION.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...
MADISON.

THE HEAVY RAIN HAS MOVED AWAY FROM MADISON...BUT RUNOFF FROM THE 
EXCESSIVE RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING ACROSS 
PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST LIMESTONE AND SOUTHWEST MADISON COUNTY... 
ESPECIALLY IN AND AROUND THE CITY OF MADISON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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.  MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

&&

LAT...LON 3461 8668 3464 8692 3479 8690 3479 8669

$$

DJN
592 
WGUS74 KHUN 110052
FFSHUN

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
752 PM CDT FRI AUG 10 2012

ALC083-089-110130-
/O.CON.KHUN.FF.W.0034.000000T0000Z-120811T0130Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
LIMESTONE AL-MADISON AL-
752 PM CDT FRI AUG 10 2012

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 830 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN LIMESTONE AND SOUTHWESTERN MADISON COUNTIES...

AT 750 PM CDT...LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND DISPATCH 
CONTINUED TO REPORT FLASH FLOODING OVER PARTS OF MADISON... 
ESPECIALLY ALONG COUNTY LINE ROAD...JUST SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 72. 
TWO TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF 
TIME...RESULTING IN THE FLASH FLOODING. 

A FEW MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS MAY MOVE BACK ACROSS THIS AREA 
THROUGH 9 PM...WITH A QUICK ADDITIONAL 1/4 TO 1/2 INCH OF RAINFALL. 
THIS...ALONG WITH THE EXCESSIVE RAINFALL THAT HAS ALREADY 
FALLEN...WILL MAINTAIN AN ELEVATED FLASH FLOOD THREAT ACROSS 
SOUTHEAST LIMESTONE AND SOUTHWEST MADISON COUNTIES THROUGH AT LEAST 
8:30 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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.  MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

TO REPORT FLOODING...HAVE THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY RELAY
YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

&&

LAT...LON 3461 8668 3464 8692 3479 8690 3479 8669

$$

DJN
236 
WGUS74 KHUN 110122
FFSHUN

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
822 PM CDT FRI AUG 10 2012

ALC083-089-110132-
/O.EXP.KHUN.FF.W.0034.000000T0000Z-120811T0130Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
LIMESTONE AL-MADISON AL-
822 PM CDT FRI AUG 10 2012

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN LIMESTONE AND
SOUTHWESTERN MADISON COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 830 PM CDT...

THE HEAVY RAIN HAS ENDED...AND FLOODING IS NO LONGER EXPECTED TO
POSE A THREAT.

LAT...LON 3461 8668 3464 8692 3479 8690 3479 8669

$$

RSB

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 10, 3:11 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLimestone34 min
Aug 10, 3:24 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNJackson36 min
Aug 10, 3:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNJackson31 min
Aug 10, 4:04 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLauderdale41 min
Aug 10, 4:24 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMadison36 min
Aug 10, 4:39 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNJackson51 min
Aug 10, 4:44 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLawrence31 min
Aug 10, 5:02 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMadison28 min
Aug 10, 5:23 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNDeKalb52 min
Aug 10, 5:37 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNFranklin53 min
Aug 10, 5:45 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLimestone45 min
Aug 10, 5:47 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLawrence28 min
Aug 10, 5:58 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMadison47 min
Aug 10, 6:10 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNDeKalb50 min
Aug 10, 6:13 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningHUNLawrence3 hr
Aug 10, 6:55 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNDeKalb20 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Alabama, 2012Every 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.