Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 2012

Flash Flood Warning 39, NWS Huntsville, AL

September 17, 2012Colbert County, Lauderdale County, Alabama

NWS Huntsville, AL issued this flash flood warning at Sep 17, 2012, 2:16 PM CDT for Colbert County, Lauderdale County, Alabama. It was in force for 5 hr. 4 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 17, 2012, 2:16 PM CDT (19:16 UTC)
Expired
Sep 17, 2012, 7:15 PM CDT
In force
5 hr
Issued by
NWS Huntsville, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Emergency
Flash flood emergency
Flood severity
None

Counties Colbert County, AL, Lauderdale County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 121 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:16 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 17, 2:46 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD3 S Florence, ALAT LEAST 3 FEET OF WATER ESTIMATED OVER LOCATIONS NEAR WOODWARD AVENUE NEAR THE PIZZA HUT.
Sep 17, 3:50 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD4 S Florence, ALFIVE FEET OF WATER WAS COVERING PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHGATE MALL PARKING LOT. ONE CAR AT THIS LOCATION WAS ALMOST COMPLETLY SUBMERGED.
Sep 17, 3:52 PM CDTHEAVY RAIN 4.254 Sw Threet, AL4.25 INCHES OF RAINFALL WAS MEASURED IN 13 HOURS.
Sep 17, 4:00 PM CDTHEAVY RAIN 2.21 Ene Anderson, AL

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, 7.3 hours before the alert went out and 173 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 2012-09-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 491 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 2012-09-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 19 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
491 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
510 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
19 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
38 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

152 
WGUS54 KHUN 171916
FFWHUN
ALC033-077-172215-
/O.NEW.KHUN.FF.W.0039.120917T1916Z-120917T2215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
216 PM CDT MON SEP 17 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  LAUDERDALE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA...
  COLBERT COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 515 PM CDT

* AT 210 PM CDT...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED HEAVY RAIN IN THE 
  CITIES OF TUSCUMBIA AND FLORENCE. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 
  INCHES HAVE ALREADY FALLEN ACROSS PARTS OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL 
  LAUDERDALE AND COLBERT COUNTIES.

* SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...
  FLORENCE...MUSCLE SHOALS...SHEFFIELD...TUSCUMBIA...UNDERWOOD-
  PETERSVILLE...CHEROKEE...ROGERSVILLE...KILLEN...LITTLEVILLE...
  LEIGHTON...LEXINGTON...ANDERSON...SAINT FLORIAN AND WATERLOO.

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS AROUND 2 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS 
PORTIONS OF LAUDERDALE AND COLBERT COUNTIES. 

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.

&&

LAT...LON 3501 8820 3500 8721 3482 8721 3478 8728
      3476 8727 3478 8733 3480 8736 3481 8741
      3478 8743 3477 8742 3471 8743 3462 8750
      3457 8752 3459 8814 3489 8810 3491 8814

$$

RBOYD
3 follow-up statements
397 
WGUS54 KHUN 172118
FFWHUN
ALC033-077-180015-
/O.EXT.KHUN.FF.W.0039.000000T0000Z-120918T0015Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
418 PM CDT MON SEP 17 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS EXTENDED THE

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  LAUDERDALE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA...
  COLBERT COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 715 PM CDT

* AT 410 PM CDT...LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED 
  SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOODING IN MUSCLE SHOALS AND TUSCUMBIA. 
  THE SOUTHGATE MALL PARKING LOT WAS COMPLETELY UNDER WATER AND 
  AREAS ALONG WOODWARD AVENUE WERE EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT FLASH 
  FLOODING. IN ADDITION...LOCATIONS IN WESTERN COLBERT AND 
  LAUDERDALE COUNTY HAVE RECEIVED BETWEEN 3 AND 5 INCHES OF 
  RAINFALL SINCE THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. 

  THIS IS A FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY FOR THE CITIES OF FLORENCE... 
  MUSCLE SHOALS AND TUSCUMBIA. THIS IS A DANGEROUS FLOODING 
  SITUATION.

* SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLASH FLOODING INCLUDE... 
  FLORENCE...MUSCLE SHOALS...SHEFFIELD...TUSCUMBIA...UNDERWOOD-
  PETERSVILLE...CHEROKEE...ROGERSVILLE...KILLEN...LITTLEVILLE... 
  LEIGHTON...LEXINGTON...ANDERSON...SAINT FLORIAN AND WATERLOO.

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS AROUND 2 TO 3 INCHES ARE EXPECTED 
THROUGH MID EVENING.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE EXTENSIVE 
AND MAJOR FLOODING OF SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS...HIGHWAYS AND 
UNDERPASSES. 


&&

LAT...LON 3501 8820 3500 8721 3482 8721 3478 8728
      3476 8727 3478 8733 3480 8736 3481 8741
      3478 8743 3477 8742 3471 8743 3462 8750
      3457 8752 3459 8814 3489 8810 3491 8814

$$
291 
WGUS74 KHUN 172221
FFSHUN

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
521 PM CDT MON SEP 17 2012

ALC033-077-180015-
/O.CON.KHUN.FF.W.0039.000000T0000Z-120918T0015Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
LAUDERDALE AL-COLBERT AL-
521 PM CDT MON SEP 17 2012

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM CDT FOR
LAUDERDALE AND COLBERT COUNTIES...

...THIS IS A FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY FOR TUSCUMBIA AND MUSCLE 
SHOALS...

AT 515 PM CDT...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND TRAINED SPOTTERS 
REPORT SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOODING ACROSS A LARGE PORTION OF COLBERT 
AND LAUDERDALE COUNTIES.  SPECIFICALLY...AREAS IN AND AROUND 
WOODWARD AVENUE IN MUSCLE SHOALS WERE EXPERIENCING MAJOR FLOODING 
WITH SEVERAL FEET OF WATER INTO SOME BUSINESSES. 

RAINFALL REPORTS INDICATE 4 TO 6 INCHES OF RAIN HAS ALREADY FALLEN 
ACROSS THE AREA. ALTHOUGH RAINFALL HAS BECOME LIGHTER IN INTENSITY 
SINCE 400 PM...ADDITIONAL RAINFALL THROUGH EARLY EVENING WILL 
EXACERBATE THE ONGOING FLOODING.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...
FLORENCE...MUSCLE SHOALS...SHEFFIELD...TUSCUMBIA...UNDERWOOD-
PETERSVILLE...CHEROKEE...ROGERSVILLE...KILLEN...LITTLEVILLE...
LEIGHTON...LEXINGTON...ANDERSON...SAINT FLORIAN AND WATERLOO.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS IMMINENT. MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS
OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS WATER COVERED
BRIDGES...DIPS... OR LOW WATER CROSSINGS. NEVER TRY TO CROSS A
FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL ONE...ON FOOT. TO ESCAPE RISING
WATER FIND ANOTHER ROUTE OVER HIGHER GROUND.

&&

LAT...LON 3501 8820 3500 8721 3482 8721 3478 8728
      3476 8727 3478 8733 3480 8736 3481 8741
      3478 8743 3477 8742 3471 8743 3462 8750
      3457 8752 3459 8814 3489 8810 3491 8814

$$
259 
WGUS74 KHUN 180022
FFSHUN

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
722 PM CDT MON SEP 17 2012

ALC077-033-180028-
/O.EXP.KHUN.FF.W.0039.000000T0000Z-120918T0015Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
LAUDERDALE AL-COLBERT AL-
722 PM CDT MON SEP 17 2012

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR LAUDERDALE AND COLBERT COUNTIES HAS 
EXPIRED...

THE HEAVY RAIN HAS ENDED...BUT ADDITIONAL LIGHT TO MODERATE 
RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. WHILE THE THREAT 
OF RAPID WATER RISES AND FLASH FLOODING HAS ENDED...THE PERSISTENT 
RAINFALL WILL ALLOW AREAL FLOODING TO CONTINUE. THEREFORE...MUCH OF 
LAUDERDALE AND COLBERT HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN AN AREAL FLOOD WARNING 
UNTIL 1015 PM. PLEASE CONSULT THE FLOOD WARNING FOR MORE 
INFORMATION AND CONTINUE TO HEED ANY ROAD CLOSURES.

LAT...LON 3501 8820 3500 8721 3482 8721 3478 8728
      3476 8727 3478 8733 3480 8736 3481 8741
      3478 8743 3477 8742 3471 8743 3462 8750
      3457 8752 3459 8814 3489 8810 3491 8814

$$

CCC

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 17, 10:20 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNColbert, Lauderdale70 min
Sep 17, 11:50 AM CDTFlood WatchHUNColbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale and 5 more22 hr
Sep 17, 4:27 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningHUNFranklin, Lawrence, Limestone3 hr

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.