Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 2018

Flash Flood Warning 39, NWS Birmingham, AL

September 26, 2018Jefferson County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Sep 26, 2018, 10:41 AM CDT for Jefferson County, Alabama. It was in force for 5 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
Sep 26, 2018, 10:41 AM CDT (15:41 UTC)
Expired
Sep 26, 2018, 3:45 PM CDT
In force
5 hr
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Jefferson County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 35 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:42 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 26, 11:35 AM CDTFLASH FLOOD2 Sse Hueytown, ALTREE ON HOUSE OFF OF EDGEHILL DR IN HUEYTOWN, NO INJURIES.
Sep 26, 11:36 AM CDTFLASH FLOOD1 S Brighton, ALFLOODING NEAR BESSEMER SUPER HIGHWAY IN BRIGHTON. FD DISPATCHED TO EVACUATE RESIDENTS FROM HOME.
Sep 26, 11:55 AM CDTFLASH FLOOD1 Wsw Uab Campus, ALFLASH FLOODING NEAR INTERSECTION OF UNIVERSITY BLVD AND 8TH ST S.
Sep 26, 12:10 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD1 Se Brighton, ALSIGNIFICANT FLOODING REPORTED AT A MOBILE HOME PARK ALONG BESSEMER SUPER HIGHWAY.
Sep 26, 12:18 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD2 Nnw Bessemer, ALFLOODING AT THE INTERSECTION OF MISSISSIPPI AVE AND 21ST ST NEAR HUEYTOWN.
Sep 26, 12:39 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD1 Ese Brighton, ALBESSEMER SUPER HIGHWAY IS IMPASSABLE AT BREWER DRIVE.
Sep 26, 1:30 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD1 Ene Mccalla, ALFLOODING AT BESSEMER ACADEMY.

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, 3.7 hours before the alert went out and 34 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 2018-09-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 552 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2018-09-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -13 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
552 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-6 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
605 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
15 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-13 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-9 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

097 
WGUS54 KBMX 261541
FFWBMX
ALC073-261845-
/O.NEW.KBMX.FF.W.0039.180926T1541Z-180926T1845Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
1041 AM CDT WED SEP 26 2018

The National Weather Service in Birmingham has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Jefferson County in central Alabama...

* Until 145 PM CDT.

* At 1040 AM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
  heavy rain across the warned area. Flash flooding is expected to
  begin shortly.

* Some locations that will experience flooding include...
  Birmingham, Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Bessemer, Homewood, Mountain
  Brook, Trussville, Hueytown, Gardendale, Irondale, Leeds, Moody,
  Fairfield, Fultondale, Center Point, Pleasant Grove, Clay, Pinson,
  Tarrant and Midfield.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small
creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as
well as other drainage areas and low lying spots.

Please report flooding to your local law enforcement agency when you
can do so safely.

&&

LAT...LON 3377 8665 3377 8659 3372 8652 3366 8653
      3362 8655 3357 8655 3340 8676 3333 8686
      3333 8689 3325 8699 3325 8706 3328 8707
      3329 8712 3331 8713 3331 8716 3336 8720
      3337 8723 3340 8724 3380 8669

$$

56
2 follow-up statements
918 
WGUS74 KBMX 261714
FFSBMX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
1214 PM CDT WED SEP 26 2018

ALC073-261845-
/O.CON.KBMX.FF.W.0039.000000T0000Z-180926T1845Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Jefferson AL-
1214 PM CDT WED SEP 26 2018

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 145 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHERN JEFFERSON COUNTY...

At 1205 PM CDT, local fire and rescue reported Flash Flooding in 
Brighton where roads have become impassible and residents have been 
evacuated from a home. Significant flooding has also been reported 
along the Bessemer Super Highway at a mobile home park and in 
Hueytown. Flooding has been reported in Downtown Birmingham in some 
isolated locations. 

Some locations that will continue to experience flooding include...
Birmingham, Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Bessemer, Homewood, Mountain
Brook, Hueytown, Gardendale, Irondale, Fairfield, Fultondale, Center
Point, Pleasant Grove, Tarrant, Midfield, Adamsville, Brighton,
Lipscomb, Graysville and Sylvan Springs.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small
creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as
well as other drainage areas and low lying spots.

Please report flooding to your local law enforcement agency when you
can do so safely.

&&

LAT...LON 3366 8678 3364 8667 3359 8665 3350 8663
      3340 8676 3333 8686 3333 8689 3325 8699
      3325 8706 3328 8707 3329 8712 3331 8713
      3331 8716 3336 8720 3337 8723 3340 8724
      3367 8687

$$

56
448 
WGUS54 KBMX 261826
FFWBMX
ALC073-262045-
/O.EXT.KBMX.FF.W.0039.000000T0000Z-180926T2045Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
126 PM CDT WED SEP 26 2018

The National Weather Service in Birmingham has extended the

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Southern Jefferson County in central Alabama...

* Until 345 PM CDT.

* At 120 PM CDT, emergency management reported that Flash flooding 
  continues across Brighton, Bessemer, and Hueytown. Roads have 
  become impassible and evacuations of homes have occurred in 
  Brighton due to Valley Creek overflowing its banks.

* Some locations that will experience flooding include...
  Birmingham, Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Bessemer, Homewood, Mountain
  Brook, Hueytown, Gardendale, Irondale, Fairfield, Fultondale,
  Center Point, Pleasant Grove, Tarrant, Midfield, Adamsville,
  Brighton, Lipscomb, Graysville and Sylvan Springs.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small
creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as
well as other drainage areas and low lying spots.

Stay away or be swept away. River banks and culverts can become
unstable and unsafe.

&&

LAT...LON 3366 8678 3364 8667 3359 8665 3350 8663
      3340 8676 3333 8686 3333 8689 3325 8699
      3325 8706 3328 8707 3329 8712 3331 8713
      3331 8716 3336 8720 3337 8723 3340 8724
      3367 8687

$$

56

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 25, 7:27 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXBlount33 min
Sep 26, 6:58 AM CDTFlash Flood WatchBMXBibb, Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Etowah, Fayette and 9 more35 hr
Sep 26, 7:13 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXFayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker, Winston3 hr
Sep 26, 7:26 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXMarion3 hr
Sep 26, 10:12 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXJefferson2 hr
Sep 26, 11:34 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXTuscaloosa3 hr
Sep 26, 11:51 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXBibb, Shelby3 hr
Sep 26, 12:36 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningBMXJefferson110 min
Sep 26, 3:45 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXChambers, Lee2 hr
Sep 26, 3:46 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningBMXJefferson3 hr
Sep 26, 3:51 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXMacon24 min
Sep 26, 3:55 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXBullock35 min
Sep 26, 4:40 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXBullock, Macon, Montgomery, Pike2 hr
Sep 26, 5:08 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXChambers, Lee2 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Alabama, 2018Every flash flood warning in 2018

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.