Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 2021

Flash Flood Warning 37, NWS Birmingham, AL

July 19, 2021Jefferson County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Jul 19, 2021, 4:55 PM CDT for Jefferson County, Alabama. It was in force for 4 hr. 11 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
Jul 19, 2021, 4:55 PM CDT (21:55 UTC)
Expired
Jul 19, 2021, 9:00 PM CDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Jefferson County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 43 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:57 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
Jul 19, 5:15 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD1 Sw Vestavia Hills, ALVIDEO SHOWS RUSHING WATER FROM AN ELEVATED AREA ADJACENT TO US 31. WATER IS GOING ONTO THE ROADWAY. LEO ON-SCENE.
Jul 19, 5:24 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD1 Sw Dolomite, ALVIA SPOTTERNETWORK: WATER FLOWING ACROSS FIVE LANES AND IS THREATENING A BUSINESS ALONG THE 800 BLOCK OF ALLISON BONNET MEMORIAL DR.
Jul 19, 5:30 PM CDTFLASH FLOODFairfield, ALFLOODING ACROSS A ROADWAY IN FAIRFIELD WITH DISABLED VEHICLES.
Jul 19, 5:30 PM CDTFLASH FLOODVestavia Hills, ALHWY 31 FLOODED IN VESTAVIA HILLS WITH DISABLED VEHICLES.
Jul 19, 6:00 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD1 Ssw Vestavia Hills, ALDEEP WATER SURROUNDING BUSINESSES IN A LOW-LYING AREA. VEHICLES SUBMERGED WITH EVACUATION FROM BUSINESSES VIA RAFTS.
Jul 19, 6:00 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD2 Se Vestavia Hills, ALSIGNIFICANT OVERFLOW OF A TRIPLE PIPE CULVERT. WATER IS NEAR A STRIP MALL BUT NOT ENTERING.
Jul 19, 6:00 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD2 Se Vestavia Hills, ALSIGNIFICANT RISE AND OVERFLOW OF A NARROW WATERWAY. DEEP, FLOWING WATER WAS CROSSING THE INTERSECTION OF ACTON ROAD AND OLD ROCKY RIDGE ROAD. ONE BUSINESS WAS SURROUNDED BY THE WATER PER VIDEO AND PHOTOS.
Jul 19, 6:07 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD1 Sw The Summit, ALCAHABA RIVER ROAD AT ALTADENA ROAD IS WASHED OUT WITH BOTH LANES UNDER WATER.
Jul 19, 6:08 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD2 Se Vestavia Hills, ALFLOOD WATERS IN A STRUCTURE AND IN VEHICLES ALONG OLD ROCKY RIDGE ROAD.
Jul 19, 6:10 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD1 Ene Vestavia Hills, ALROCKY RIDGE FD HAS CLOSED ACTON ROAD DUE TO FLOODING. WATER RESCUES IN PROGRESS.
Jul 19, 6:15 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD2 E Hoover, ALLITTLE SHADES CREEK IS SWOLLEN. OTHER DEEP FLOWING WATER WAS OBSERVED AT AND AROUND THE LOCH HAVEN DOG PARK.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 9.9 hours before the alert went out and 238 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, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 12:00Z on 2021-07-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 73 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, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 12:00Z on 2021-07-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 53 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
73 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-76 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
779 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
21 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
53 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
51 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

123 
WGUS54 KBMX 192155
FFWBMX
ALC073-200100-
/O.NEW.KBMX.FF.W.0037.210719T2155Z-210720T0100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
455 PM CDT Mon Jul 19 2021

The National Weather Service in Birmingham has issued a

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

* Until 800 PM CDT.

* At 455 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain across the 
  warned area. Between 1 and 1.5 inches of rain have fallen. The 
  expected rainfall rate is 2 to 3 inches in 1 hour. Additional 
  rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible in the warned area. 
  Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by heavy rain.

  SOURCE...Radar.

  IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban
           areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as
           other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Birmingham, Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Bessemer, Homewood, Mountain 
  Brook, Hueytown, Irondale, Fairfield, Pleasant Grove, Midfield, 
  Adamsville, Brighton, Lipscomb, Sylvan Springs, Mulga, Maytown, 
  Edgewater, Concord and McDonald Chapel.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

Please report observed flooding to local emergency services or law 
enforcement and request they pass this information to the National 
Weather Service when you can do so safely.

&&

LAT...LON 3355 8685 3352 8671 3347 8667 3344 8670
      3343 8670 3342 8675 3340 8675 3343 8715
      3342 8727 3344 8729 3346 8734 3347 8734
      3349 8733 3348 8729 3350 8729 3350 8726
      3351 8726 3351 8727 3355 8710

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
EXPECTED RAINFALL...2-3 INCHES IN 1 HOUR

$$

86/Martin
2 follow-up statements
640 
WGUS54 KBMX 192321
FFWBMX
ALC073-200200-
/O.EXT.KBMX.FF.W.0037.000000T0000Z-210720T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
621 PM CDT Mon Jul 19 2021

The National Weather Service in Birmingham has extended the

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

* Until 900 PM CDT.

* At 621 PM CDT, the public reported thunderstorms producing heavy 
  rain across the warned area. Between 2 and 4 inches of rain have 
  fallen. The expected rainfall rate is 1 to 2 inches in 1 hour. 
  Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible in the 
  warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin 
  shortly.

  HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms
           producing flash flooding.

  SOURCE...Public reported.

  IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams,
           urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Birmingham, Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Bessemer, Homewood, Mountain 
  Brook, Hueytown, Irondale, Fairfield, Pleasant Grove, Midfield, 
  Adamsville, Brighton, Lipscomb, Sylvan Springs, Mulga, Maytown, 
  Edgewater, Concord and McDonald Chapel.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

Please report observed flooding to local emergency services or law 
enforcement and request they pass this information to the National 
Weather Service when you can do so safely.

&&

LAT...LON 3355 8685 3352 8671 3347 8667 3344 8670
      3343 8670 3342 8675 3340 8675 3343 8715
      3342 8727 3344 8729 3346 8734 3347 8734
      3349 8733 3348 8729 3350 8729 3350 8726
      3351 8726 3351 8727 3355 8710

FLASH FLOOD...OBSERVED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
EXPECTED RAINFALL...1-2 INCHES IN 1 HOUR

$$

86/Martin
547 
WGUS74 KBMX 200152
FFSBMX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
852 PM CDT Mon Jul 19 2021

ALC073-200202-
/O.EXP.KBMX.FF.W.0037.000000T0000Z-210720T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Jefferson AL-
852 PM CDT Mon Jul 19 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR 
CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTY...

The heavy rain has ended but light rain will continue for the next 
couple hours. Some minor flooding may persist in low lying areas, 
and a couple creeks remain out of their banks. Please continue to 
heed remaining road closures.

LAT...LON 3355 8685 3352 8671 3347 8667 3344 8670
      3343 8670 3342 8675 3340 8675 3343 8715
      3342 8727 3344 8729 3346 8734 3347 8734
      3349 8733 3348 8729 3350 8729 3350 8726
      3351 8726 3351 8727 3355 8710

$$

32/Davis

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 18, 7:25 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXTalladega2 hr
Jul 18, 7:30 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXJefferson2 hr
Jul 18, 9:00 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXEtowah3 hr
Jul 19, 5:15 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXSumter60 min
Jul 19, 6:00 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXBibb, Jefferson, Shelby3 hr
Jul 19, 1:58 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXBlount107 min
Jul 19, 5:56 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXSt. Clair, Shelby, Talladega2 hr
Jul 19, 6:27 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXJefferson, Shelby3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Alabama, 2021Every flash flood warning in 2021

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.