Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 2021

Flash Flood Warning 41, NWS Birmingham, AL

July 23, 2021Tuscaloosa County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Jul 23, 2021, 6:39 PM CDT for Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. It was in force for 2 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
Jul 23, 2021, 6:39 PM CDT (23:39 UTC)
Expired
Jul 23, 2021, 8:46 PM CDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Tuscaloosa County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 73 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:40 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 23, 6:39 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD1 N University Mall, ALTRAFFIC CAMERA SHOWS DEEP WATER AT THE INTERSECTION OF MCFARLAND BLVD AND UNIVERSITY BLVD WITH AT LEAST ONE VEHICLE STALLED.
Jul 23, 6:45 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD1 Se Bryant-Denny Stadi, ALREPORT OF FLOODED VEHICLES AND FLOODED ROADWAY IN THE VICINITY OF COLEMAN COLISEUM.
Jul 23, 6:55 PM CDTFLASH FLOODUniversity Mall, ALSEVERAL PUBLIC REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT FLOODING ALONG PARTS OF MCFARLAND BLVD WITH VEHICLES STALLED.
Jul 23, 7:00 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD1 Sse Bryant-Denny Stad, ALFLASH FLOODING IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS ACROSS THE CITY OF TUSCALOOSA. SEVERAL VEHICLES ARE STALLED AFTER DRIVING INTO FLOODED ROADWAYS.

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, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 72 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 2021-07-23Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1133 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, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2021-07-23The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 7 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
1133 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-23 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
596 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
11 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
7 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-3 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

971 
WGUS54 KBMX 232339
FFWBMX
ALC125-240245-
/O.NEW.KBMX.FF.W.0041.210723T2339Z-210724T0245Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
639 PM CDT Fri Jul 23 2021

The National Weather Service in Birmingham has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  South Central Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama...

* Until 945 PM CDT.

* At 639 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing 
  heavy rain across the warned area. Between 2 and 3 inches of rain 
  have fallen. The expected rainfall rate is 2 to 4 inches in 1 
  hour. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are possible in 
  the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin 
  shortly.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

  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...
  Tuscaloosa, Northport, Bryant Denny Stadium, University Mall, 
  McFarland Mall, Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, Tuscaloosa Regional 
  Airport, University Of Alabama Quad, Taylorville, Stillman 
  College, Oliver Lock And Dam, Palmore Park, Cottondale and Fosters 
  Boat Landing.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 3326 8762 3326 8758 3323 8752 3319 8748
      3319 8743 3317 8739 3314 8747 3314 8757
      3312 8763 3311 8768 3317 8763 3321 8761

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
EXPECTED RAINFALL...2-4 INCHES IN 1 HOUR

$$

40/Sizemore
2 follow-up statements
209 
WGUS74 KBMX 240019
FFSBMX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
719 PM CDT Fri Jul 23 2021

ALC125-240245-
/O.CON.KBMX.FF.W.0041.000000T0000Z-210724T0245Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Tuscaloosa AL-
719 PM CDT Fri Jul 23 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 945 PM CDT THIS 
EVENING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL TUSCALOOSA COUNTY...

At 719 PM CDT, Emergency Management reported thunderstorms producing 
heavy rain in City of Tuscaloosa. Between 2 and 3 inches of rain 
have fallen. Flash flooding is already occurring.

HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

SOURCE...Emergency management reported.

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...
  Tuscaloosa, Northport, University Mall, McFarland Mall, Bryant 
  Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, University Of Alabama 
  Quad, Taylorville, Stillman College, Oliver Lock And Dam, Palmore 
  Park and Cottondale.

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 3324 8758 3324 8754 3323 8752 3319 8748
      3319 8743 3317 8740 3314 8747 3314 8757
      3318 8763 3321 8761

FLASH FLOOD...OBSERVED

$$

40/Sizemore
022 
WGUS74 KBMX 240146
FFSBMX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
846 PM CDT Fri Jul 23 2021

ALC125-240156-
/O.CAN.KBMX.FF.W.0041.000000T0000Z-210724T0245Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Tuscaloosa AL-
846 PM CDT Fri Jul 23 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR SOUTHERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY...

The heavy rain has ended. Flash Flooding is no longer expected to 
pose an immediate threat. Please continue to heed remaining road 
closures.

LAT...LON 3323 8752 3319 8748 3319 8746 3317 8746
      3314 8754 3314 8757 3317 8757 3317 8761
      3320 8761 3322 8757

$$

40/Sizemore

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 22, 8:13 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXMacon47 min
Jul 22, 8:48 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXElmore, Tallapoosa3 hr
Jul 23, 2:21 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXElmore24 min
Jul 23, 2:55 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXMacon35 min
Jul 23, 4:52 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXJefferson, Shelby3 hr
Jul 23, 5:09 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXFayette36 min
Jul 23, 5:46 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXFayette119 min
Jul 23, 6:32 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXTuscaloosa118 min

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.