Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 2021

Flash Flood Warning 42, NWS Birmingham, AL

July 24, 2021Tuscaloosa County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Jul 24, 2021, 7:31 PM CDT for Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. It was in force for 80 min. 2 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 24, 2021, 7:31 PM CDT (00:31 UTC)
Expired: Jul 24, 2021, 8:51 PM CDT
In force: 80 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

County Tuscaloosa County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 69 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:35 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Jul 24, 7:49 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	University Mall, AL	ROAD IMPASSABLE DUE TO FLOODING NEAR 15TH ST AND MCFARLAND.
Jul 24, 7:49 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	University Mall, AL	WATER OVER THE ROAD NEAR 15TH ST AND HARGROVE.

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 00:00Z, 0.5 hours before the alert went out and 68 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 224 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -82 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1418 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -15 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 16 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

872 
WGUS54 KBMX 250031
FFWBMX
ALC125-250315-
/O.NEW.KBMX.FF.W.0042.210725T0031Z-210725T0315Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
731 PM CDT Sat Jul 24 2021

The National Weather Service in Birmingham has issued a

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

* Until 1015 PM CDT.

* At 731 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing 
  heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 1.5 inches of 
  rain have fallen. The expected rainfall rate is 3 to 4 inches in 1 
  hour. Additional rainfall amounts of 2 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, Holt, University Mall, McFarland Mall, Bryant Denny 
  Stadium, University Of Alabama Quad and Taylorville.

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 3323 8751 3322 8747 3320 8747 3317 8748
      3313 8748 3313 8751 3315 8755 3320 8758
      3322 8756

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
EXPECTED RAINFALL...3-4 INCHES IN 1 HOUR

$$

40/Sizemore

2 follow-up statements

813 
WGUS74 KBMX 250113
FFSBMX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
813 PM CDT Sat Jul 24 2021

ALC125-250315-
/O.CON.KBMX.FF.W.0042.000000T0000Z-210725T0315Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Tuscaloosa AL-
813 PM CDT Sat Jul 24 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1015 PM CDT THIS 
EVENING FOR SOUTHERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY...

At 813 PM CDT, The Public reported thunderstorms producing heavy 
rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 2.5 inches of rain have 
fallen. Additional rainfall amounts up to 0.5 inches are possible in 
the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin 
shortly.

HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

SOURCE...Public 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, University Mall, McFarland Mall, Bryant Denny Stadium 
  and University Of Alabama Quad.

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 3322 8756 3322 8750 3319 8747 3317 8748
      3316 8751 3316 8756 3320 8758

FLASH FLOOD...OBSERVED

$$

40/Sizemore

891 
WGUS74 KBMX 250151
FFSBMX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
851 PM CDT Sat Jul 24 2021

ALC125-250201-
/O.CAN.KBMX.FF.W.0042.000000T0000Z-210725T0315Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Tuscaloosa AL-
851 PM CDT Sat Jul 24 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 3322 8756 3322 8750 3319 8747 3317 8748
      3316 8751 3316 8756 3320 8758

$$

40/Sizemore

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 24, 7:10 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Tuscaloosa	21 min
Jul 25, 2:46 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Chilton	104 min
Jul 25, 5:19 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Walker	26 min
Jul 25, 6:15 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Talladega	30 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Alabama, 2021 Every 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.