Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 2021

Flash Flood Warning 19, NWS Huntsville, AL

May 4, 2021DeKalb County, Marshall County, Alabama

NWS Huntsville, AL issued this flash flood warning at May 4, 2021, 10:47 AM CDT for DeKalb County, Marshall County, Alabama. It was in force for 3 hr. 1 report 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
May 4, 2021, 10:47 AM CDT (15:47 UTC)
Expired
May 4, 2021, 2:00 PM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Huntsville, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties DeKalb County, AL, Marshall County, AL

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 64 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:47 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
May 4, 10:50 AM CDTFLASH FLOODBoaz, ALPORTIONS OF SIX CITY STREETS WERE UNDER WATER, WITH AROUND 3 FEET OF WATER OVER THE ROADS AT ONE POINT.

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, 3.8 hours before the alert went out and 156 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 2021-05-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2158 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 2021-05-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 145 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
2158 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
569 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
28 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
145 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
195 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.4
Supercell composite
7.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

115 
WGUS54 KHUN 041547
FFWHUN
ALC049-095-041900-
/O.NEW.KHUN.FF.W.0019.210504T1547Z-210504T1900Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
1047 AM CDT Tue May 4 2021

The National Weather Service in Huntsville has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  DeKalb County in northeastern Alabama...
  Southeastern Marshall County in northeastern Alabama...

* Until 200 PM CDT.

* At 1047 AM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing 
  heavy rain across portions of Marshall and Dekalb Counties. 
  Between 1 and 3 inches of rain have fallen. Flash flooding is 
  ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

  SOURCE...Doppler radar.

  IMPACT...Flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
           highways, streets and underpasses as well as other
           drainage and low lying areas.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Albertville, Fort Payne, Boaz, Guntersville, Rainsville, Henagar, 
  Crossville, Sylvania, Fyffe, Powell, Geraldine, Ider, Douglas, 
  Valley Head, Hammondville, Mentone, Pine Ridge, Lakeview, Peeks 
  Corner and Guest.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are 
potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to cross flooded 
roads. Find an alternate route.

&&

LAT...LON 3422 8642 3447 8606 3450 8596 3461 8579
      3474 8569 3478 8557 3452 8551 3447 8558
      3444 8558 3436 8564 3436 8566 3426 8577
      3424 8584 3420 8584 3420 8611 3419 8611
      3418 8619 3410 8630

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

AMP
2 follow-up statements
510 
WGUS74 KHUN 041705
FFSHUN

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
1205 PM CDT Tue May 4 2021

ALC049-095-041900-
/O.CON.KHUN.FF.W.0019.000000T0000Z-210504T1900Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
DeKalb AL-Marshall AL-
1205 PM CDT Tue May 4 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM CDT THIS 
AFTERNOON FOR DEKALB AND SOUTHEASTERN MARSHALL COUNTIES...

At 1205 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing 
heavy rain across the portions of Marshall and DeKalb Counties. 
Between 2 and 3 inches of rain have fallen. Flash flooding has 
already been reported, with runoff issues persisting even after the 
rain has come to an end.

HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

SOURCE...Doppler radar.

IMPACT...Flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
         highways, streets and underpasses as well as other
         drainage and low lying areas.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
Albertville, Fort Payne, Boaz, Guntersville, Rainsville, Henagar, 
Crossville, Sylvania, Fyffe, Powell, Geraldine, Ider, Douglas, 
Valley Head, Hammondville, Mentone, Pine Ridge, Lakeview, Peeks 
Corner and Guest.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are 
potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to cross flooded 
roads. Find an alternate route.

&&

LAT...LON 3422 8642 3447 8606 3450 8596 3461 8579
      3474 8569 3478 8557 3452 8551 3447 8558
      3444 8558 3436 8564 3436 8566 3426 8577
      3424 8584 3420 8584 3420 8611 3419 8611
      3418 8619 3410 8630

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

AMP
298 
WGUS74 KHUN 041855
FFSHUN

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
155 PM CDT Tue May 4 2021

ALC049-095-041905-
/O.EXP.KHUN.FF.W.0019.000000T0000Z-210504T1900Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
DeKalb AL-Marshall AL-
155 PM CDT Tue May 4 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 2 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR 
DEKALB AND SOUTHEASTERN MARSHALL COUNTIES...

Flash flooding is no longer expected to pose a threat, though runoff 
issues may remain through the afternoon. Please continue to heed 
remaining road closures.

LAT...LON 3422 8642 3447 8606 3450 8596 3461 8579
      3474 8569 3478 8557 3452 8551 3447 8558
      3444 8558 3436 8564 3436 8566 3426 8577
      3424 8584 3420 8584 3420 8611 3419 8611
      3418 8619 3410 8630

$$

AMP

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 4, 7:18 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNColbert42 min
May 4, 7:45 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNCullman60 min
May 4, 8:31 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLimestone, Madison, Morgan44 min
May 4, 9:01 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNJackson44 min
May 4, 9:04 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNJackson26 min
May 4, 9:23 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNDeKalb52 min
May 4, 9:25 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNCullman, Morgan50 min
May 4, 9:31 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNCullman, Morgan39 min
May 4, 9:39 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNDeKalb, Jackson36 min
May 4, 9:51 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNDeKalb24 min
May 4, 10:17 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNDeKalb58 min
May 4, 10:51 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMarshall39 min
May 4, 11:15 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNCullman45 min
May 4, 11:18 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNCullman42 min
May 4, 3:37 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNFranklin23 min
May 4, 4:18 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLauderdale27 min
May 4, 5:10 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNCullman35 min
May 4, 5:56 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMadison49 min
May 4, 6:01 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMarshall44 min
May 4, 6:16 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMadison44 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.