Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 2021

Flash Flood Warning 3, NWS Huntsville, AL

March 17, 2021Colbert County, Lauderdale County, Alabama

NWS Huntsville, AL issued this flash flood warning at Mar 17, 2021, 9:07 PM CDT for Colbert County, Lauderdale County, Alabama. It was in force for 3 hr. 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
Mar 17, 2021, 9:07 PM CDT (02:07 UTC)
Expired
Mar 18, 2021, 12:07 AM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Huntsville, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Colbert County, AL, Lauderdale County, AL

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 125 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:10 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
Mar 17, 9:37 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD1 Wnw Killen, ALROAD IMPASSABLE DUE TO RUSHING WATER AT CR 63 AND BRUSH CREEK.
Mar 17, 9:46 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD2 Ne Sheffield, AL10-12 RESIDENCES NEAR OAKWOOD BLVD IN SHEFFIELD HAVE UP TO 5 FEET OF WATER IN THE HOMES.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 00:00Z, 2.1 hours before the alert went out and 154 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 00:00Z on 2021-03-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 51 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 00:00Z on 2021-03-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 249 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
51 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-123 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
623 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
55 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
249 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
168 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

687 
WGUS54 KHUN 180207
FFWHUN
ALC033-077-180515-
/O.NEW.KHUN.FF.W.0003.210318T0207Z-210318T0515Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
907 PM CDT Wed Mar 17 2021

The National Weather Service in Huntsville has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  East Central Colbert County in northwestern Alabama...
  Eastern Lauderdale County in northwestern Alabama...

* Until 1215 AM CDT.

* At 907 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing 
  heavy rain across the warned area. Between 2 and 4 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...
  Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, Tuscumbia, Killen, Lexington, 
  St. Florian, Underwood-Petersville, Anderson, Center Star, Ford 
  City, Green Hill, Elgin, Kingtown, Northwest Alabama Regional 
  Airport and Whitehead.

Emergency management reported water getting into some homes in 
Tuscumbia and the Sheffield areas. Also, roads were reported closed 
in the Florence area.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 3479 8781 3499 8754 3500 8753 3500 8752
      3500 8728 3500 8727 3500 8726 3500 8725
      3500 8724 3492 8724 3469 8771

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

$$

KTW
2 follow-up statements
486 
WGUS74 KHUN 180249
FFSHUN

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
949 PM CDT Wed Mar 17 2021

ALC033-077-180515-
/O.CON.KHUN.FF.W.0003.000000T0000Z-210318T0515Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Colbert AL-Lauderdale AL-
949 PM CDT Wed Mar 17 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1215 AM CDT THURSDAY 
FOR EAST CENTRAL COLBERT AND EASTERN LAUDERDALE COUNTIES...

At 949 PM CDT, emergency management reported thunderstorms producing 
heavy rain across the warned area. Between 3 and 4 inches of rain 
have fallen. Flash flooding is already occurring.

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

SOURCE...Emergency management.

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

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, Tuscumbia, Killen, Lexington, 
  St. Florian, Underwood-Petersville, Anderson, Center Star, Ford 
  City, Green Hill, Elgin, Kingtown, Northwest Alabama Regional 
  Airport and Whitehead.

Emergency Management has reported flooding at Oakwood Boulevard and 
Jackson Highway in Sheffield, with four to five feet of water 
covering the roads.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the 
dangers of flooding.

&&

LAT...LON 3479 8781 3499 8754 3500 8753 3500 8752
      3500 8728 3500 8727 3500 8726 3500 8725
      3500 8724 3492 8724 3469 8771

FLASH FLOOD...OBSERVED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
EXPECTED RAINFALL...1 INCH IN 3 HOURS 

$$

KDW
696 
WGUS74 KHUN 180507
FFSHUN

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
1207 AM CDT Thu Mar 18 2021

ALC033-077-180517-
/O.CAN.KHUN.FF.W.0003.000000T0000Z-210318T0515Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Colbert AL-Lauderdale AL-
1207 AM CDT Thu Mar 18 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR EAST CENTRAL COLBERT AND 
EASTERN LAUDERDALE COUNTIES...

The heavy rain has ended and flash flooding is no longer occurring. 
However, flooding from runoff from previous rainfall will continue. 
Therefore, an areal flood warning is still in effect until 215 AM.

A Flash Flood Watch remains in effect until 700 AM CDT Thursday for 
portions of Alabama and southern middle Tennessee.

LAT...LON 3479 8781 3499 8754 3500 8753 3500 8752
      3500 8728 3500 8727 3500 8726 3500 8725
      3500 8724 3492 8724 3469 8771

$$

KTW

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 17, 7:40 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningHUNColbert, Lauderdale6 hr
Mar 17, 7:54 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNColbert, Lauderdale36 min
Mar 17, 8:16 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningHUNDeKalb, Jackson, Madison, Marshall, Morgan6 hr
Mar 17, 8:17 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNColbert, Franklin43 min
Mar 17, 8:26 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLauderdale34 min
Mar 17, 8:47 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningHUNMadison11 hr
Mar 17, 8:50 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNColbert, Lauderdale, Lawrence25 min
Mar 17, 9:06 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningHUNLawrence24 hr
Mar 17, 9:14 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNCullman31 min
Mar 17, 9:19 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningHUNJackson, Madison, Marshall, Morgan3 hr
Mar 17, 9:34 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningHUNDeKalb6 hr
Mar 17, 9:45 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNMarshall, Morgan30 min
Mar 17, 10:09 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningHUNCullman, Madison, Morgan6 hr
Mar 17, 10:13 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNDeKalb, Jackson47 min
Mar 17, 10:44 PM CDTTornado WarningHUNDeKalb13 min
Mar 17, 11:03 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHUNDeKalb27 min
Mar 17, 11:10 PM CDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatHUNJackson, Marshall4 hr
Mar 18, 12:03 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningHUNMarshall117 min
Mar 18, 1:30 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningHUNCullman, DeKalb, Jackson, Madison, Marshall, Morgan8 hr
Mar 18, 8:35 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningHUNMadison2 hr
Mar 18, 10:15 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningHUNJackson, Madison, Marshall67 hr
Mar 18, 10:45 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningHUNColbert, Lauderdale4 days

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.