Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 2021

Flash Flood Warning 33, NWS Huntsville, AL

August 19, 2021Franklin County, Alabama

NWS Huntsville, AL issued this flash flood warning at Aug 19, 2021, 4:45 PM CDT for Franklin County, Alabama. It was in force for 3 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: Aug 19, 2021, 4:45 PM CDT (21:45 UTC)
Expired: Aug 19, 2021, 8:00 PM CDT
In force: 3 hr
Issued by: NWS Huntsville, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Emergency: Flash flood emergency
Flood severity: None

County Franklin County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 80 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:46 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
Aug 19, 5:22 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	1 Wsw Phil Campbell, AL	COLLEGE ROAD IS UNDER AT LEAST 6 INCHES OF WATER IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS.
Aug 19, 5:26 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	1 Nw Phil Campbell, AL	BRIDGE ON NIX ROAD IS UNDER 2 FEET OF WATER.
Aug 19, 5:37 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	Phil Campbell, AL	RAIL ROAD TRACKS HAVE BEEN WASHED OUT IN ADDITION TO SEVERAL BRIDGES WITH WATER OVER THEM. MOST AREA ROADS HAVE AT LEAST 6 INCHES OF WATER OVER THEM IN THE PHIL CAMPBELL COMMUNITY.
Aug 19, 5:45 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	1 Wsw Phil Campbell, AL	PART OF COLLEGE ROAD HAS BEEN WASHED AWAY.

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, 9.8 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-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: 2206 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -4 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 517 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 29 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 54 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

388 
WGUS54 KHUN 192145
FFWHUN
ALC059-192345-
/O.NEW.KHUN.FF.W.0033.210819T2145Z-210819T2345Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
445 PM CDT Thu Aug 19 2021

The National Weather Service in Huntsville has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Southeastern Franklin AL County in northwestern Alabama...

* Until 645 PM CDT.

* At 445 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 1.5 to 2.5 inches in 1 
  hour. 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...
  Phil Campbell and Spruce Pine.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 3441 8774 3441 8756 3431 8758 3431 8774

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
EXPECTED RAINFALL...1.5-2.5 INCHES IN 1 HOUR

$$

25

3 follow-up statements

514 
WGUS54 KHUN 192236
FFWHUN
ALC059-200100-
/O.EXT.KHUN.FF.W.0033.000000T0000Z-210820T0100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
536 PM CDT Thu Aug 19 2021

...FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY FOR PHIL CAMPBELL...

The National Weather Service in Huntsville has extended the

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Southeastern Franklin AL County in northwestern Alabama...

* Until 800 PM CDT.

* At 536 PM CDT, emergency management reported thunderstorms 
  producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 3 and 5 
  inches of rain have fallen. The expected rainfall rate is 2 to 4 
  inches in 1 hour. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin 
  shortly.

  This is a FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY for Phil Campbell. This is a 
  PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!

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

  SOURCE...Emergency management reported numerous roads
           underwater and as much as 2 feet of water flowing over
           area bridges.

  IMPACT...This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK
           HIGHER GROUND NOW! Life threatening flash flooding of
           low water crossings, small creeks and streams, urban
           areas, highways, streets and underpasses.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Phil Campbell and Spruce Pine.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Move to higher ground now! This is an extremely dangerous and 
life-threatening situation. Do not attempt to travel unless you are 
fleeing an area subject to flooding or under an evacuation order.

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

&&

LAT...LON 3441 8774 3441 8756 3431 8758 3431 8774

FLASH FLOOD...OBSERVED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CATASTROPHIC
EXPECTED RAINFALL...2-4 INCHES IN 1 HOUR

$$

25

884 
WGUS74 KHUN 200020
FFSHUN

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
720 PM CDT Thu Aug 19 2021

ALC059-200100-
/O.CON.KHUN.FF.W.0033.000000T0000Z-210820T0100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Franklin AL AL-
720 PM CDT Thu Aug 19 2021

...FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY FOR PHIL CAMPBELL...

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING 
FOR SOUTHEASTERN FRANKLIN AL COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN ALABAMA...

At 720 PM CDT, emergency management reported extensive flash 
flooding across Phil Campbell. Between 4 and 6 inches of rain have 
fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing. Multiple roads remained closed.

This is a FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY for Phil Campbell. This is a 
PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!

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

SOURCE...Emergency management reported.

IMPACT...This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER
         GROUND NOW! Life threatening flash flooding of low water
         crossings, small creeks and streams, urban areas,
         highways, streets and underpasses.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Phil Campbell and Spruce Pine.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Move to higher ground now! This is an extremely dangerous and 
life-threatening situation. Do not attempt to travel unless you are 
fleeing an area subject to flooding or under an evacuation order.

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 3441 8774 3441 8756 3431 8758 3431 8774

FLASH FLOOD...OBSERVED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CATASTROPHIC

$$

25

956 
WGUS74 KHUN 200058
FFSHUN

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
758 PM CDT Thu Aug 19 2021

ALC059-200108-
/O.EXP.KHUN.FF.W.0033.000000T0000Z-210820T0100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Franklin AL AL-
758 PM CDT Thu Aug 19 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING AT 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR SOUTHEASTERN 
FRANKLIN AL COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN ALABAMA HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A 
FLOOD WARNING...

LAT...LON 3441 8774 3441 8756 3431 8758 3431 8774

$$

25

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Aug 18, 7:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Madison	36 min
Aug 19, 8:17 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	HUN	Morgan	43 min
Aug 19, 9:04 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	HUN	Cullman, Morgan	41 min
Aug 19, 9:47 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	HUN	Cullman	3 hr
Aug 19, 10:32 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	HUN	Marshall	43 min
Aug 19, 11:05 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	HUN	DeKalb	55 min
Aug 19, 11:58 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	HUN	DeKalb	32 min
Aug 19, 1:06 PM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	HUN	Cullman	39 min
Aug 19, 2:22 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	HUN	Franklin	38 min
Aug 19, 2:49 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	HUN	Franklin	41 min
Aug 19, 5:51 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	HUN	Franklin	2 hr
Aug 19, 6:18 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	HUN	Madison	27 min
Aug 19, 6:45 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	HUN	Madison	45 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.