Slow moving thunderstorms produced heavy rains that caused widespread flooding in portions of south central and southwest Alabama. Flooding from area rivers and small streams produced the most widespread flooding in portions of Escambia County, Alabama in the Atmore, Flomaton and Brewton areas.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS MOB wrote it up.
Slow moving thunderstorms produced heavy rains that caused widespread flooding in portions of south central and southwest Alabama. Flooding from area rivers and small streams produced the most widespread flooding in portions of Escambia County, Alabama in the Atmore, Flomaton and Brewton areas. The Federal Emergency Management Agency places the estimates for flood damage to property near 5.9 million U.S. Dollars in Escambia County, Alabama for this episode.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Mobile, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 14, 3:10 PM CST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
310 PM CST MON DEC 14 2009
.SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY)...WET PATTERN WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY AS A COLD FRONT SLOWLY APPROACHES THE AREA.
THE WARM FRONT HAS NOW LIFTED NORTH OF THE AREA WITH MOST OBS IN
SOUTHWEST ALABAMA INDICATING TEMPERATURES AND DEWPOINTS IN THE LOW
70S. LIGHT SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO PUMP MOISTURE INTO THE
AREA TONIGHT WITH PW VALUES INCREASING TO ABOVE 1.75 INCHES.
DIFFLUENT UPPER FLOW COMBINED WITH SEVERAL UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES
MOVING EASTWARD ACROSS THE AREA WILL TAP INTO THE MOIST AIRMASS AND
GENERATE HEAVY RAIN THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. ANOTHER 2 TO 4 INCHES
OF RAIN IS POSSIBLE AND THIS WILL EASILY CAUSE FLOODING AS THE
GROUND IS ALREADY SATURATED WITH MANY CREEKS AND RIVERS NEAR OR
ABOVE FLOOD STAGE. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE
ENTIRE AREA THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON. DENSE FOG WILL ALSO REMAIN A
THREAT PARTICULARLY NEAR THE COAST AND ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. THE
COLD FRONT WILL FINALLY MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH
TUESDAY AFTERNOON BRINGING A MUCH COOLER AND DRIER AIRMASS BACK INTO
THE REGION. THIS WILL RETURN TEMPERATURES BACK TO NEAR NORMAL FOR
THIS TIME OF YEAR FOR TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. /13
.LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY)...THE ECMWF AND GFS BOTH
DEVELOP A GULF LOW ON THURSDAY AND MOVE IT EASTWARD ACROSS THE NORTH
CENTRAL GULF THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY. THE ECMWF IS STRONGER
AND FARTHER TO THE NORTH WITH THIS LOW...WHICH WOULD HAVE MORE OF AN
IMPACT ON OUR AREA. MEANWHILE THE GFS IS WEAKER AND FARTHER TO THE
SOUTH...THUS KEEPING MOST OF THE HEAVIER RAIN SOUTH AND EAST OF THE
GULF COAST. FOR NOW WILL MAINTAIN THE SLIGHT CHANCE POPS IN THE
ONGOING FORECAST FOR THIS TIME PERIOD WITH THE CAVEAT THAT HIGHER
POPS MAY BE NEEDED IF THE ECMWF SOLUTION IS CORRECT. IN THE WAKE OF
THE GULF LOW...A LONGWAVE TROUGH DEEPENS OVER THE EASTERN STATES AND
SENDS A COLDER AND DRIER AIRMASS ACROSS THE CENTRAL GULF COAST FOR
THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL DROP TEMPERATURES TO
BELOW NORMAL WITH SOME LOWS AROUND THE FREEZING MARK FRIDAY AND
SATURDAY NIGHT. /13
&&
.MARINE...WILL KEEP THE DENSE FOG ADVISORY OVER THE BAYS AND NEAR
SHORE WATERS THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. DONT EXPECT MUCH...IF ANY
IMPROVEMENT UNTIL THE COLD FRONT ARRIVES LATE MORNING TUESDAY. NOT A
LOT OF REPORTS FROM THE MARINE AREA BUT LOCAL WEB CAMS ALONG THE
BEACHES SHOW LOW VISIBILITY. WINDS WILL INCREASE AFTER THE COLD
FRONT AND SHOULD INCREASE TO SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LEVELS BY TUESDAY
EVENING. FOR NOW WILL JUST MENTION IN SYNOPSIS. ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE
CENTER IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP AND MOVE EAST ACROSS THE NORTH CENTRAL
GULF LATER IN THE WEEK. THIS WILL INTERACT WITH THE SURFACE HIGH
THAT WILL BE MOVING EAST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN STATES FOLLOWING THE
TUESDAY COLD FRONT AND KEEP THE WINDS NORTH TO NORTHEAST AND AROUND
OR ABOVE SMALL CRAFT LEVELS THROUGH THE WEEK. /11
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MOBILE 61 63 41 62 / 90 90 20 00
PENSACOLA 64 68 46 63 / 90 90 30 05
DESTIN 64 69 48 64 / 70 80 40 05
EVERGREEN 59 62 38 60 / 90 90 20 05
WAYNESBORO 53 57 36 57 / 80 80 10 05
CAMDEN 57 59 37 58 / 90 80 10 05
CRESTVIEW 62 67 45 65 / 80 90 30 05
&&
.MOB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
LOWER BALDWIN...AND LOWER MOBILE.
FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 6 PM TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
BUTLER...CHOCTAW...CLARKE...CONECUH...COVINGTON...
CRENSHAW...ESCAMBIA...LOWER BALDWIN...LOWER MOBILE...
MONROE...UPPER BALDWIN...UPPER MOBILE...WASHINGTON...AND
WILCOX.
FL...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 6 PM TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
COASTAL ESCAMBIA...COASTAL OKALOOSA...COASTAL SANTA ROSA...
INLAND ESCAMBIA...INLAND OKALOOSA...AND INLAND SANTA ROSA.
DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
COASTAL ESCAMBIA...COASTAL OKALOOSA...AND COASTAL SANTA
ROSA.
MS...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 6 PM TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
GEORGE...GREENE...PERRY...STONE...AND WAYNE.
GM...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
COASTAL WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL OUT 20 NM...
COASTAL WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS OUT 20
NM...AND MOBILE BAY.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 600 AM CST MON DEC 14 2009 ALZ051>064-FLZ001>006-GMZ630-650-655-670-675-MSZ067-075-076-078- 079-151200- CHOCTAW-WASHINGTON-CLARKE-WILCOX-MONROE-CONECUH-BUTLER-CRENSHAW- ESCAMBIA-COVINGTON-UPPER MOBILE-UPPER BALDWIN-LOWER MOBILE- LOWER BALDWIN-INLAND ESCAMBIA-COASTAL ESCAMBIA-INLAND SANTA ROSA- COASTAL SANTA ROSA-INLAND OKALOOSA-COASTAL OKALOOSA-MOBILE BAY- COASTAL WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS FROM 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM-WAYNE-PERRY- GREENE-STONE-GEORGE- 600 AM CST MON DEC 14 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...NORTHWEST FLORIDA...SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND THE COASTAL WATERS OF ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA .DAY ONE...TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT DENSE FOG HAS FORMED OVER THE AREA...WITH VISIBILITIES GENERALLY BELOW ONE HALF MILE. VISIBILITIES WILL SLOWLY BEGIN TO RISE AFTER SUNRISE...GENERALLY RISING ABOVE ONE MILE BY MID TO LATE MORNING. THE FOG WILL LINGER THROUGH THE DAY...BUT VISIBILITIES SHOULD GENERALLY REMAIN ABOVE ONE HALF MILE THE REST OF TODAY AND TONIGHT. RAIN WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA AS A SYSTEM APPROACHES THE AREA. SOME THUNDERSTORMS WILL MIX IN...BRINGING HEAVIER RAINS TO THE AREA. WITH SOILS ALREADY SATURATED FROM THE WEEKENDS RAINS...THERE IS AN INCREASED RISK OF FLASH FLOODING OVER THE AREA...WITH A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT. A GENERAL TWO TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN ARE EXPECTED TO ACCUMULATE BEGINNING LATER TODAY...LASTING THROUGH TUESDAY. SEVERAL RIVERS IN SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND WESTERN ALABAMA ARE CURRENT IN FLOOD STAGE...WITH SEVERAL MORE ABOVE ACTION STAGE...AN INDICATION OF NUISANCE FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY WIDESPREAD RAIN AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL LAST INTO TUESDAY...ENDING AS A FRONT CROSSES THE AREA. WHILE SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOPMENT IS NOT EXPECTED...THE ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN MAY CREATE ADDITIONAL FLOODING PROBLEMS AND A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON. HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR SMALL CRAFT OVER THE MARINE AREA CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT LATE TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A RE-ENFORCING FRONT WILL INCREASE WINDS FOR THE WEEKEND...AGAIN CREATING HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR SMALL CRAFT. WITH MOST AREAS RECEIVING AN ADDITIONAL THREE TO FOUR INCHES OR MORE OF RAIN...MORE RIVERS ARE EXPECTED TO RISE ABOVE ACTION AND FLOODING LEVELS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF FLASH FLOODING.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 1236 PM CST MON DEC 14 2009 ALZ053-055-056-141930- CONECUH-MONROE-CLARKE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MONROEVILLE... 1236 PM CST MON DEC 14 2009 ...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT WESTERN CONECUH...MONROE AND EASTERN CLARKE COUNTIES... AT 1230 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM 3 MILES EAST OF MANILLA TO 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MINEOLA...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. THIS LINE OF STORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND... FINCHBURG...URIAH...FOUNTAIN...MEGARGEL...KEITH...FRANKLIN...RIVER RIDGE AND MONROEVILLE THROUGH 130 PM CST. WIND GUSTING 35 TO 45 MPH POSSIBLE AS THE LINE CROSSES THE AREA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THESE STORMS ALSO COULD PRODUCE RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF UP TO 1 INCH IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...RESULTING IN BRIEF PONDING OF WATER AROUND LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. REMEMBER...DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO WATER COVERED ROADWAYS. THE DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW A SAFE CROSSING.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
15 flash flood, 2 flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Magnolia Shores Road closed due to water covering the road.
Powell Road closed due to water covering the roadway.
Swanner Bridge Road closed due to water covering the roadway.
Lower Bozeman Road closed due to water covering the roadway.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding that covered several portions of Highway 31. The interstate on ramps were also under water.
Heavy rains produced widespread flooding in Atmore. Numerous roads were flooded and several cars were stranded.
Heavy rain produced widespread flash flooding in Atmore. Numerous homes, businesses, and roads were flooded. Several cars were stranded in the streets of downtown Atmore.
Heavy rains caused widespread street flooding and closed several roads in the county due to high water.
Heavy rain from slow moving thunderstorms caused widespread flooding of Douglas Avenue near downtown Brewton.
Flooding along the Burnt Corn Creek and Murder Creek resulted in major flooding of downtown businesses in Brewton. Estimates from Escambia Emergency Management Agency and the State of Alabama Emergency Management Agency indicate 400,000 U.S. Dollars in property damage to the downtown Brewton area due to flood waters.
Heavy rains flooded all exit ramps along Interstate 65 in Baldwin County.
Heavy rains caused Highway 225 near Bruce Beverage road to be closed due to high water on the road.
Alabama State Troopers reported high water on Highway 84 just west of Evergreen.
Several trees and power lines blown down along U.S. Highway 29 near the Covington, Crenshaw County line.
Water covered a portion of Tanner Williams Road just east of Snow Road.
Significant water level rises along the Big Escambia Creek due to persistent heavy rains falling in the river basin resulted in significant flooding of several homes and businesses in the northern sections of Flomaton. Estimates from local Emergency Management, Federal Emergency Management officials, and the State of Alabama Emergency Management Agency estimate damages from flood waters in Flomaton near 362,000 U.S. Dollars.
Saraland Police Department Dispatch reported that Scott Drive in the western portion of Saraland was closed due to water covering the road.
Heavy rains causes County Road 47 to be closed at Interstate 65 due to high water.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, December 2009
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 209041, 209042, 209043, 209044, 208851, 208848, 208850, 208852, 208849, 208965, 208853, 208854, 209038, 209009, 209039, 208974, 209040, 208855.