Widespread heavy rains resulted in flooding along the Tombigbee River in Southwest Alabama.
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.
Widespread heavy rains resulted in flooding along the Tombigbee River in Southwest Alabama.
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 Sep 23, 4:10 AM CST, 4 hours 50 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 510 AM CDT WED SEP 23 2009 .SHORT TERM TODAY AND TONIGHT...INVERTED SURFACE TROUGH EXTENDS FROM SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA...NORTHWARD ACROSS SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI. THIS TROUGH WILL WEAKEN AS IT MOVES SLIGHTLY EASTWARD ACROSS OUR WESTERN ZONES THROUGH TONIGHT. WEAK SURFACE HIGH ACROSS OUR EASTERN ZONES WILL GENERALLY HOLD THROUGH TONIGHT. THERE ARE NO SIGNIFICANT UPPER LEVEL FEATURES OTHER THAN VERY WEAK IMPULSES ROTATING AROUND THE CENTER OF UPPER HIGH PRESSURE THAT WILL DRIFT VERY SLOWLY WESTWARD OVER THE FORECAST AREA THE NEXT 24 HOURS. CLUSTER OF SHOWERS WITH EMBEDDED ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALREADY RE-DEVELOPED OVER THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO WATERS EARLY THIS MORNING. THIS ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO EXPAND NORTHWARD ALONG AND NEAR THE TROUGH AXIS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. HIGHEST PRECIPITATION COVERAGE (LIKELY) WILL THEREFORE BE FOCUSED ACROSS OUR SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND INLAND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA COUNTIES. PERIODS OF PROLONGED HEAVY RAINS ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. OUR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN ZONES WILL HAVE LESS COVERAGE (ISOLATED TO SCATTERED). A FEW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL LINGER INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS...BUT WITH LACK OF SIGNIFICANT FORCING ALL REMAINING CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY SHOULD DISSIPATE BY MID EVENING. PATCHY FOG IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AFTER MIDNIGHT AS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IS POOLED ALONG THE TROUGH AXIS...AND BREAKS OCCUR IN THE CIRRUS CANOPY. NO DENSE FOG IS FORECAST. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH ABOVE NORMAL WITH HIGHS TODAY RANGING FROM 87 TO 90 DEGREES (OR ABOUT 4 TO 6 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL)...AND LOWS RANGING FROM AROUND 70 DEGREES NORTH OF I-10 TO THE MID 70S ALONG THE COASTAL SECTIONS (OR ABOUT 7 TO 12 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL). /22 .LONG TERM THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...TO CLOSE OUT THE WEEK...LARGE CLOSED UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE CENTRAL US THURSDAY IS FORECAST TO BEGIN OPENING UP AND MOVING EASTWARD ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY DURING THE WEEKEND. THE HIGHLY AMPLIFIED PATTERN EARLY ON WILL MAINTAIN THE UPPER RIDGE OVER THE SOUTHEAST AND NORTHERN GULF THRU FRIDAY. THE UPPER RIDGE ACTS TO SUPPRESS CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WITH ISO/SCT AREAL COVERAGES OF SHWRS/TSTMS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...DOWN A CATEGORY IN SOME LOCALES THAN WE HAVE BEEN SEEING OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS. REGARDLESS...GIVEN THE PRESENCE OF DEEP LAYER MOISTURE (1.75 TO 2 INCHES) AND SLOWER STORM MOTIONS...POCKETS OF +RA REMAIN A POSSIBILITY. CHANCES OF SHWRS/TSTMS LOOK TO INCREASE BY THE WEEKEND. THIS OCCURS AS THE UPPER RIDGE FLATTENS OVER THE GULF AND HIGH LEVEL W/SW FLOW BECOMES MORE ACTIVE ONCE AGAIN OVER THE SOUTHERN STATES ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF TROF COMING IN FROM THE NORTHWEST. THE TROF SHOWS PROGRESSION INTO THE MID ATLANTIC BY EARLY NEXT WEEK WHICH SIGNALS AND SUPPORTS A DOWNWARD TREND IN POP...ALONG WITH THE PASSAGE OF A COLD FRONT INTO THE NORTHERN GULF. IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT...DAYTIME HIGHS BY TUESDAY LOOK TO BE IN THE MID 80S ALONG W/LOWER HUMIDITY. ALTHOUGH MINS SLIGHTLY LOWER THEN AS WELL...THE COOLEST MINS WHICH ARE MORE IN LINE WITH CLIMATOLOGY LOOK TO OCCUR JUST BEYOND THE MEDIUM RANGE. JUST IN TIME AS WE NEAR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER. A WORD ON THE RIVERS. DUE TO RECENT HEAVY RAINS...UPWARDS OF 10 TO 15 INCHES THAT HAVE FALLEN OVER WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA OVER THE PAST SEVEN DAYS...THE FLOW AND STAGE ALONG THE TOMBIGBEE RIVER IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA RESPONDS BY RISING TO ABOVE FLOOD STAGE. AT COFFEEVILLE DAM...UNIT HYDROGRAPHS INDICATE THE RIVER REACHING FLOOD STAGE LATER TODAY AND INTO TONIGHT...CRESTING TO NEAR 34 FEET BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON...THEN HOLDING STEADY INTO THE FIRST OF THE WEEKEND. FURTHER SOUTH AT LEROY...WHICH IS AT ACTION STAGE LEVELS...IS FORECAST TO UNDERGO MINOR FLOODING LATE THU MORNING...CRESTING TO NEAR 27 FEET BY LATE SAT. TO FOLLOW THE VERY LATEST TRENDS IN FLOW AND STAGES ON THESE FORECAST POINTS ALONG W/SEVERAL OTHERS...SEE THE ADVANCED HYDROLOGIC PREDICTION SERVICE (AHPS) WEB PAGE => HTTP://AHPS.SRH.NOAA.GOV/INDEX.PHP?WFO=MOB /10 && .AVIATION 12Z ISSUANCE...PATCHY LOW CLOUDS AND MVFR TO OCCASIONALLY IFR VISIBILITY CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR AT THE BEGINNING OF THE KMOB/KBFM TAF SITES. KPNS WILL HAVE VFR CONDITIONS TO START. LOW CLOUDS WILL REDEVELOP AFTER 14Z FOR ALL SITES...WITH MVFR CEILING CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH MOST OF THE DAY. BEST RAIN CHANCES TODAY WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE KMOB/KBFM SITES DUE TO AN INVERTED TROUGH JUST WEST OF THE AREA. ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY LINGER INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. PATCHY FOG IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AFTER 06Z...BUT NO DENSE FOG IS FORECAST. /22 && .MARINE...A SURFACE RIDGE ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST STATES AND AN INVERTED SURFACE TROUGH EXTENDING FROM THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO NORTHWARD ALONG THE ALABAMA/MISSISSIPPI BORDER WILL REMAIN THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL ALLOW A LIGHT TO OCCASIONALLY MODERATE EASTERLY WIND FLOW TO PERSIST THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. A LIGHT ONSHORE FLOW WILL RESUME OVER THE WEEKEND AS THE SURFACE RIDGE MOVES SOUTH OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO. /22 && .FIRE WEATHER...DAYTIME HUMIDITY WILL REMAIN WELL ABOVE CRITICAL LEVELS. ALTHOUGH COVERAGES OF SHWRS/TSTMS WILL TREND LOWER BY THURSDAY...LIGHTNING WILL POSE A THREAT TO FIRE AGENCIES WHO WILL BE CONDUCTING ANY CONTROL BURN/PLANNING INITIATIVES THE NEXT FEW DAYS. /10 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MOBILE 88 71 89 72 / 50 20 30 20 PENSACOLA 90 74 89 74 / 20 20 20 20 DESTIN 88 77 88 75 / 20 10 20 20 EVERGREEN 89 70 89 68 / 40 20 30 20 WAYNESBORO 87 70 90 70 / 70 20 30 30 CAMDEN 88 70 91 69 / 50 20 30 30 && .MOB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...NONE. FL...NONE. MS...NONE. GM...NONE. && 22JFP/10GJM
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 605 AM CDT WED SEP 23 2009 ALZ051>064-FLZ001>006-GMZ630-650-655-670-675-MSZ067-075-076-078- 079-241115- 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- 605 AM CDT WED SEP 23 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...THE COASTAL WATERS OF ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA...NORTHWEST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT AN INVERTED SURFACE TROUGH EXTENDING FROM SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA... NORTHWARD ACROSS SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI...WILL MOVE OVER THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE OUTLOOK AREA TODAY. NUMEROUS SHOWERS WITH EMBEDDED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND INLAND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. THESE AREAS WILL ALSO HAVE THE BEST CHANCE OF SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAIN AT TIMES. THE ADDITIONAL RAINFALL COULD RESULT IN LOCALIZED OCCURRENCES OF FLOODING OVER LOWER LYING ROADS AND AREAS THAT NORMALLY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH DRAINAGE OF STORM WATER. RECENT HEAVY RAINS HAVE CAUSED SIGNIFICANT RISES ALONG THE TOMBIGBEE RIVER. MINOR FLOODING IS FORECAST ALONG THE TOMBIGBEE RIVER NEAR LEROY AND COFFEEVILLE DAM THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. REFER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE RIVER WEB PAGE FOR THE LATEST OBSERVED RIVER STAGES...FORECASTS...OR ANY ADDITIONAL FLOOD WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR EACH DAY THROUGH MONDAY. PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN FROM SLOW MOVING OR PERSISTENT STORMS COULD RESULT IN LOCALIZED FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS...BOTH IN RURAL AND URBAN SETTINGS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND SPOTTER NETWORKS FOR SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE REQUIRED. HOWEVER...SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO RELAY ANY REPORTS OF HEAVY RAINFALL AND OR FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Three families were evacuated near the West Bend area of Clarke county due to river flooding along the Tombigbee River. Two families were evacuated on Trotter Road with one family having to leave their residence on Little Grove Hill Road.
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, September 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: 198259.