Strong currents due to Tropical Storm Debby caused a swimmer to drown in Orange Beach.
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.
Strong currents due to Tropical Storm Debby caused a swimmer to drown in Orange Beach.
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 Jun 24, 5:43 PM CST, 1 hour 48 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
643 PM CDT SUN JUN 24 2012
.AVIATION UPDATE...[25/00Z ISSUANCE]...TROPICAL STORM DEBBIE IS NOW
MOVING SLOWLY NORTH OVER THE NORTHEAST GULF...ABOUT 205 MILES EAST
SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. STRONG NORTH WIND
REMAINS IN THE FORECAST NEXT 24 HRS WITH OCCASIONAL HIGHER GUSTS IN
PASSING SHRA AND TSRA. A/C HANDLING NEAR GROUND A LIKELY ISSUE
ESPECIALLY WITH CROSSWINDS AND/OR LIGHT A/C. CIGS 030 TO 050 AND
VSBY 3-5 SM IN RAIN STARTING ABOUT 09Z. LOWER CIGS IN HEAVIER
CONVECTION POSSIBLE. /77
**************************************************************
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 522 PM CDT SUN JUN 24 2012
...TROPICAL STORM DEBBY WILL CONTINUE TO BRING POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY
RAINS AND FLOODING...HIGH SURF...DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS...AND
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ACROSS COASTAL SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND THE
WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE THROUGH TUESDAY...
.SYNOPSIS...MID-AFTERNOON VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS THE
CIRCULATION ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL STORM DEBBY LOCATED ABOUT 100
MILES SOUTH OF APALACHICOLA FLORIDA...AND VERY SLOWLY DRIFTING TO THE
NORTH AT LESS THAN 5 MPH. REGIONAL RADAR IMAGERY SHOWS BANDS OF HEAVY
RAIN LIFTING NORTHWARD THROUGH MUCH OF CENTRAL AND NORTHERN
FLORIDA...WITH BANDS MOVING AS FAR WEST AS OKALOOSA AND FAR
SOUTHEASTERN SANTA ROSA COUNTIES AS OF 4 PM CDT. NORTHERLY TO
NORTHEASTERLY WIND SPEEDS HAVE BEEN STRONGEST OFFSHORE...WITH SPEEDS
OF 25-35 KNOTS COMMON...WITH GUSTS OVER TROPICAL STORM FORCE AT
TIMES.
&&
.SHORT TERM...A LOW CONFIDENCE FORECAST CONTINUES THROUGH THIS
FORECAST PACKAGE. MOST OF THE SHORT TERM SOLUTIONS HAVE COME INTO A
LITTLE BETTER AGREEMENT WITH DEBBY TAKING MORE OF A NORTHWARD TO
NORTHEASTWARD TURN OVER THE NEXT 48 HOURS...WITH THE 12Z ECMWF NOW
SHOWING DEBBY PRETTY MUCH REMAINING STALLED OVER THE NORTHEASTERN
GULF THROUGH MID WEEK. THE LATEST OFFICIAL NHC FORECAST NOW FOLLOWS A
SLOW NORTHWARD DRIFT FORECAST...WHICH WILL BRING A CONTINUED
POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINS AND FLASH FLOODING...MOST NOTABLY ACROSS
THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. CONFIDENCE IN
COVERAGE OF RAIN LOOKS LOWER FARTHER TO THE NORTH AND WEST FROM THE
WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE...WHERE MORE OF A SUBSIDENT NORTHERLY TO
NORTHEASTERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL BE PREVALENT ON THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT
OF THE TROPICAL CYCLONE. FOR THIS FORECAST...WE HAVE TRENDED
PRECIPITATION PROBABILITIES HIGHEST OVER THE WESTERN FLORIDA
PANHANDLE...WHERE 60-80 PERCENT COVERAGE HAS BEEN INDICATED
TONIGHT...WITH 50-60 PERCENT COVERAGE SHOWN THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING.
POPS GENERALLY WERE TRENDED FROM 20 PERCENT COVERAGE AT BEST OVER OUR
FAR NORTHWESTERN ZONES...TO AROUND 50 PERCENT ALONG THE MOBILE/
BALDWIN COUNTY COASTLINES. THE QPF FORECAST HAS BEEN TRENDED TOWARD
THE LATEST HPC FORECAST BLENDED WITH THE LATEST NHC FORECAST TRACK OF
DEBBY...WITH HEAVIEST RAINFALL TOTALS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES...WITH
ISOLATED AMOUNTS OVER 8 INCHES FOR THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE. WE
WILL CONTINUE A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE
AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL ALABAMA COUNTIES THROUGH 7 AM CDT TUESDAY.
HOWEVER...CONFIDENCE OF A HEAVY RAIN FORECAST IS NOW A LITTLE LOWER
IN MOBILE AND BALDWIN COUNTIES. IF THIS CONFIDENCE CONTINUES TO
LOWER... LATER SHIFTS MAY WANT TO RE-EVALUATE THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH
IN THESE TWO COUNTIES. OTHERWISE...THE MAIN RISKS WILL CONTINUE TO BE
COASTAL FLOODING...HIGH SURF/BEACH EROSION...DANGEROUS RIP
CURRENTS...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND SPEEDS IMPACT INLAND
PORTIONS OF THE COASTAL AREAS.
/21
.LONG TERM...A LOW CONFIDENCE FORECAST WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE
EXTENDED...AGAIN ALL DEPENDENT ON THE EVOLUTION AND TRACK OF DEBBY.
WE WILL MAINTAIN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH MID TO
LATE WEEK...WITH POPS MOST ENHANCED ACROSS THE WESTERN FLORIDA
PANHANDLE. SLIGHT CHANCE POPS FOLLOW FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE LONG
TERM PERIOD AS A MOIST SOUTHERLY FLOW REMAINS OVER THE FORECAST AREA.
TEMPERATURES WILL TREND TO SEVERAL DEGREES ABOVE SEASONABLE LEVELS.
29/21
&&
.AVIATION...[18Z TAF ISSUANCE]...TROPICAL STORM DEBBY ABOUT 100 MILES
SOUTH OF APALACHICOLA FLORIDA WILL CREATE A WELL DEFINED NORTHEAST
FLOW OVER THE TERMINALS THRU THE NEXT 24 HOURS. WINDS COULD GUST
BETWEEN 20 AND 30 KNOTS AT TIMES. A LARGE RAIN BAND LOOKS TO SHIFT
WESTWARD ACROSS THE GULF COAST AND COULD VERY WELL GET INTO
PREVAILING RAINS BY 25.03Z IF NOT EARLIER.
/10
&&
.MARINE...TROPICAL STORM DEBBY IS CAUGHT IN A WEAKNESS WITHIN THE
BASE OF AN EAST COAST UPPER LEVEL TROF AND AN UPPER HIGH NOSING
EASTWARD INTO THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY. THE FORECAST HAS
CHANGED...WITH WHAT LOOKS TO BE A VERY SLOW NORTHWARD MOTION TO THE
NORTHERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE...TO THE EXTENT THAT DEBBY LOOKS TO BE IN
THE FORECAST PICTURE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS TO COME. WITH DEBBY
BEING A VERY SLOW MOVING SYSTEM...UNCERTAINTY CONTINUES TO BE HIGH
AND WILL BE WATCHED CAREFULLY AS ANY DEVIATION IN MOTION CAN MAKE
SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO EXPECTED IMPACTS. RIGHT NOW...THE MAIN
IMPACTS LOOK TO BE LARGE BREAKERS AT THE BEACHES...RESULTING IN SOME
COASTAL FLOODING AND MINOR BEACH EROSION. POTENTIALLY DEADLY RIP
CURRENTS ARE LIKELY AND SWIMMERS ARE URGED TO NOT ENTER THE SURF.
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS IN BANDS LOOK TO BE IMPACTING THE WESTERN
FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND PORTIONS OF THE INTERIOR OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA
IN THE NEAR TERM. SMALL MARINE CRAFT SHOULD STAY IN PORT. STAY TUNED
FOR THE VERY LATEST ON TROPICAL STORM DEBBY. /10
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...COPIOUS WATER VAPOR ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL STORM
DEBBY WILL KEEP AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITY WELL ABOVE CRITERIA
THROUGH MONDAY. DISPERSION ABOVE 100 WEST OF I-65 AND BELOW 90
ELSEWHERE ESPECIALLY SOUTH AND EAST. DISPERSION SLIGHTLY LOWER ON
TUESDAY. 77/BD
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MOBILE 73 92 73 93 / 40 40 40 30
PENSACOLA 75 91 76 92 / 70 60 50 40
DESTIN 74 88 76 90 / 80 60 60 50
EVERGREEN 70 93 71 96 / 30 30 30 30
WAYNESBORO 70 96 71 97 / 10 20 10 20
CAMDEN 71 95 71 98 / 10 20 10 20
CRESTVIEW 72 92 70 94 / 70 50 50 50
&&
.MOB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 AM TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
LOWER BALDWIN...LOWER MOBILE...UPPER BALDWIN...AND UPPER
MOBILE.
TROPICAL STORM WARNING UNTIL 9 PM MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: LOWER BALDWIN...LOWER MOBILE...UPPER BALDWIN...AND
UPPER MOBILE.
FL...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 AM TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
COASTAL ESCAMBIA...COASTAL OKALOOSA...COASTAL SANTA ROSA...
INLAND ESCAMBIA...INLAND OKALOOSA...AND INLAND SANTA ROSA.
TROPICAL STORM WARNING UNTIL 9 PM MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: COASTAL ESCAMBIA...COASTAL OKALOOSA...COASTAL SANTA
ROSA...INLAND ESCAMBIA...INLAND OKALOOSA...AND INLAND SANTA
ROSA.
MS...NONE.
GM...TROPICAL STORM WARNING UNTIL 9 PM MONDAY 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...MOBILE BAY...WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL
FROM 20 TO 60 NM...AND WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO
PASCAGOULA MS FROM 20 TO 60 NM.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 430 PM CDT SUN JUN 24 2012 ALZ051>064-FLZ001>006-MSZ067-075-076-078-079-252200- 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-WAYNE-PERRY- GREENE-STONE-GEORGE- 430 PM CDT SUN JUN 24 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...NORTHWEST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI. .DAY ONE..TONIGHT TROPICAL STORM DEBBY OVER THE NORTHEAST GULF WILL MOVE VERY SLOWLY NORTHEAST. LARGE BREAKERS INTO THE BEACHES AND TIDES RUNNING 3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE NORMAL WILL BRING THE POTENTIAL FOR COASTAL FLOODING AND MODERATE BEACH EROSION ALONG THE ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE COASTLINE THROUGH TONIGHT. HEAVY RAIN BANDS WILL CONTINUE TO APPROACH THE REGION FROM THE SOUTHEAST. RAINFALL AMOUNTS RANGING FROM TWO TO FOUR INCHES IN THE DESTIN AREA ARE POSSIBLE. THERE IS A HIGH RISK FOR DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS ALONG THE BEACHES OF ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A HIGH RISK OF DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE BEACHES THROUGH AT LEAST WEDNESDAY. INCREASED SURF AND TIDES RUNNING 3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE NORMAL WILL CONTINUE TO BRING POTENTIAL FOR COASTAL FLOODING AND MODERATE BEACH EROSION ALONG THE ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA COASTLINE. AS TROPICAL STORM DEBBY MOVES SLOWLY NORTHWARD...HEAVY RAIN BANDS WILL CONTINUE TO APPROACH THE REGION FROM THE SOUTHEAST. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS RANGING FROM A QUARTER INCH OR LESS FAR NORTHERN ZONES TO NEAR FOUR INCHES ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COASTAL SECTIONS IS EXPECTED THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. CURRENTLY THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE FORECAST TO REMAIN JUST OFFSHORE OVER THE COASTAL WATERS AND ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST. HOWEVER...ANY WESTWARD SHIFT IN DEBBY'S TRACK COULD ALLOW HEAVY RAINFALL BANDS TO BECOME BETTER ESTABLISHED FURTHER INLAND. GIVEN THE STILL...VERY MOIST ANTECEDENT SOIL CONDITIONS ACROSS BOTH THE MOBILE AND PENSACOLA AREAS IN THE WAKE OF TORRENTIAL RAINS EARLIER THIS MONTH...THIS SITUATION WILL BE CLOSELY MONITORED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF SKYWARN SEVERE STORM SPOTTER NETWORKS MAY BE NEEDED. GMZ630-650-655-670-675-252200- 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- 430 PM CDT SUN JUN 24 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE COASTAL WATERS OF ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL WATERS OF ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA OUT 60 NM...INCLUDING MOBILE BAY. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS AND SEAS AROUND 10 FEET TO 20 NAUTICAL MILES OUT...TO UP TO AROUND 14 FEET EXPECTED TONIGHT. BAYS AND COASTAL WATERWAYS WILL BE VERY ROUGH. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY. SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED FOR MOBILE BAY AND THE COASTAL WATERS OUT TO 60 NM THROUGH MONDAY AND POSSIBLY INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS AND SEAS AROUND 10 FEET TO 20 NAUTICAL MILES OUT...TO UP TO AROUND 14 FEET EXPECTED TONIGHT. BAYS AND COASTAL WATERWAYS WILL BE VERY ROUGH. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY. SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT.
1 rip current. Local standard time, as filed.
A swimmer drown in the waters off of Orange Beach due to strong currents caused by Tropical Storm Debby.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rip Current, Lower Baldwin | 2012-06-24 | Male | In Water | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, June 2012
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: 399631.