A prolonged strong onshore wind resulted in numerous strong rip current along the beaches of Alabama. There was one rip current fatality in Baldwin County AL on June 24th.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
A prolonged strong onshore wind resulted in numerous strong rip current along the beaches of Alabama. There was one rip current fatality in Baldwin County AL on June 24th.
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, 12:11 PM CST, 1 hour 19 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Mobile AL 111 PM CDT Mon Jun 24 2019 .DISCUSSION...See updated information for land areas and aviation discussion below. && .UPDATE...A narrow band of showers and storms has been gradually decreasing in coverage and intensity as it has moved into south central AL and the western FL panhandle early this afternoon. An additional shortwave trough in the southwest flow aloft will approach the region this afternoon and may interact with a zone of enhanced moisture across our region to produce additional isolated to scattered showers and storms into the afternoon hours. Another scenario is that there could be enough convective inhibition and/or lower instability in the wake of this morning's outflow to prevent much in the way of new development this afternoon. Given the quality of moisture and the approaching shortwave, we left 30-40% POPs in place over much of the area through the remainder of the afternoon. /21 && .AVIATION... 18Z issuance...A narrow band of rain showers and possibly an isolated thunderstorm will continue to move across portions of the western FL panhandle over the next hour or so. Additional isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms will be possible this afternoon through tonight over the region. Brief gusty winds to around 30 knots, occasional lightning, and brief reductions in ceilings/visibility will be possible near the stronger storms that develop. VFR is otherwise expected to prevail through the forecast period. /21 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 631 AM CDT Mon Jun 24 2019/ DISCUSSION...Updated for latest aviation discussion below. AVIATION... 12Z issuance...A line of showers and thunderstorms currently passing through southeast Mississippi will continue east across the forecast area this morning. The line itself should reach KMOB/KBFM terminals around 24.14Z and KPNS closer to 24.16Z, though some scattered showers are already forming ahead of it and may impact terminals beforehand. Latest upstream obs are indicating wind gusts generally around 25-35 knots, though locally higher gusts are still possible. Scattered thunderstorm development continues through this afternoon even in the wake of this morning's line, so maintained VCTS through much of the day. Outside of convection, southwest winds and a VFR/MVFR cu field prevail. /49 PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 409 AM CDT Mon Jun 24 2019/ NEAR TERM /Now Through Monday night/...A line of thunderstorms currently extends from eastern Texas northeast into northern Mississippi and is advancing southeast into the lower Mississippi River Valley through sunrise. This line is expected to weaken before reaching our area as it runs away from its supporting upper trough (and best dynamics), which is already beginning to lift northeast into the Midwestern states. Despite weakening, however, a strong outflow boundary associated with these storms will push through the local area today, likely entering our southeast Mississippi counties early to mid morning and reaching the I-65 corridor by late morning or early afternoon. Scattered thunderstorms should develop along this boundary as it pushes through the area. A few storms could become strong enough to produce locally damaging straight-line winds, frequent lightning and heavy downpours, particularly during peak heating hours this afternoon. High temps reach the mid 90s for much of the area, except our northwesternmost counties in interior southeast MS and southwest AL where upper 80s to low 90s are forecast. Activity generally tapers by sunset, though a few isolated showers could linger into overnight hours tonight. Lows range from low to mid 70s inland and upper 70s to around 80 along the coast. /49 SHORT TERM /Tuesday Through Wednesday night/...An upper trof over the Great Lakes region moves further off to the north during the period while an upper ridge amplifies over the central states and upper ridging also extends across the Gulf into the western Atlantic. Within this pattern will be a modest shortwave trof over eastern Texas which moves into the southeast states, creating a "weakness" between the central states and western Atlantic upper ridging. A surface trof develops on Tuesday over the Eastern Seaboard (extending southward from a Canadian surface low) while a surface ridge over the northeastern Gulf noses northward into the central Gulf coast region. The surface ridge expands over the eastern states Tuesday night into Wednesday as the surface trof weakens and shifts mostly into the western Atlantic but also in the process leaves a surface trof lingering mainly over the Florida peninsula. The surface pattern promotes a westerly to northwesterly surface flow over the forecast area on Tuesday which becomes northerly flow on Wednesday, a fairly unusual flow pattern for this time of year. Some shortwaves move across the region on Tuesday ahead of the upper level weakness within an environment with somewhat elevated deep layer moisture (precipitable water values near 1.75 in) and MLCAPE values near 1000 J/kg. Have opted to continue with chance pops for most of the area on Tuesday. For Wednesday, have gone with mainly slight chance pops as despite the upper level weakness and a few modest shortwaves, surface dewpoints will be a bit lower within the northerly flow over the area which limits MLCAPE values to around 500 J/kg. Highs each day will be in the lower 90s, and overnight lows range from around 70 inland to the lower/mid 70s at the coast. /29 LONG TERM /Thursday Through Sunday/...The upper level weakness over the region shifts a bit westward during the period while a longwave trof develops over the northeast states. An inverted surface trof initially located over the Florida peninsula appears to dissipate while shifting westward into the north central Gulf, but regardless results in a southeast flow returning to the forecast area by Friday and continuing through the remainder of the period. A series of modest shortwaves continue to move across the region, and with the southerly flow developing will have chance pops returning to the entire area by Friday which continue through Sunday. Highs will be in the lower 90s on Thursday then moderate somewhat to mainly around 90 each following day. Lows will typically be around 70 well inland ranging to the lower/mid 70s closer to the coast. /29 MARINE...Moderate onshore flow and seas around 3 to 4 feet continue to make conditions hazardous for small craft this morning, especially over Mobile Bay and unprotected Gulf waters west of Pensacola. Winds gradually relax today and begin veering to westerly by Tuesday as high pressure builds south of the local marine area. Winds continue to veer to northerly Wednesday/Thursday as the surface high builds into the lower Mississippi River Valley to our west. An onshore flow then redevelops late this week into next weekend. Showers and thunderstorms remain possible throughout the forecast, with the best chances occurring mid to late this week. /49 && .MOB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...High Rip Current Risk until 7 PM CDT this evening for ALZ265-266. FL...High Rip Current Risk through Tuesday morning for FLZ202-204-206. MS...None. GM...None. && This product is also available on the web at: http://weather.gov/mob
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Mobile AL 451 AM CDT Mon Jun 24 2019 ALZ051>060-261>266-FLZ201>206-MSZ067-075-076-078-079-251000- Choctaw-Washington-Clarke-Wilcox-Monroe-Conecuh-Butler-Crenshaw- Escambia-Covington-Mobile Inland-Baldwin Inland-Mobile Central- Baldwin Central-Mobile Coastal-Baldwin Coastal-Escambia Inland- Escambia Coastal-Santa Rosa Inland-Santa Rosa Coastal- Okaloosa Inland-Okaloosa Coastal-Wayne-Perry-Greene-Stone-George- 451 AM CDT Mon Jun 24 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of south central Alabama...southwest Alabama...northwest Florida and southeast Mississippi. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A High Rip Current Risk is in effect for coastal portions of Alabama through this afternoon. There is a moderate risk of rip currents tonight. A High Rip Current Risk is in effect for coastal portions of the western Florida panhandle through tonight. A line of scattered thunderstorms will move from west to east across the area this morning and afternoon. A few storms could become strong enough to produce locally damaging straight-line winds, frequent lightning, and heavy downpours. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday There is a moderate risk of rip currents along Alabama and northwest Florida beaches Tuesday and Tuesday night. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Please go to weather.gov/mob for additional information. Activation of SkyWarn severe spotter networks is not expected through Sunday. GMZ630>636-650-655-670-675-251000- Northern Mobile Bay-Southern Mobile Bay-Mississippi Sound- Perdido Bay-Pensacola Bay System-Western Choctawhatchee Bay- Eastern Choctawhatchee Bay- Coastal waters from Pensacola FL to Pascagoula MS out 20 NM- Coastal waters from Okaloosa Walton County Line FL to Pensacola FL out 20 NM- Waters from Pensacola FL to Pascagoula MS from 20 to 60 NM- Waters from Okaloosa Walton County Line FL to Pensacola FL from 20 to 60 NM- 451 AM CDT Mon Jun 24 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of the coastal waters of Alabama and northwest Florida. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Moderate onshore flow and seas around 3 to 4 feet create hazardous conditions for small craft this morning for Mobile Bay and unprotected Gulf waters. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mobile AL
831 AM CDT Mon Jun 24 2019
ALZ261-263-MSZ079-241415-
Mobile Inland AL-Mobile Central AL-George MS-
831 AM CDT Mon Jun 24 2019
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...MOBILE AND SOUTHEASTERN GEORGE COUNTIES UNTIL 915 AM
CDT...
At 830 AM CDT, the strong thunderstorms were located along a line
extending from 6 miles west of Gulfcrest to 7 miles north of Hurley
to 7 miles northwest of Wade, and moving east at 30 mph.
Wind gusts around 40 mph will be possible with these storms.
Locations impacted include...
Midtown Mobile, Prichard, Tillmans Corner, Saraland, Chickasaw,
Satsuma, Citronelle, Creola, Chunchula, Gulfcrest, Axis, Mount
Vernon, Semmes, Tanner Williams, I65 And I165, Mobile Regional
Airport, Wilmer, I65 And AL 158 and Movico.
Seek safe shelter indoors until these storms have passed.
LAT...LON 3053 8840 3074 8841 3074 8873 3100 8842
3111 8839 3111 8833 3114 8833 3115 8794
3109 8797 3107 8795 3091 8796 3088 8799
3082 8797 3081 8799 3073 8804 3075 8804
3074 8805 3072 8804 3051 8823 3048 8832
TIME...MOT...LOC 1330Z 282DEG 26KT 3099 8834 3077 8850 3072 8865The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 rip current. Local standard time, as filed.
A man in his 60s was caught in a rip current. He was unresponsive when lifeguards pulled him from the water. He was on life support while being rushed to the hospital, but he passed away at the hospital.
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, Baldwin Coastal | 2019-06-24 | 60 | Male | In Water | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, June 2019
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: 823196.