Hurricane Sally made landfall early on the morning of September 16 across Gulf Shores Alabama. The greatest impacts to the tri-state area came in the form of very heavy rain and significant flooding on and away from area rivers.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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 TAE wrote it up.
Hurricane Sally made landfall early on the morning of September 16 across Gulf Shores Alabama. The greatest impacts to the tri-state area came in the form of very heavy rain and significant flooding on and away from area rivers. Record river flooding occurred on the Shoal River at Mossy Head as well as Holmes Creek at Vernon.
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 Tallahassee, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 16, 4:26 AM CST, 7 hours 32 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tallahassee FL
626 AM EDT Wed Sep 16 2020
.AVIATION...
[Through 12Z Thursday]
Hurricane Sally made landfall in southern Alabama this morning. The
official track from NHC has Sally moving into southern and
southeast Alabama Wednesday night. Expect a continuance of low
MVFR and IFR in rain and isold storms this period, especially from
TLH-ABY and westward. Winds will also increase and be gusty
through the day; higher wind speeds will be closer to the track
(ECP and DHN) and in heavier rain bands on the east side of the
center.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION [426 AM EDT]...
.NEAR AND SHORT TERM [Through Tonight]...
Hurricane Sally continues to move slowly to the north and
northeast at around 2 MPH, although it appears to have gained a
little speed and a landfall along the Alabama coast is close at
hand. It has been steadily raining over our western Florida
panhandle counties where flash flood warnings continue into the
morning hours. A mesonet site reported over 11 inches of rainfall
in southern Walton county after 2 AM ET. A gust of 43 mph was
reported at ECP airport last evening. Many special marine warnings
were issued for waterspouts overnight as well as several tornado
warnings issued just inland and along the coast of the FL
panhandle into Bay and Gulf counties.
The track of Sally will slowly move north and northeast into
southeast Alabama Wednesday night. The heaviest of rainfall will
continue in our FL panhandle and SE AL counties with lesser
amounts east of the Flint and Apalachicola rivers. Localized storm
total rainfall amounts up to 20 inches through Thursday night
with potentially catastrophic flooding possible; more on hydro in
the section below.
Tropical storm force winds will be felt across western Florida
panhandle and southeast Alabama today and tonight. This, coupled
with moist soils and heavy rainfall, could lead to down trees and
powerlines and power outages.
The tornado threat will continue today east of the center which
will encompass much of the area. SPC has a bulk of the area in a
slight risk from Panama City to Dothan to Albany to Tallahassee.
Would expect to have more of a tornado threat beginning this
morning with destabilization.
For a list of active watches, warnings, and advisories, please
scroll to the bottom of this discussion product.
.LONG TERM [Thursday Through Wednesday]...
Sally will keep moving northeastward into central Georgia later
Thursday and into the Carolinas Friday. Will keep high rain
chances for this time period but overall amounts will begin to
decrease some. Sally will merge with a frontal boundary later
Friday and Saturday as it heads into the Atlantic. That front and
northwest winds will filter in for the weekend with some
overrunning cloud and rainfall through the weekend. A punch of dry
air will push that front south and east at the beginning of the
next work week. If that solution holds, highs should only reach
the upper 70s throughout the weekend into early next week with
abundant cloud cover and on and off rain chances.
.MARINE...
Hurricane Sally will continue tracking slowly
northward tonight and is forecast to make landfall west of our
local waters Wednesday morning. Dangerous boating and beach
conditions will continue through mid-week, especially across
west of the Ochlocknee River.
.FIRE WEATHER...
Hurricane Sally will move ashore this morning in southern Alabama
and move northeast into central Georgia by Thursday evening.
Rainfall will continue with increased transport winds and high
dispersions closer to the circulation as it moves northeast.
.HYDROLOGY...
POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC FLOODING POSSIBLE IN THE WESTERN FLORIDA
PANHANDLE INTO EXTREME SOUTHEAST ALABAMA THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT.
Over the past 48 hours, 4 to 8 inches of rainfall has fallen in
the western Florida panhandle closer to the coast with decreasing
rainfall amounts towards southeast Alabama and southern Georgia.
An eleven inch rainfall amount was reported in southern Walton
county overnight. Rainfall amounts through Thursday night west of
the Flint and Apalachicola rivers will average another 5 to 10
inches with locally higher amounts. Isolated storm total amounts
of 20 inches are certainly possible in the western Florida
panhandle into extreme southeast Alabama. Rainfall amounts will
decrease east of the aforementioned rivers.
Rivers will begin to rise towards flood stage through the next
week, especially those along and downstream of the track of Sally
as it moves further inland. Currently, warnings are issued for the
Choctawhatchee at Bruce, Pea at Ariton and Shoal at Mossy Head.
Expect more rises into flood in these basins and additional basins
with time.
Upgraded the coastal flood advisory to a storm surge warning for
2-4 ft surge at the coast in Walton and Bay counties. Further
along the coast, no changes needed with 1-3 feet still expected.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Spotter activation is requested. Spotters should safely report
significant weather conditions and/or damage (while following all
local, state, and CDC guidelines) by calling the office or tweeting
us @NWSTallahassee.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Tallahassee 82 74 85 71 85 / 90 90 80 50 50
Panama City 82 76 85 73 86 / 100 90 70 40 40
Dothan 77 71 80 68 82 / 90 90 80 40 40
Albany 77 73 82 71 81 / 90 90 90 50 50
Valdosta 82 73 84 71 84 / 70 70 90 40 60
Cross City 85 74 86 74 87 / 70 70 80 50 60
Apalachicola 83 77 85 74 85 / 90 90 80 50 50
&&
.TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...Flash Flood Watch through Thursday morning for Calhoun-Central
Walton-Coastal Bay-Coastal Franklin-Coastal Gulf-Gadsden-
Holmes-Inland Bay-Inland Franklin-Inland Gulf-Jackson-
Liberty-North Walton-South Walton-Washington.
Tropical Storm Warning for Calhoun-Central Walton-Coastal Bay-
Coastal Gulf-Holmes-Inland Bay-Inland Gulf-Jackson-North
Walton-South Walton-Washington.
High Rip Current Risk through Thursday evening for Coastal Bay-
Coastal Franklin-Coastal Gulf-South Walton.
Coastal Flood Advisory until 8 PM EDT /7 PM CDT/ this evening
for Coastal Bay-Coastal Gulf.
High Surf Advisory until 2 AM EDT /1 AM CDT/ Thursday for
Coastal Bay-Coastal Gulf-South Walton.
Coastal Flood Advisory until 8 PM EDT Thursday for Coastal Dixie-
Coastal Franklin-Coastal Jefferson-Coastal Taylor-Coastal
Wakulla.
Storm Surge Warning for South Walton.
GA...Flash Flood Watch through Thursday morning for Baker-Calhoun-
Clay-Decatur-Dougherty-Early-Lee-Miller-Mitchell-Quitman-
Randolph-Seminole-Terrell.
AL...Flash Flood Watch through Thursday morning for Coffee-Dale-
Geneva-Henry-Houston.
Tropical Storm Warning for Coffee-Dale-Geneva-Henry-Houston.
GM...Flash Flood Watch through Thursday morning for Coastal Waters
From Ochlockonee River to Apalachicola Fl out to 20 Nm-
Coastal waters from Mexico Beach to Apalachicola FL out 20
NM-Coastal waters from Mexico Beach to Okaloosa Walton
County Line FL out 20 NM.
Tropical Storm Warning for Coastal Waters From Ochlockonee River
to Apalachicola Fl out to 20 Nm-Coastal waters from Mexico
Beach to Apalachicola FL out 20 NM-Coastal waters from
Mexico Beach to Okaloosa Walton County Line FL out 20 NM-
Waters from Suwannee River to Apalachicola FL from 20 to 60
NM-Waters from Apalachicola to Mexico Beach FL from 20 to
60 NM-Waters from Mexico Beach to Okaloosa Walton County
Line FL from 20 to 60 NM.
Small Craft Advisory until 2 PM EDT Thursday for Apalachee Bay
or Coastal Waters From Keaton Beach to Ochlockonee River FL
out to 20 Nm-Coastal waters from Suwannee River to Keaton
Beach FL out 20 NM.
&&
NEAR TERM...Scholl
SHORT TERM...Scholl
LONG TERM...Scholl
AVIATION...Scholl
MARINE...Franck
FIRE WEATHER...Scholl
HYDROLOGY...Scholl<!doctype html>
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</html>PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
139 PM EDT WED SEP 16 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0123 PM TSTM WND DMG TALLAHASSEE MEMORIAL HO 30.46N 84.26W
09/16/2020 LEON FL EMERGENCY MNGR
TREE REPORTED DOWN ON CENTERVILLE RD NEAR
HODGES DR.
&&
RHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
151 PM EDT WED SEP 16 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0100 PM TSTM WND DMG CRAWFORDVILLE 30.18N 84.38W
09/16/2020 WAKULLA FL LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES AND POWERLINES REPORTED DOWN IN
CRAWFORDVILLE AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS OF
WAKULLA COUNTY.
&&
RHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
153 PM EDT WED SEP 16 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1245 PM TSTM WND DMG SOPCHOPPY 30.06N 84.48W
09/16/2020 WAKULLA FL PUBLIC
TREES AND POWERLINES WERE REPORTED DOWN IN
SOPCHOPPY AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS OF
WAKULLA COUNTY.
&&
RHThe Ft Rucker radar (KEOX), 55 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:00 UTC.
14 flash flood, 5 tropical storm. Local standard time, as filed.
County Road 655 was impassable due to water crossing the roadway.
County Road 663 was impassable due to water crossing the roadway.
County Road 661 was impassable due to water crossing the roadway.
Highway 605 was closed in both directions near S Park Ave due to water over the roadway.
Hurricane Sally made landfall early on the morning of September 16 across Gulf Shores Alabama. The greatest impacts to the tri-state area came in the form of very heavy rain and significant flooding on and away from area rivers. However, some tropical storm force winds also occurred across the area and resulted in some trees and power lines blown down.
Hurricane Sally made landfall early on the morning of September 16 across Gulf Shores Alabama. The greatest impacts to the tri-state area came in the form of very heavy rain and significant flooding on and away from area rivers. However, some tropical storm force winds also occurred across the area and resulted in some trees and power lines blown down.
Hurricane Sally made landfall early on the morning of September 16 across Gulf Shores Alabama. The greatest impacts to the tri-state area came in the form of very heavy rain and significant flooding on and away from area rivers. However, some tropical storm force winds also occurred across the area and resulted in some trees and power lines blown down.
Hurricane Sally made landfall early on the morning of September 16 across Gulf Shores Alabama. The greatest impacts to the tri-state area came in the form of very heavy rain and significant flooding on and away from area rivers. However, some tropical storm force winds also occurred across the area and resulted in some trees and power lines blown down.
Hurricane Sally made landfall early on the morning of September 16 across Gulf Shores Alabama. The greatest impacts to the tri-state area came in the form of very heavy rain and significant flooding on and away from area rivers. However, some tropical storm force winds also occurred across the area and resulted in some trees and power lines blown down.
Multiple roads were flooded in the Hartford area.
Highway 52 had water over the roadway in both directions past Highway 210.
One lane of Highway 189 near Kinston was closed due to flooding.
Water was crossing Highway 231 at the Pea River Bridge.
Part of Highway 105 near County Road 41 was washed out.
County Road 54 West between County Road 135 and County Road 235 was closed due to water crossing the road.
All county roads and bridges in Geneva county were deemed closed due to flooding. Damage cost was estimated.
Water was reported over County Road 349.
Water was reported over County Road 315.
During Sally, significant flash flooding occurred across the northern portions of Coffee County with all county roads in the northern part of the county declared impassable due to water over the roads. Damage cost was estimated.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, September 2020The 2020 hurricane season
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 920414, 920415, 920416, 920420, 920049, 920051, 920071, 920072, 920073, 920422, 920421, 920427, 920417, 920418, 920419, 920423, 920424, 920425, 920426.