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. 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, 5:26 AM EST, 6 hours 50 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...SchollPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
1205 PM EDT WED SEP 16 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1204 PM FLASH FLOOD 2 S BRISTOL 30.40N 84.98W
09/16/2020 LIBERTY FL EMERGENCY MNGR
A CLASSROOM WAS REPORTED FLOODED AT WR TOLAR
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
&&
RHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
1208 PM EDT WED SEP 16 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1206 PM FLASH FLOOD HOSFORD 30.39N 84.80W
09/16/2020 LIBERTY FL EMERGENCY MNGR
A FEW BUILDINGS WERE REPORTED FLOODED NEAR
SR-20 AND SR-65.
&&
RHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
1212 PM EDT WED SEP 16 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1210 PM FLASH FLOOD BONIFAY 30.79N 85.68W
09/16/2020 HOLMES FL DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
SR 79 FROM US 90 TO BIRD RD IS CLOSED DUE TO
FLOODING.
&&
RHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
1234 PM EDT WED SEP 16 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1232 PM FLASH FLOOD 2 WSW KNOX HILL 30.63N 85.98W
09/16/2020 WALTON FL LAW ENFORCEMENT
COUNTY HIGHWAY 183 SOUTH UNDER WATER AT
WHITE CREEK.
&&
RHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
1244 PM EDT WED SEP 16 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1235 PM FLASH FLOOD NIXON 30.32N 85.46W
09/16/2020 BAY FL EMERGENCY MNGR
US 231 HAS BEEN FLOODED AT BEAR CREEK
BRIDGE.
&&
RHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
115 PM EDT WED SEP 16 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0113 PM FLASH FLOOD NIXON 30.32N 85.45W
09/16/2020 BAY FL PUBLIC
N BEAR CREEK RD BRIDGE HAS BEEN OVERTOPPED.
&&
RHThe Tallahassee radar (KTLH), 55 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:13 UTC.
6 flash flood, 4 tornado, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Roads were reported flooded in the Bainbridge area.
Flooding was reported near Highway 84 and Tennille Ave.
Scattered power outages occurred in Grady county due to trees blowing onto power lines from thunderstorms associated with the outer bands of Sally.
Water was reported over State Highway 37 near Dozier Norman Road and Mitchell County Road.
A brief tornado touched down in farther southern Cook county. Only damage to trees was reported with no structural damage. A dual-pol tornadic debris signature was observed on radar. This tornado was rated EF0.
A tornado tracked along the Brooks/Thomas county line with damage to trees. A dual-pol tornadic debris signature was observed on radar. No structural damage was reported, and this tornado was rated EF0.
A tornado tracked along the Brooks/Lowndes county line with damage to trees. A dual-pol tornadic debris signature was observed on radar. No structural damage was reported, and this tornado was rated EF0.
The dirt portion of Poplar Road near Porters Corner Road was reported to have a washout.
A tornado tracked southwest of Pavo in Thomas county line with damage to trees. A dual-pol tornadic debris signature was observed on radar. No structural damage was reported, and this tornado was rated EF0.
HAM radio reported that Alberson Road was washed out.
At least 10 roads were closed due to flooding in the Albany area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Georgia, 2020Warnings in Georgia, September 2020
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: 920025, 920026, 919981, 920030, 919994, 919992, 919991, 920031, 919993, 920024, 920032.