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WGUS74 KMOB 051901

FFSMOB

ALZ051>064-FLZ001>006-052300-



FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL

200 PM CDT SUN AUG 5 2001





...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH ALABAMA AND

NORTHWEST FLORIDA TONIGHT AS BARRY MOVES ONSHORE...





RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL STORM BARRY IS SPREADING INTO THE

FLORIDA PANHANDLE THIS AFTERNOON...AND WILL SPREAD FURTHER INLAND

OVER SOUTH ALABAMA DURING THE NIGHT TONIGHT.  RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2

TO 4 INCHES SHOULD BE FAIRLY COMMON OVER THIS AREA TONIGHT...AND MAY

PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING OF SOME CREEKS AND STREAMS.



ADDITIONAL RAINFALL ON MONDAY IS EXPECTED TO CREATE AN INCREASE IN

THE FLOOD THREAT...AS BARRY MOVES FURTHER INLAND INTO SOUTH ALABAMA.

DUE TO THE PROLONGED NATURE OF THE RAINFALL...SOME RIVERS OVER SOUTH

ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA MAY APPROACH OR EXCEED FLOOD STAGE.



FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED AS NECESSARY FOR FLOODING THAT

OCCURS OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...6 HOURS OR LESS...WHILE RIVER

FLOOD WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED AS NEEDED FOR RIVERS THAT RISE TO OR

ABOVE FLOOD STAGE DUE TO THE EXPECTED RAINS WITH BARRY.



UP TO 8 OR 10 INCHES OF RAIN ARE LIKELY OVER PARTS OF SOUTH ALABAMA

AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA OVER THE NEXT 2 DAYS AS BARRY MOVES INLAND.

THIS WILL PRODUCE FLOODING IN SOME AREAS...SO PEOPLE LIVING NEAR

FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION AND

NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR POSSIBLE FLOOD WARNINGS.



IF BARRY SLOWS ITS MOVEMENT AS IT CONTINUES INLAND TONIGHT AND

MONDAY...THE FLOOD THREAT WILL WORSEN...AND MAJOR FLOODING WILL THEN

BECOME A POSSIBILITY.  IF BARRY PROGRESSES STEADILY ACROSS SOUTH

ALABAMA...FLOODING OF RIVERS SHOULD BE MINOR TO MODERATE IN NATURE.



FOR EXAMPLE...WITH 4 INCHES OF RAIN OVERNIGHT...RIVERS SUCH AS THE

SHOAL AT CRESTVIEW WILL GO ABOVE FLOOD STAGE...BUT WILL NOT

EXPERIENCE MAJOR FLOODING.  AT CRESTVIEW...FOR EXAMPLE...4 INCHES

OF RAIN SHOULD PRODUCE A STAGE OF 13 FEET ON THE SHOAL RIVER AT

CRESTVIEW...WHICH WOULD AFFECT ONLY A RELATIVELY SMALL AREA ALONG

THE RIVER...MAINLY IN THE TREVOR COURT AREA.



MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR WHEN PEOPLE ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH WATER

COVERING A ROADWAY.  IF YOU CANNOT SEE THE ROAD SURFACE DUE TO

WATER...DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE OVER IT.

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