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000 

WGUS74 KMOB 191550

FFSMOB

ALZ061>064-FLZ001>006-192300-



FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL

1049 AM CDT MON MAY 19 2003



FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES UNTIL 6 PM CDT TODAY FOR THE FOLLOWING

AREAS...



IN ALABAMA

     BALDWIN AND MOBILE COUNTIES



IN FLORIDA

     OKALOOSA...ESCAMBIA AND SANTA ROSA COUNTIES



AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE CENTER WAS CURRENTLY SPINNING OVER

SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI. ALTHOUGH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE

CONCENTRATED OVER THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO...THUNDERSTORMS

ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE OVER THE WATCH AREA

THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. THE AIRMASS REMAINS WARM...MOIST AND

UNSTABLE. AS A RESULT...THUNDERSTORMS THAT DO DEVELOP HAVE THE

POTENTIAL OF DEPOSITING LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS ON ALREADY SATURATED

SOIL.



ADDITIONAL RAIN TODAY...WILL RESULT IN FLASH FLOODING OF SMALL

STREAMS...CREEKS AND OTHER POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.



MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY.

PARENTS SHOULD NOT LET CHILDREN PLAY IN OR NEAR FAST FLOWING STREAMS

OF DRAINAGE CULVERTS. BE CAREFUL WHEN WALKING NEAR THE EDGE OF FAST

FLOWING STREAMS AS THE EDGE MAY COLLAPSE.



A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS...CREEKS AND

OTHER DRAINAGE AREAS IS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA. PEOPLE IN THE

WATCH AREA SHOULD KEEP AN EYE ON THE WEATHER AND BE PREPARED FOR

IMMEDIATE ACTION SHOULD HEAVY RAINS AND FLOODING OCCUR OR A FLASH

FLOOD WARNING IS ISSUED.



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