PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
200 PM CST MON JAN 12 2009

...2008 - FROM DROUGHT TO FLOODING FOR CENTRAL ALABAMA...

CENTRAL ALABAMA ENTERED 2008 EXPERIENCING ONE OF THE WORST
DROUGHTS ON RECORD FOLLOWING RECORD OR NEAR RECORD RAINFALL
DEFICITS IN 2007.  IN SHARP CONTRAST THE END OF 2008 AND
THE BEGINNING OF 2009 SAW THE SAME AREA EXPERIENCING NEAR
OR ABOVE NORMAL RAINFALL AND SOME SIGNIFICANT FLOODING FOR
THE FIRST TIME IN QUITE A WHILE.  LET`S LOOK AT WHY THIS
HAPPENED.

RAINFALL DURING 2007 AVERAGED GENERALLY BETWEEN 20 AND 40
INCHES ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA...OR FROM 40 TO 75 PERCENT OF
NORMAL.  THIS...COMBINED WITH A VERY HOT SUMMER...PRODUCED
SOME OF THE WORST DROUGHT CONDITIONS SEEN IN MODERN TIMES
ACROSS THE AREA.

IN CONTRAST...AS 2008 ARRIVED...SO DID PERIODIC AND WELCOME
RAIN PRODUCING WEATHER SYSTEMS.  ALTHOUGH DROUGHT CONDITIONS
PERSISTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR...THEY GRADUALLY EASED AS
GROUND WATER AND SOIL MOISTURE CONDITIONS IMPROVED DUE TO
THE PERIODIC RAINFALL.  SOME OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT
IMPROVEMENT OCCURRED FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF TROPICAL STORM
FAY IN AUGUST...WITH AS MUCH AS 6 TO 8 INCHES OF RAINFALL
FROM THIS SYSTEM.

AS 2008 ENDED AND 2009 BEGAN A COUPLE OF SIGNIFICANT HEAVY
RAINFALL EVENTS ALSO OCCURRED.  THE FIRST...FROM DECEMBER 9TH
THROUGH DECEMBER 11TH OF 2008...PRODUCED 6 TO 8 INCHES OF
RAIN OVER MUCH OF MARION...LAMAR...PICKENS...FAYETTE...WALKER
AND WINSTON COUNTIES WITH 4 TO 8 INCHES OVER PIKE...BARBOUR
AND MACON COUNTIES.  MOST REMAINING AREAS RECEIVED 2 TO 4
INCHES.  SOME OF THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT RIVER FLOODING OF THE
YEAR OCCURRED ON THE TOMBIGBEE RIVER.

Plot of Rainfall

THE SECOND SYSTEM BROUGHT HEAVY RAINFALL FROM JANUARY 5TH
THROUGH JANUARY 7TH OF 2009.  CUMULATIVE RAINFALL TOTALS OF 4
TO 7 INCHES OCCURRED IN A BROAD SWATH FROM FAYETTE AND LAMAR
COUNTIES TO BLOUNT AND ETOWAH COUNTIES...WITH 1 TO 4 INCHES
OVER REMAINING AREAS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA.  THIS PRODUCED
SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOODING OVER PORTIONS OF LAMAR...WALKER...
FAYETTE...PICKENS....BLOUNT...ETOWAH AND CHEROKEE COUNTIES.
MINOR TO MODERATE RIVER FLOODING ALSO OCCURRED ON THE
TOMBIGBEE AND BLACK WARRIOR RIVERS.

Plot of Rainfall

CUMULATIVE TOTALS FROM DECEMBER 2008 TO JANUARY 12TH HAVE
GENERALLY RANGED FROM 8 TO 12 INCHES.  THIS HAS BEEN ENOUGH
TO FINALLY BRING AN END TO THE PERSISTENT DROUGHT CONDITIONS
THAT HAVE PLAGUED CENTRAL ALABAMA DURING THE PAST TWO TO
THREE YEARS.

LISTED BELOW IS A SUMMARY OF RAINFALL TOTALS FOR SOME
REPRESENTATIVE STATIONS.

STATION          2007     2008  % INCREASE  DEC. 2008-JAN 12TH

BIRMINGHAM      28.86"   54.57"     189%            11.56"
ANNISTON        22.23"   49.14"     221%             8.28"
TUSCALOOSA      26.10"   42.38"     162%             8.69"
SHELBY CTY APT  32.00"   57.33"     179%            10.12"
MONTGOMERY      35.50"   51.92"     146%             6.68"
TROY            42.02"   49.93"     119%             8.25"

AS WE HEAD INTO 2009...THE OUTLOOK IS FOR DRIER THAN NORMAL
CONDITIONS DURING MUCH OF THE REMAINING WINTER SEASON...FOLLOWED
BY A GRADUAL RETURN TO NEAR NORMAL RAINFALL AS WE HEAD INTO THE
SUMMER.


$$

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