FFAMOB
ALZ061>064-FLZ001>006-MSZ078-079-241600-

BULLETIN...IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
457 AM CDT SAT SEP 24 2005

...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD
WATCH THROUGH TODAY FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...BALDWIN AND MOBILE COUNTIES.

IN SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...GEORGE AND STONE COUNTIES.

IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA...OKALOOSA...ESCAMBIA AND SANTA ROSA COUNTIES.

HURRICANE RITA HAS MADE LANDFALL NEAR SABINE PASS AND WILL CONTINUE
SLOWLY NORTHWARD ALONG THE TEXAS AND LOUISIANA STATE LINE THROUGH
TONIGHT.  SPIRAL BANDS OF HEAVY RAIN WILL PERIODICALLY MOVE
ACROSS THE AREA TODAY...THEN DIMINISH TONIGHT AS RITA CONTINUES
TO WEAKEN WHILE MOVING FURTHER INLAND.

WIDESPREAD RAIN ACCUMULATIONS WILL GENERALLY BE 1 TO 2 INCHES ACROSS
THE AREA THROUGH TONIGHT...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4
INCHES POSSIBLE.  THE GREATEST RISK OF FLASH FLOODING WILL BE OVER
THE LOWER PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...AND
THE EXTREME WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE.

THE RISK OF FLASH FLOODING IS DIMINISHING AS RITA WEAKENS...AND THE
FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE CANCELLED LATER TODAY IF THIS TREND
CONTINUES.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT RAPID FLOODING OF STREAMS...CREEKS AND
OTHER DRAINAGE AREAS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA.  PEOPLE
IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD CHECK PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS...KEEP
INFORMED...AND BE READY FOR QUICK ACTION IF FLASH FLOODING IS
OBSERVED OR IF A WARNING IS ISSUED.  DO NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO
FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

REMEMBER...BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO
RECOGNIZE THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS.  DO NOT DRIVE YOUR
VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY.  THE WATER
DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS SAFELY.