000 WGUS64 KMOB 100231 FFAMOB ALZ051>064-FLZ001>006-MSZ067-075-076-078-079-101000- URGENT...IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED FLOOD WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 930 PM CDT THU JUN 9 2005 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES UNTIL 600 AM SUNDAY MORNING... IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...ESCAMBIA...COVINGTON...WASHINGTON...CONECUH... MONROE...BUTLER...CLARKE...CRENSHAW...WILCOX...CHOCTAW...BALDWIN AND MOBILE COUNTIES. IN SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...GEORGE...STONE...PERRY...GREENE AND WAYNE COUNTIES. IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA...OKALOOSA...ESCAMBIA AND SANTA ROSA COUNTIES. TROPICAL STORM ARLENE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO FRIDAY MORNING. HEAVY RAINS WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA FROM THE GULF FRIDAY AFTERNOON AS ARLENE MOVES NORTH. THE HEAVY RAINS WILL SPREAD INLAND AND COVER THE WHOLE AREA OVERNIGHT FRIDAY. HEAVY RAINS WILL CONTINUE TO FALL OFF AND ON THROUGH SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT AS ARLENE MOVES INLAND. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL TOTALS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ARE LIKELY...WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS OF 5 TO 9 INCHES POSSIBLE THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. THESE RAINFALL TOTALS COULD CHANGE BASED ON THE TRACK OF ARLENE. THE CONTINUED STEADY RAIN WITH OCCASIONAL RAIN SQUALLS OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME WILL INCREASE THE THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING...MAINLY FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. BASED ON THE CURRENT TRACK OF ARLENE THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL WILL BE ALONG THE COASTAL COUNTIES FROM DESTIN TO DAUPHIN ISLAND AND GENERALLY ALONG AND WEST OF I-65 ACROSS THE INLAND AREAS. A LOT OF DRAINAGE SYSTEMS STILL HAVE DEBRIS IN THEM FROM IVAN AND AREAS THAT WOULD NORMALLY DRAIN WELL MAY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE HEAVY RAIN. IF YOU LIVE NEAR AREAS THAT DO NOT DRAIN WELL...YOU MAY WANT TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND UNTIL THE HEAVY RAINS FROM ARLENE MOVE OUT OF THE AREA. REMEMBER...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. MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES ATTEMPTING TO CROSS FLOODED AREAS. RAPIDLY RISING WATER CAN EASILY CARRY A VEHICLE AND ITS OCCUPANTS DOWN STREAM. BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE DANGERS OF FLOODING. REMEMBER TO TURN AROUND...DON'T DROWN. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES.