Ryan Stinnett
River Flooding Becoming a Concern
Heavy flooding rains have been falling and continue to fall across the Coosa and Tallapoosa River Basins. Significant river rises are expected but especially along the Tallapoosa river. Areas in the river basin have received up to 10 inches of rain and all that water is running off into the river. The river is under a flood warning and also due to the access water run-off, Alabama Power has decided to begin opening flood gates at Martin Dam. This will also lead to river rises below the dam and precautions need to be taken now.
GATE OPERATIONS HAVE BEGUN…
ALABAMA POWER COMPANY ADVISES THAT GATE OPERATIONS HAVE BEGUN AT
MARTIN DAM. THERE IS NOW ONE GATE OPEN.
INTERESTS DOWNSTREAM OF MARTIN DAM SHOULD STAY INFORMED OF REVISED
RIVER FORECASTS FOR THE LOWER TALLAPOOSA AND ALABAMA RIVERS.
…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM AL HAS ISSUED A FLOOD
WARNING FOR THE FOLLOWING RIVERS IN ALABAMA…
TALLAPOOSA RIVER AT WADLEY AFFECTING CHAMBERS…ELMORE…MACON…
RANDOLPH AND TALLAPOOSA COUNTIES.
.HEAVY RAINFALL OF UP TO 6 INCHES HAS FALLEN ACROSS THE TALLAPOOA RIVER
BASIN NORTH OF WADLEY. THIS HAS CREATED RISES ALONG THE RIVER…AND A FLOOD
WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE TALLAPOOSA RIVER AT WADELY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
DO NOT DRIVE CARS THROUGH FLOODED AREAS. TURN AROUND…DON’T DROWN.
ANOTHER STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY SUNDAY MORNING…OR SOONER IF
CONDITIONS WARRANT.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM AL HAS ISSUED A
* FLOOD WARNING FOR
THE TALLAPOOSA RIVER AT WADLEY.
* UNTIL SUNDAY AFTERNOON…OR UNTIL THE WARNING IS CANCELLED.
* AT 7:00 AM SATURDAY THE STAGE WAS 11 FEET.
* FLOOD STAGE IS 13 FEET.
* MODERATE FLOODING IS FORECAST.
* FORECAST…RISE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE BY THIS MORNING AND CONTINUE TO
RISE TO NEAR 21.1 FEET BY THIS EVENING. THE RIVER WILL FALL BELOW
FLOOD STAGE BY AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT .
* IMPACT…AT 20 FEET…SOME FLOODING OCCURS IN THE WADLEY AREA.
BETWEEN 22 AND 25 FEET THE BRIDGE OVER BEAVERDAM CREEK FLOODS.
Persistent Showers and Storms
A busy night across Central Alabama as some severe weather developed and lasted for several hours. The severe weather threat diminished through out the night but a flooding threat developed. A mid-level trough along with ample moisture transport from the Gulf of Mexico and the development of a low-level convergence zone has led to persistent showers and thunderstorms developing over the same region. Areas from Birmingham east along Interstate 20 have seen several inches of rain this morning. Several flash flood warnings are in effect as a dangerous flash flooding event is ongoing.
These showers and storms appear to be winding down slowly and weather conditions should be improving through out the morning. Additional showers and storms are expected later today.
Flooding Reports
Several areas in East Alabama are reporting serious flooding and conditions are expected to on get worse as heavy rain continues to fall…
Water covering portions of hwy 78 between Heflin and Fruithurst.
Travel problems in and around Mt Cheaha state park as portions of county road 13 near county road 24 has become impassable. Depth of water unknown at this time.
In Talladega County, Campbell road just of HWY 21 is impassable due to water covering the road. UTILITY/FIRE CREWS ARE UNABLE TO REACH DOWNED TREE DUE TO DEPTH OF WATER. PORTIONS OF GRANTTOWN RD ARE ALSO COVERED WITH WATER.
NUMEROUS ROADS IN AND AROUND PELL CITY AND WATTSVILLE HAVE BECOME IMPASSABLE…INCLUDING PORTIONS OF DR JOHN HAYNES DR…19TH ST NEAR 3RD AVE…FLORIDA RD AND MT MORIAH RD.
CAMPGROUND AT LAKE CHINNABEE IS FLOODING AS WATERS CONTINUE TO RISE.
PORTIONS OF US HWY 78 BETWEEN OXFORD AND EASTABOGA AND PORTIONS OF AL HWY 21 BETWEEN OXFORD AND MUNFORD ARE COMPLETELY COVERED BY WATER. TIME ESTIMATED.
Several inches of rain have fallen and several more are expected too accumulate in the affected areas. Please do not drive through flooded roadways. Always TURN AROUND, DON’T DROWN!
Early Morning Update
The severe weather threat for Alabama diminished during the late evening hours yesterday, but showers and thunderstorms continue to develop along a boundary that is draped across the area. Though no storms in Alabama have bee severe the last few hours, there is a serious flooding threat that has developed across areas of Central and East Alabama. The most intense showers and storms are along and south of Interstate 20 from the Georgia state line back west to eastern portion of Birmingham. Additional storm are ongoing northwest of the city of Jasper as well and look to be impacting Corridor X.
Flash flooding is becoming a great concern from portions of Jefferson County east along the Interstate 20 corridor as several inches of rain have fallen and several more are expected too. Storms are training along the same areas dropping very heavy rain. Very serious situation is developing as the rain continues to fall in areas that are already seeing impassible roads because of rising water.
Additional showers and storms continue to develop across East-Central Mississippi and these are expected to move into West Alabama as head through the morning as well. The unsettled weather is expected to hang around Alabama through the day on Saturday before high pressure will move in for Sunday.
Midnight Update
It was a busy evening across Alabama as a few tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings were issued. Over the last few hours, storms have weakened and we believe the severe threat should be over with for the night. Instability has decreased with the loss of daytime heating.
However, showers and storms continue to redevelop across Central Alabama tonight and actually stretching back into Central Mississippi. These storms are below severe limits but they are producing heavy rain, gusty winds and some rumbles of thunder. This activity is developing along a boundary across the region and should continue for the next few hours. These storms should stay below severe limits, but we will be keeping an eye on them as unexpected things can occur.
The most intense activity currently is southeast of the Birmingham Metro in Tallapoosa and Randolph Counties. These storms could be producing some small hail.
