Flash Flood Warning Jefferson/Walker/Fayette/Lamar Counties until 5:30 AM

Heavy rainfall continues to fall across Central Alabama. Several inches of rain has fallen and during the overnight hours several more inches of rain are expected. This warning does include Jasper, Fayette, Vernon, and downtown Birmingham.

Please use caution traveling along all roads including Interstate 20, 22, 59, 65, and 459. Do not drive through flooded roadways…TURN AROUND, DON’T DROWN>

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR…
FAYETTE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
JEFFERSON COUNTY IN ALABAMA…
LAMAR COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
WALKER COUNTY IN ALABAMA…

* UNTIL 530 AM CDT MONDAY

* AT 1115 PM CDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL MOVING OVER THE SAME AREAS
THAT HAVE ALREADY OBSERVED 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL OVER THE LAST
48 HOURS. AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 3 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT
SIX HOURS AS MORE RAINFALL SPREADS NORTHEASTWARD FROM SOUTHERN
MISSISSIPPI…AND FLASH FLOODING WILL BE LIKELY AS SOILS HAVE BECOME
COMPLETELY SATURATED.

* RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO
OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE…
BESSEMER…BIRMINGHAM…CARBON HILL…CORDOVA…FAIRFIELD…
FAYETTE…FULTONDALE…GARDENDALE..HOMEWOOD…HOOVER…JASPER…
AND VERNON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. RAINFALL FROM PERSISTENT RAINBANDS
WILL PRODUCE FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS AND ALONG STREETS. MANY
ROADS WILL BE CLOSED DUE TO HIGH WATER AND DRIVING IS NOT RECOMMENDED
DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS.

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE
WARNED AREA.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS…URBAN AREAS…HIGHWAYS…STREETS AND UNDERPASSES
AS WELL AS OTHER DRAINAGE AREAS AND LOW LYING SPOTS.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. DO
NOT ENTER THE WATER. TURN AROUND AND MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO
ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN
WATER BEGINS RISING.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY
AUTOMOBILE.

Category: Alabama's Weather, Severe Weather