Flash Flood Warning Jefferson/St. Clair until 5:30 PM

For the last few hours, very heavy rain has been falling across portions of eastern Jefferson and western St. Clair Counties. Some areas have received over 2-3 inches of rain. As storms continue to develop and back build to the southwest, flooding conditions are being reported and are expected to continue to develop and worsen. This warning includes heavily populated areas of Jefferson County including downtown Birmingham. Do not drive through flooded streets. Also, areas along Interstates 65 and 20/59 are being impacted by this intense rainfall.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR…
CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTY IN ALABAMA…
WEST CENTRAL ST. CLAIR COUNTY IN ALABAMA…

* UNTIL 530 PM CDT

* AT 242 PM CDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED SLOW MOVING
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE WARNED AREA.
RADAR INDICATES AN AREA OF RAINFALL PRODUCING RAIN RATES OF 3 TO 4
INCHES OF RAIN PER HOUR. THE HEAVIEST RAIN HAS OCCURRED ACROSS
NORTHEASTERN PORTIONS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY NEAR CLAY AND TRUSSVILLE
WHERE RADAR ESTIMATES AS MUCH AS 5 INCHES OF RAIN HAS ALREADY
OCCURRED.

* RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO
OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE…
BIRMINGHAM…FAIRFIELD…FULTONDALE…GARDENDALE…IRONDALE…
MOODY…SPRINGVILLE…TRUSSVILLE…ALTON…ARGO…B.J.C.C….
BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT…BIRMINGHAM FAIRGOUNDS…BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN
COLLEGE…BROOKSIDE…CARDIFF…CENTER POINT…CHALKVILLE…CLAY…
ENSLEY…FORESTDALE…KETONA LAKES…KINGSTON…LEGION FIELD…
LIPSCOMB…MARGARET…MIDFIELD…PINSON…REGIONS FIELD AND
RICKWOOD FIELD.

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.

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.

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