Flash Flood — Marion, Alabama

2024-07-28 · near Shottsville, Marion, Alabama

Event narrative

A few roads were flooded and temporarily impassable in Hamilton and parts of northwestern Marion County, including Academy Dr.

Wider weather episode

A deep moisture profile and an increase of deep-layer shear over Central Alabama on July 28 resulted in very efficient rainfall occurring over central and northern parts of the region. Precipitable water values of 2.1 to 2.2 inches aided high instantaneous rain rates, at times on the order of 5-7 in/hr. Sporadic flooding occurred in Marion County during the early afternoon as two rounds of heavy rainfall moved through the area. By late afternoon, training thunderstorms over the Cahaba Heights area quickly flooded area homes and streets before another, much larger, round of thunderstorms overtook Jefferson County from the west. Many of the southern and western suburbs of Birmingham experienced flooding of homes and roadways during the early evening hours as 3-5 inches of rain fell across these areas.

The next day, an MCS tracking into northeast Alabama from Tennessee resulted in several trees being blown down in Cherokee County, especially the Centre and Cedar Bluff areas.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.2841, -88.1716)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1188586. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.