Heavy Rain — Chilton, Alabama

2011-03-26 · near Verbena, Chilton, Alabama

Event narrative

Heavy rain reduced visibility and caused slick roadways along Interstate 65 near the Chilton and Autauga county line. As traffic moved slowly due to the thunderstorm and high volume of spring break travelers, a vehicle traveling south hydroplaned and crossed the median, hitting northbound traffic. The accident resulted in 5 fatalities (indirect) and at least 4 injuries (indirect). In addition, three vehicles were destroyed.

Wider weather episode

A stalled boundary sagged southward into North Central Alabama on Saturday, March 26, and became a focus for convection ahead of an approaching storm system. Through the day, as the air mass south of the boundary became increasingly unstable, thunderstorms developed across much of the area. This activity continued into the overnight hours. With the approach of a surface low and cold front, activity reintensified early Sunday morning, March 27, and continued through the pre-dawn hours on Monday as the cold front slowly moved through the area.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (32.7251, -86.5352)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 295231. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.