Flash Flood — Dekalb, Alabama

2020-02-05 · near Grove Oak, Dekalb, Alabama

Event narrative

EMA reported that an 82-year old man was killed when he was swept away in his vehicle after crossing the spillway at Buck Pocket State Park. He was found 11 days later once heavy rainfall subsided in the canyon.

Wider weather episode

A strong influx of moisture, along with a potent upper level jet stream and incoming cold front brought multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms, some heavy from the early morning of the 5th through the early morning of the 6th. The first round yielded heavy rainfall in northwest Alabama through southern middle Tennessee during the early morning of the 5th. A second round occurred with a line of thunderstorms during the late morning and midday hours. Intense rainfall in a short period of time led to several instances of flash flooding of small creeks and streams. Several roads were closed or barricaded as a result.

Then, a strong to severe line of thunderstorms developed in Mississippi during the afternoon of the 6th and rolled east through all of north Alabama and southern middle Tennessee during the evening hours. A supercell embedded along the line produced an EF-1 tornado in western Colbert County. As the line progressed east, several reports of wind damage were received. These storms also produced intense rainfall on top of already saturated grounds, producing flash flooding, followed by areal flooding that last through the entire day and into the nighttime hours of the 6th. Once again, several roads became impassible and were closed or barricaded.

This was followed by another band of showers and thunderstorms that lifted northeast from west central and central Alabama through far northeast Alabama during the early morning hours of the 6th.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.4768, -86.0563)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 879200. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.