Flash Flood — Dekalb, Alabama

2021-06-19 to 2021-06-20 · near Ft Payne, Dekalb, Alabama

Event narrative

Airport Road and Highway 35 near the Interstate 59 interchange flooded with water rising rapidly. Water reported to be to the steps of tractor trailers at this time. Airport Road closed. One fatality occurred here when a womans car was swept off the roadway due to flooding from Dye Branch which feeds into Big Wills Creek.

Wider weather episode

A band of very heavy rainfall developed well north of the track of Tropical Depression Claudette that moved across central Alabama. This rain band occurred during the late afternoon through the evening of the 19th into the very early morning hours of the 20th. Rainfall amounts of 5-10 inches were observed (ground truth) and estimated by radar. A CoCoRaHS observer reported 9.83 inches of rain atop Lookout Mountain about 3 miles south of Fort Payne. Another personal weather station measured 10.56 inches about 2 miles NNW of Rainsville. Excessive runoff led to significant flash flooding in a few areas, including along the Big Wills Creek in Fort Payne, and atop Lookout Mountain. Sadly, flash flooding took the life of a young woman along Dye Branch in Fort Payne, whose vehicle was swept off the road.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.4400, -85.7500)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 969213. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.