Heavy Rains, Storms Create Dangerous Conditions on Roadways Christmas Day

Unseasonably warm weather has set the stage for storms and heavy rain across Alabama this Christmas Day.

Flash Flood Warnings have been issued for most of our listening area, as the storms that developed today brought torrential rainfall which has created dangerous travel conditions.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS EXTENDED THE

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  CHILTON COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  NORTHERN PERRY COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  SOUTHWESTERN SHELBY COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  BIBB COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  EAST CENTRAL GREENE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  HALE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  SOUTHERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 630 AM CST SATURDAY

* AT 1006 PM CST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED HEAVY RAIN ACROSS THE
  WARNED AREA. ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO
  THE WARNED AREA OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS. FLASH FLOODING IS ALREADY
  OCCURRING IN SOME LOCATIONS AND WILL CONTINUE.

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ONE TO THREE INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN
THE WARNED AREA.

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
 INTERSTATE 65 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 205 AND 234.
 INTERSTATE 20 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 52 AND 89.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING.

TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED ROADS. MOST FLOOD
DEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES.

In Bibb County, flooding has closed the intersection of Woodstock Road and Cold Water Road. One lane of County Road 9 has been closed due to flooding as well. Mill Creek Road in Dora (Walker County) is impassible due to flooding.

In Jefferson County, a Civil Emergency has been issued urging everyone to stay off the roads. The Civil Emergency remains in effect until 4 a.m. Flooding is so severe in parts of the Birmingham metro area that crews are out in boats working rescue and recovery.

Storms also prompted tornado warnings today. Southeastern Tuscaloosa County was under a tornado warning after reports of circulation near the Mercedes-Benz plant and Coaling. We'll know more when the National Weather Service team confirms that a tornado touched down, but we can report that trees and power lines are currently down on Coaling-Hagler Road near the Post Office.

Another tornado warning was issued for Jefferson County for a storm that impacted much of the Birmingham Metro area. Damage has been reported in Fairfield, Midfield, and we've seen reports of structural damage to homes off of Jefferson Avenue.

Tornado warnings were also issued for Bibb County and Chilton County this afternoon. Per the Bibb County Sheriff, no damage has been reported thus far.

We know many of y'all are travelling for the holiday, but with storms passing through and Flash Flood Warnings in effect we urge you to not to be on the roadways tonight.

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