Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026
Flash Flood Warning 27, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this flash flood warning at Jul 24, 2026, 4:49 PM CDT for Cherokee County, Etowah County, Alabama. It was in force for 3 hr. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- Jul 24, 2026, 4:49 PM CDT (21:49 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 24, 2026, 8:00 PM CDT
- In force
- 3 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Flood severity
- None
Counties Cherokee County, AL, Etowah County, AL
The radar
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 89 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:49 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 24, 5:20 PM CDT | FLASH FLOOD | Leesburg, AL | Several pictures on social media of water more than a foot deep near the intersection of Hwy 411 and Industrial Blvd. |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
Did it verify
Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this flash flood warning; the first came 31 minutes after it went out.
Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.
The nearest sounding before it
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 9.8 hours before the alert went out and 137 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1090 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -12 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 605 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 9 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -22 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- -18 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
959
WGUS54 KBMX 242149
FFWBMX
ALC019-055-250100-
/O.NEW.KBMX.FF.W.0027.260724T2149Z-260725T0100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
449 PM CDT Fri Jul 24 2026
The National Weather Service in Birmingham has issued a
* Flash Flood Warning for...
Southern Cherokee County in northeastern Alabama...
Etowah County in northeastern Alabama...
* Until 800 PM CDT.
* At 449 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
heavy rain across the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or
expected to begin shortly.
HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
SOURCE...Radar.
IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban
areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as
other poor drainage and low-lying areas.
* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
Gadsden, Attalla, Hokes Bluff, Centre, Cedar Bluff, Centre
Municipal Airport, Glencoe, Sardis City, Leesburg, Altoona, Walnut
Grove, Reece City, Sand Rock, Gaylesville, Slackland, Tabor Road,
Cherokee Rock Village, Ballplay, Ball Flat and Noccalula Falls.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.
&&
LAT...LON 3424 8584 3425 8581 3427 8546 3424 8545
3416 8544 3413 8555 3395 8578 3400 8584
3401 8605 3398 8631 3417 8621 3418 8619
3419 8611 3420 8611 3420 8584
FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
$$
25/OwenWhat forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Birmingham, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Jul 24, 1:27 PM CDT, 3 hours 22 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Issued at 124 PM CDT FRI JUL 24 2026
- Heavy Rain: A stalled cold front combined with Gulf moisture will bring potential for heavy rainfall through the weekend. A Flood Watch remains in effect through Saturday morning.
- Heat: Intense heat returns early next week. Expect temperatures in the upper 90s to near 100 from Monday through mid-week, with heat indices reaching or exceeding 105 degrees.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 24, 1:27 PM CDT, 3 hours 22 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Birmingham AL 127 PM CDT Fri Jul 24 2026 ...New DISCUSSION... .KEY MESSAGES... Issued at 124 PM CDT FRI JUL 24 2026 - Heavy Rain: A stalled cold front combined with Gulf moisture will bring potential for heavy rainfall through the weekend. A Flood Watch remains in effect through Saturday morning. - Heat: Intense heat returns early next week. Expect temperatures in the upper 90s to near 100 from Monday through mid-week, with heat indices reaching or exceeding 105 degrees. && .DISCUSSION... (This afternoon through Thursday) Issued at 124 PM CDT FRI JUL 24 2026 The stalled cold front is still anticipated to ebb and flow across the region through the weekend, keeping rain chances in the forecast through Sunday. Given plenty of Gulf moisture still working into the region, heavy rainfall is likely over the next 48-hours as storms slowly move along the stalled front. Given the increased risk for Flash Flooding, the Flood Watch remains in effect until Saturday for a handful of our northeast counties, where the highest rainfall amounts are expected. A significant pattern shift is still expected to take place by the start of next week, as a stout upper-level ridge over the Plains begins to shift southeast. Afternoon high temperatures will quickly climb into the mid and upper-90s by Monday, lingering through the middle of next week. Some guidance even has a large swath of triple-digit afternoon highs on Tuesday. Given recent rainfall, these temperatures are likely a bit overdone, but confidence is already high that heat index values will surpass 105 degrees. Because of this, heat headlines already appear likely come the start of the new workweek. 16 && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1256 PM CDT FRI JUL 24 2026 Shower and thunderstorm activity has increased across the area, though clearing is noted at TCL and EET. Periodic showers and occasional storms are expected at BHM this afternoon and evening, with lower coverage at EET and TCL. TAFs have been adjusted to include a TEMPO for TSRA at BHM, with VCSH for EET and TCL. Showers and storms are anticipated at AUO between 18Z and 19Z, followed by isolated activity through 02Z. Activity is expected to increase over MGM by 20Z, continuing through 01Z-02Z. Given the stalled cold front, additional showers and thunderstorms are expected Saturday morning through the afternoon for most terminals, with PROB30 added after 15Z. Note: AMD NOT SKED for KAUO due to a weather observation outage. 16 && .FIRE WEATHER... Fire weather concerns remain minimal through the weekend, supported by a warm, humid air mass and persistent rain chances. MinRH values are expected to remain above 50 percent through Monday. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Gadsden 72 87 72 90 / 40 70 60 50 Anniston 72 86 72 88 / 40 70 60 60 Birmingham 73 88 74 90 / 30 70 50 50 Tuscaloosa 74 91 74 92 / 20 50 40 30 Calera 73 92 73 93 / 20 60 50 50 Auburn 74 88 74 89 / 30 60 40 60 Montgomery 74 92 75 93 / 20 50 30 40 Troy 73 91 73 92 / 20 50 30 40 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flood Watch through Saturday morning for the following counties: Blount-Calhoun-Cherokee-Cleburne-Etowah-Jefferson-St. Clair- Walker-Winston. && DISCUSSION...16 AVIATION...16
The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 24, 1:37 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Jefferson, Shelby | 3 hr |
| Jul 24, 2:03 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 3 hr |
| Jul 24, 2:32 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Winston | 3 hr |
| Jul 24, 3:07 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | St. Clair | 3 hr |
| Jul 24, 3:33 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Blount, Calhoun, Etowah, St. Clair | 3 hr |
| Jul 24, 3:54 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Etowah, St. Clair | 3 hr |
| Jul 24, 4:37 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Cherokee | 3 hr |
| Jul 24, 5:49 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Cherokee | 3 hr |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in Alabama, 2026Every flash flood warning in 2026
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.