Flash Flood, Tuscaloosa
- When
- February 5, 11:30 PM CST to February 6, 2:00 AM CST
- Where
- Tuscaloosa County, Countywide
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 33.290, -87.525 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flood in Alabama, February 5 to 6, 2004
Excessive rainfall occurred across several sections of the county. Several roads were reported covered with water and impassable.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS BMX wrote it up.
Excessive rainfall occurred across several sections of the county. Several roads were reported covered with water and impassable.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, 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 the first event at Feb 5, 2:35 PM CST, 8 hours 55 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 5, 2:35 PM CST, 8 hours 55 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 235 PM CST THU FEB 5 2004 .SYNOPSIS...MAJORITY OF THE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER HAS BEEN OVER CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI TODAY...BUT SHOULD SHIFT INTO ALABAMA TONIGHT. VERY SLOW MOVING SYSTEM WILL BRING PROLONGED PERIODS OF HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS AREA OVERNIGHT. SYSTEM SHOULD WORK ITS WAY OUT OF STATE LATE FRIDAY. NEXT RAIN SYSTEM DUE IN EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) BAND OF HEAVY RAINFALL HAS MOVED INTO NORTHWEST COUNTIES THIS AFTERNOON. THIS AREA WILL SHIFT SLOWLY EASTWARD TONIGHT AND BRING HEAVY RAINFALL TO AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 65. FLOODING POTENTIAL VERY HIGH IN FLASH FLOOD WATCH AREA...MAINLY DUE TO TRAINING OF CELLS. WIDESPREAD AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES LIKELY IN THE NEXT 12 HOURS. WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF A FEW SPOTS IN NW COUNTIES SEE 6 INCHES. BASED ON MODEL OUTPUT...I WILL NOT EXTEND FLASH FLOOD WATCH AREA EASTWARD. FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE NEEDED EAST OF CURRENT WATCH ON FRIDAY. AIRMASS HAS BEEN DESTABILIZING ACROSS SOUTHERN COUNTIES AS WARM FRONT WAS NEAR MONTGOMERY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL LIKELY EXTEND INTO SOUTHEAST COUNTIES ON FRIDAY. AT THIS POINT... WINDS HAVE NOT REACHED WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA...AND BASED ON OTHER MORE CRITICAL WEATHER EXPECTED...I WILL DROP WIND ADVISORY AT NEXT FORECAST PACKAGE. RAIN WILL LINGER ACROSS EASTERN COUNTIES THROUGH MID AFTERNOON FRIDAY. STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION WILL KICK IN FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY. LOOKS LIKE COLD AIR STRATUS WILL COVER MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH SATURDAY. AIRMASS WILL BE COLD ENOUGH TO SUPPORT FLURRIES NORTHERN COUNTIES. && .LONG TERM...(MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY) ANOTHER SHORT WAVE TROF WILL DROP INTO THE PLAINS STATES AND SPIN UP SURFACE LOW ACROSS GULF COAST STATES MONDAY NIGHT. I WILL RAISE RAIN CHANCES TO LIKELY FOR TUESDAY AND GO WITH A DRY FORECAST FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. && .VERY PRELIMINARY NUMBERS... BIRMINGHAM 55 55 36 39 25 / 100 80 10 00 MONTGOMERY 63 64 37 49 25 / 70 100 20 00 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH NORTH AND WESTERN COUNTIES TONIGHT. && 58/ROSE
Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 5, 4:00 PM CST, 7 hours 30 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 400 PM CST THU FEB 05 2004 ALZ011>015-017>050-060000- AUTAUGA-BARBOUR-BIBB-BLOUNT-BULLOCK-CALHOUN-CHAMBERS-CHEROKEE- CHILTON-CLAY-CLEBURNE-COOSA-DALLAS-ELMORE-ETOWAH-FAYETTE-GREENE-HALE- JEFFERSON-LAMAR-LEE-LOWNDES-MACON-MARENGO-MARION-MONTGOMERY-PERRY- PICKENS-PIKE-RANDOLPH-RUSSELL-SHELBY-ST CLAIR-SUMTER-TALLADEGA- TALLAPOOSA-TUSCALOOSA-WALKER-WINSTON- 400 PM CST THU FEB 05 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM. .DAY ONE (THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT)... ...UPDATED TO REMOVE WIND ADVISORY... A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BRING ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS ALABAMA THIS EVENING...TONIGHT...AND INTO EARLY FRIDAY. THE MAIN HAZARD FROM THIS STORM SYSTEM WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL ON THE ORDER OF TWO TO FOUR INCHES ACROSS THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT. THIS HEAVY RAINFALL MAY CAUSE BOTH FLASH FLOODING AND RIVER FLOODING IN THESE AREAS. THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR THIS EVENING AND INTO TONIGHT NORTHWEST OF A DEMOPOLIS TO GADSDEN LINE...WHERE A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT. SEVERE WEATHER IS ALSO POSSIBLE THIS EVENING THROUGH TONIGHT SOUTH OF AN ALICEVILLE...PRATTVILLE...TO AUBURN LINE. THE PRIMARY HAZARD WITH THESE STORMS IS DAMAGING WINDS WITH A POSSIBILITY OF AN ISOLATED TORNADO. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN (FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)... HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE ACROSS EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA ON FRIDAY. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT FLOODING MAY CONTINUE TO CAUSE A PROBLEM ACROSS PARTS OF THE FORECAST AREA ON FRIDAY. BEYOND FRIDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL MAY BE NECESSARY THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING...FOR THE POTENTIAL OF FLOODING AND SEVERE WEATHER. KH
In the hours before
Local storm report, Feb 5, 8:30 PM CST, 3 hours before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA
830 PM CST THU FEB 5 2004
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ...MAG..... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0710 PM WIND DAMAGE GORDO -87.90N 33.32W
02/05/04 PICKENS AL SPOTTER
LARGE TRACTOR/TRAILEER BLOWN OFF ROAD NEAR INTERSECTION OF
AL HWY 159 AND US HWY 82. REPORTED BY HAM RADIO OPERATOR.Local storm report, Feb 5, 10:00 PM CST, 1 hour 30 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA
1000 PM CST THU FEB 5 2004
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ...MAG..... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0630 PM WIND DAMAGE 17 N NORTHPORT -87.72N 33.50W
02/05/04 TUSCALOOSA AL SPOTTER
TREES DOWN NEAR MORRIS BRIDGE. REPORTED BY HAM RADIO
OPERATOR.
0645 PM WIND GUST 23 SW TUSCALOOSA -87.71N 33.06W
02/05/04 50 MPH TUSCALOOSA AL SPOTTER
WIND GUST TO 50 MPH NEAR ROMULUS. REPORTED BY HAM
RADIO OPEERATOR.
0700 PM HIGH WATER GEIGER -88.31N 32.87W
02/05/04 SUMTER AL FIRE DEPT
WATER STANDING IN YARDS AND FIELDS IN GEIGER. WATER
CLOSE TO FLOODING SOME AREA ROADS.
0705 PM FLASH FLOOD GORDO -87.90N 33.32W
02/05/04 PICKENS AL HAM OPERATOR
6 TO 8 INCHES OF WATER OVERE ROAD UNDER RAILROAD
TRESTLE IN TOWN.
0755 PM HAIL TUSCALOOSA -87.54N 33.24W
02/05/04 0.75 IN TUSCALOOSA AL SPOTTER
NICKLE SIZE HAIL IN MOST SECTIONS OF TUSCALOOSA.
REPORTED BY HAM OPERATOR.
0758 PM WIND DAMAGE TUSCALOOSA -87.54N 33.24W
02/05/04 TUSCALOOSA AL EMA
THUNDERSTORM WINDS BLEW CITY POLICE CAR OFF ROAD AND
INTO DITCH.
0943 PM FLOOD 7 N GEIGER -88.29N 32.98W
02/05/04 SUMTER AL DEPUTY SHERIFF
BRIDGE WASHED OUT ON AL HWY 17 NEAR THE PICKENS COUNTY
LINE.Local storm report, Feb 5, 10:00 PM CST, 1 hour 30 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA
1000 PM CST THU FEB 5 2004
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ...MAG..... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0630 PM WIND DAMAGE 17 N NORTHPORT -87.72N 33.50W
02/05/04 TUSCALOOSA AL SPOTTER
TREES DOWN NEAR MORRIS BRIDGE. REPORTED BY HAM RADIO
OPERATOR.
0645 PM WIND GUST 23 SW TUSCALOOSA -87.71N 33.06W
02/05/04 50 MPH TUSCALOOSA AL SPOTTER
WIND GUST TO 50 MPH NEAR ROMULUS. REPORTED BY HAM
RADIO OPEERATOR.
0700 PM HIGH WATER GEIGER -88.31N 32.87W
02/05/04 SUMTER AL FIRE DEPT
WATER STANDING IN YARDS AND FIELDS IN GEIGER. WATER
CLOSE TO FLOODING SOME AREA ROADS.
0705 PM FLASH FLOOD GORDO -87.90N 33.32W
02/05/04 PICKENS AL HAM OPERATOR
6 TO 8 INCHES OF WATER OVERE ROAD UNDER RAILROAD
TRESTLE IN TOWN.
0755 PM HAIL TUSCALOOSA -87.54N 33.24W
02/05/04 0.75 IN TUSCALOOSA AL SPOTTER
NICKLE SIZE HAIL IN MOST SECTIONS OF TUSCALOOSA.
REPORTED BY HAM OPERATOR.
0758 PM WIND DAMAGE TUSCALOOSA -87.54N 33.24W
02/05/04 TUSCALOOSA AL EMA
THUNDERSTORM WINDS BLEW CITY POLICE CAR OFF ROAD AND
INTO DITCH.
0700 PM FLOOD 7 N GEIGER -88.29N 32.98W
02/05/04 SUMTER AL DEPUTY SHERIFF
BRIDGE WASHED OUT ON AL HWY 17 NEAR THE PICKENS COUNTY
LINE.Local storm report, Feb 5, 11:11 PM CST, 19 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA
1111 PM CST THU FEB 5 2004
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ...MAG..... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0845 PM HAIL 5 NW HUEYTOWN 33.48W -87.08N
02/05/04 1.00 IN JEFFERSON AL HAM OPERATOR
NICKLE SIZE HAIL IN ROCK CREEK.
0845 PM WIND DAMAGE TUSCALOOSA 33.24W -87.54N
02/05/04 TUSCALOOSA AL HAM OPERATOR
TREES DOWN ON 21ST AVENUE IN TUSCALOOSA.
0845 PM FLASH FLOOD LIVINGSTON 32.60W -88.18N
02/05/04 SUMTER AL EMA
NUMEROUS BRIDGES AND ROADS WASHED OUT COUNTYWIDE.
0845 PM WIND DAMAGE LIVINGSTON 32.60W -88.19N
02/05/04 SUMTER AL EMA
ISOLATED TREES DOWN ACROSS THE COUNTY.
0905 PM HAIL 3 NW GARDENDALE 33.70W -86.83N
02/05/04 1.75 IN JEFFERSON AL HAM OPERATOR
GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL IN MOUNT OLIVE.
0910 PM HAIL MORRIS 33.75W -86.81N
02/05/04 0.75 IN JEFFERSON AL HAM OPERATOR
0925 PM WIND DAMAGE 6 NW SYLVAN SPRINGS 33.58W -87.11N
02/05/04 JEFFERSON AL HAM OPERATOR
TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN IN THWE COMMUNITY OF
BIRMINGPORT.
0945 PM HAIL 4 SW NORTH JOHNS 33.32W -87.15N
02/05/04 1.00 IN JEFFERSON AL EMA
QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED JUST EAST OF ABERNANT.The radar
The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 71 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:29 UTC.
Event by event
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Flash Flood
- Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Winter Weather in Virginia, February 5 to 6, 2004
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Mississippi, February 5 to 6, 2004
- Winter Storm in Ohio, February 5 to 6, 2004
- Flash Flood and Flooding in Tennessee, February 5 to 6, 2004
- Ice Storm and Winter Storm in West Virginia, February 5 to 7, 2004
- Damaging Wind in Alabama, February 5, 2004
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Kentucky, February 5 to 6, 2004
- Flash Flood in Mississippi, February 5, 2004
- Flash Flood in Alabama, February 5 to 6, 2004
- Heavy Snow in Iowa, February 5 to 6, 2004
- Flash Flood in Mississippi, February 5, 2004
- Damaging Wind in Alabama, February 5, 2004
More
Every storm in Alabama in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, February 2004
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5385911.