Alabama, 2006

Flash Flood in Alabama, April 20, 2006

April 20, 2006 · NWS BMX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

1 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$10,000
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 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 Apr 20, 3:18 PM CST, 1 hour 21 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 20, 3:18 PM CST, 1 hour 21 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED FOR TYPE OF WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
418 PM CDT THU APR 20 2006

.UPDATE...

JUST DID A QUICK UPDATE FOR NEW SEVERE WATCH. WATCH INFORMATION
LISTED AT BOTTOM OF DISCUSSION.

&&

.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...

.SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY)

HELLO WEATHER FANS. STILL WAITING ON TODAYS ROUND TO GET
GOING...AND IT WONT BE LONG. VERY SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY...MID-
LEVEL CAPES ARE WAY UP...SUFFICIENT SHEAR...TEMPS STILL
CLIMBING... THE LIMITING FACTOR SO FAR HAS BEEN INHIBITION...BUT
THAT IS ALL BUT GONE. MAIN THREAT IS STILL LARGE AND DAMAGING WINDS.
STORMS SHOULD DIE OFF BY 9 OR 10 PM.

FRIDAY STILL CONCERNING AS SEVERE POTENTIAL IS FURTHER ENHANCED.
SHORTWAVE CURRENTLY OVER THE 4 CORNERS REGION WILL GET TO MOVING
LATER TODAY AND BE KNOCKING ON THE DOOR TOMORROW WITH AN
ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT. TIMING WILL PLAY A BIG PART IN HOW THINGS
WORK OUT. CLOUD COVER ACROSS THE NORTH MAY BE A LIMITING
FACTOR...BUT MUCH OF THE AREA SHOULD HEAT UP NICELY. HOW MUCH WE
HEAT UP ALSO PLAYS A BIG FACTOR. AGREE WITH PREVIOUS SHIFT THAT
WITH THE GIVEN WIND SHEARS...A DERECHO EVENT LOOKS POSSIBLE.

.LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)

STORMS WILL BE ENDING FROM WEST TO EAST ON SATURDAY MORNING AS
COLD FRONT MOVES ON THROUGH. IN THE FRONTS WAKE...DRIER AIR WILL
DOMINATE AS A RIDGE BUILDS ACROSS THE PLAINS STATES. THE NEXT
SYSTEM WITH ASSOCIATED FRONT COMES BY MID-WEEK. ONLY MINOR TWEAKS
THROUGH THE EXTENDED.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GADSDEN     62  82  57  72 /  40  60  70  30
ANNISTON    63  84  58  76 /  40  50  80  30
BIRMINGHAM  64  82  57  76 /  40  70  70  30
TUSCALOOSA  65  84  56  80 /  30  70  70  20
CALERA      65  84  58  78 /  30  60  70  20
AUBURN      64  85  59  75 /  30  20  80  40
MONTGOMERY  63  86  60  78 /  30  40  80  30
TROY        64  87  61  76 /  30  30  80  30

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7PM.
ALC009- 015-019-055-057-073-075-093-107-115-117-121-125-127-133-

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10PM.
ALC009-015-019-055-05 7-073-075-093-107-115-117-121-125-127-133-

&&

JONES/90
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 20, 12:25 PM CST, 4 hours 14 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
125 PM CDT THU APR 20 2006

ALZ011>015-017>050-211130-
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-
125 PM CDT THU APR 20 2006

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP MAINLY WEST OF
INTERSTATE 65 BETWEEN 130 PM AND 3 PM...AND EAST OF INTERSTATE 65
AFTER 3 PM.  SOME STORMS WILL QUICKLY BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL
UP TO THE SIZE OF GOLF BALLS AND WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH. THE TORNADO
THREAT IS MINIMAL AT THIS TIME.  STORMS SHOULD DIMINISH TO BELOW
SEVERE LIMITS BY 11 PM.

SUMMER LIKE TEMPERATURES AND HUMIDITY COMBINED WITH AN APPROACHING
UPPER AIR DISTURBANCE WILL COMBINE TO PRODUCE THUNDERSTORMS WITH
STRONG UPDRAFTS AND DOWNDRAFTS.  THE STRONG UPDRAFTS WILL HELP
PRODUCE VERY LARGE HAIL...AND THE STRONG DOWNDRAFTS WILL PRODUCE
POTENTIALLY DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

ON FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT...A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH CENTRAL
ALABAMA WITH WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IN THE FORM OF DAMAGING WINDS
AND LARGE HAIL EXPECTED.  THE STORMS WILL BEGIN BETWEEN 11 AM AND 1
PM IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA AND MOVE SOUTHEASTWARD...GRADUALLY WEAKENING
IN SOUTHEAST ALABAMA BY EARLY SATURDAY MORNING.

THE ATMOSPHERE AHEAD OF THIS FRONT WILL BE MOIST AND UNSTABLE ACROSS
ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA.  IN ADDITION...A STRONGER UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCE WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT AS IT PUSHES THROUGH.
THIS SITUATION MAY PRODUCE MORE

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL ACTIVATION WILL BE
REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AND AGAIN FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO LATEST DETAILS CONCERNING THESE
POTENTIAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.

STEFKOVICH

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 20, 2:39 PM CST, 2 hours before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
339 PM CDT THU APR 20 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0328 PM     HAIL             CLEVELAND               33.99N 86.57W
04/20/2006  E0.75 INCH       BLOUNT             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

0336 PM     HAIL             GRAYSVILLE              33.63N 86.97W
04/20/2006  E0.75 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   PUBLIC

&&

MBAER
Local storm report, Apr 20, 3:12 PM CST, 1 hour 27 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
412 PM CDT THU APR 20 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0349 PM     HAIL             PINSON                  33.68N 86.66W
04/20/2006  E0.75 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

0353 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     BESSEMER                33.38N 86.96W
04/20/2006                   JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            NEAR I-59 AND 18TH STREET

0401 PM     HAIL             3 NE PINSON             33.71N 86.62W
04/20/2006  E0.75 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

0405 PM     HAIL             BIRMINGHAM              33.53N 86.80W
04/20/2006  E0.50 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            JEFFERSON COUNTY CIVIC CENTER AT FINLEY

&&

MBAER
Local storm report, Apr 20, 3:30 PM CST, 1 hour 9 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
430 PM CDT THU APR 20 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0350 PM     HAIL             BIRMINGHAM              33.53N 86.80W
04/20/2006  E1.75 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            FINLEY AND 29TH

0410 PM     HAIL             BIRMINGHAM              33.53N 86.80W
04/20/2006  E0.88 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            1 MILE WEST OF AVONDALE PARK

0423 PM     HAIL             STEELE                  33.93N 86.20W
04/20/2006  E0.88 INCH       ST. CLAIR          AL   PUBLIC

&&

MBAER
Local storm report, Apr 20, 3:57 PM CST, 42 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
457 PM CDT THU APR 20 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0440 PM     HAIL             HOMEWOOD                33.46N 86.81W
04/20/2006  E0.50 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

0444 PM     HAIL             HIGHLAND LAKE           33.89N 86.42W
04/20/2006  E0.75 INCH       BLOUNT             AL   AMATEUR RADIO

0444 PM     DOWNBURST        RAGLAND                 33.75N 86.14W
04/20/2006                   ST. CLAIR          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

MBAER
Local storm report, Apr 20, 4:13 PM CST, 26 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
513 PM CDT THU APR 20 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0420 PM     HAIL             E BIRMINGHAM            33.53N 86.80W
04/20/2006  E0.25 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

0438 PM     HAIL             HOMEWOOD                33.46N 86.81W
04/20/2006  E0.50 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            VALLEY AND GREEEN SPRINGS

0500 PM     HAIL             SE BIRMINGHAM           33.53N 86.80W
04/20/2006  E0.88 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            SUMMIT ON US280

0505 PM     HAIL             BESSEMER                33.38N 86.96W
04/20/2006  E0.50 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

MBAER
Local storm report, Apr 20, 4:25 PM CST, 14 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
525 PM CDT THU APR 20 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0444 PM     FLASH FLOOD      BIRMINGHAM              33.53N 86.80W
04/20/2006                   JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            VILLAGE CREEK, VANDERBILT, TALLAPOOSA

0444 PM     HAIL             E BIRMINGHAM            33.53N 86.80W
04/20/2006  E0.88 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            SUMMIT ON US280

0509 PM     HAIL             BIRMINGHAM              33.53N 86.80W
04/20/2006  E0.88 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            I-59 IN BRIGHTON. HAIL COVERING INTERSTATE.

0513 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     W ANNISTON              33.66N 85.81W
04/20/2006                   CALHOUN            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            2 MILE WEST PELHAM RANGE

0514 PM     HAIL             BIRMINGHAM              33.53N 86.80W
04/20/2006  E1.00 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            1/2 MILE SOUTH DOWNTOWN MIDFIELD

0514 PM     HAIL             BESSEMER                33.38N 86.96W
04/20/2006  E1.00 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

MBAER

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 55 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:40 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Jefferson

When
April 20, 4:39 PM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Jefferson County, Countywide
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
33.567, -87.883

Several locations around Metropolitan Birmingham experienced flash flooding due to heavy rain. Specific streets that became temporarily impassable due to the high water included Highway 11 near 85th street in Roebuck, Lakeshore Drive at Brookwood Village in Homewood, and Valley Road and Green Springs Avenue near the Palisades Shopping Center in Homewood.

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

More

Every storm in Alabama in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, April 2006

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: 5504825.