An area of low pressure developed along a stalled frontal boundary across northeastern Alabama. Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms developed along and behind the front as the low moved northeast.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS HUN wrote it up.
An area of low pressure developed along a stalled frontal boundary across northeastern Alabama. Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms developed along and behind the front as the low moved northeast. This system produced flooding rainfall across much of central and northeastern Alabama.|Stream and creek flooding lasted into the 7th.
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 Huntsville, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 5, 5:52 PM CST, 8 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
552 PM CST MON JAN 5 2009
.UPDATE...FOR 00Z TAFS/AVIATION.
&&
.AVIATION...
LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN WILL IMPACT NRN AL AND BOTH KHSV/KMSL THROUGH
THE EVENING. IFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL WITH BRIEF PERIODS OF LIFR
EXPECTED. AFTER 06Z...HEAVIER RAIN IS EXPECTED TO OVERSPREAD THE AREA
AS FORCING ALONG/NORTH OF A FRONTAL BOUNDARY INCREASES. THE +RA WILL
REDUCE VSBYS BELOW 1SM AT TIMES WITH CEILINGS LESS THAN 400FT AGL.
ALL IN ALL...A VERY WET 24-HOUR PERIOD IS IN STORE FOR THE AREA.
DJN.83
&&
.DISCUSSION /ISSUED AT 333 PM CST/...
SEVERAL PARAMETERS ARE ALIGNING THEMSELVES FOR AN OVERRUNNING PRECIP
EVENT TONIGHT WITH ADDITIONAL RAINFALL EXPECTED TOMORROW. THE FIRST
ROUND OF PRECIP WILL OCCUR WITH THE SURGE OF MOISTURE...AND THE
SECOND ROUND WILL COME TOMORROW AFTN ALONG THE COLD FRONT. MODELS
HAVE TRENDED THE TRACK OF THE GULF LOW PRESSURE MORE SOUTHEAST PER
THE 12Z RUNS OF THE GFS/NAM/ECMWF. THE MODELS YESTERDAY HAD THE
HEAVIEST SWATH OF PRECIP NW OF THE HUNTSVILLE METRO AREA...CLIPPING
NW ALABAMA AND SRN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. TODAY THAT SWATH IS PAINTED
OVER AREAS TO THE SE OF THE HUNTSVILLE METRO AREA... EXTENDING FROM
SW OF CULLMAN NEWD INTO DEKALB COUNTY...AND THE EXTREME NW CORNER
OF GA. LATEST MODEL GUIDANCE QPF HAS 3 TO 4 INCHES PAINTED ACROSS
MUCH OF THE AREA...AND FEEL BASED ON THIS SETUP THAT 5 TO 6 INCHES
ARE POSSIBLE IN ISOLATED SPOTS. A QUICK REVIEW OF THE HEAVY RAINFALL
PARAMETERS FOR THIS EVENT: MOISTURE CONVERGENCE WITHIN THE BOUNDARY
LAYER IS IMPRESSIVE WITH THIS SYSTEM. DEEP ISENTROPIC LIFT IS
STRONGEST LATE TONIGHT...BECOMING MORE WIDESPREAD ACROSS THE AREA
TOMORROW. PWATS FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR ARE NORMALLY IN THE .5
RANGE...BUT FOR THIS EVENT...MODELS ARE INDICATING AT LEAST 1.5 TO
ALMOST 2. A 50-60KT LLJ IS ALSO IN PLACE TO THE NW OF THE
CWA...HELPING TO FEED MOISTURE INTO THE AREA.
A FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FROM 10PM THIS EVENING THROUGH
TOMORROW EVENING TO HIGHLIGHT THE THREATS FROM THIS SYSTEM. IF 5 TO
6 INCHES OF RAINFALL ARE REALIZED ACROSS THE AREA...SIGNIFICANT
FLOODING OF AREA CREEKS AND RIVERS WILL OCCUR. SPECIFIC SITES ARE
MENTIONED IN THE HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK /HUNESFHUN/.
WITH THE UPDATED TRACK OF THE LOW...HAVE TWEAKED THE GRIDS TO SCALE
BACK THE MENTION OF THUNDER TOMORROW AFTN. THINK AT THIS POINT THAT
THERE WILL BE INSUFFICIENT INSTABILITY TO WARRANT MORE WIDESPREAD
COVERAGE OF TSTORMS. PREVIOUS MODEL RUNS HAD THE CWA IN THE WARM
SECTOR FOR A LONGER DURATION WITH THIS EVENT...AND NOW THIS IS NOT
AN ISSUE WITH THE MORE SE TRACK OF THE LOW. THIS MINIMIZES THE
SEVERE THREAT THAT WAS A QUESTION WITH EARLIER FORECASTS...THOUGH A
SLIGHT NW SHIFT COULD EASILY CHANGE THIS THINKING. FROPA WILL BE
ARND MIDNIGHT WEDNESDAY MORNING...WITH A SECONDARY TROUGH AXIS
PUSHING THROUGH THE AREA 6 TO 8 HRS LATER. FROZEN PRECIP WITH THE
SECONDARY TROUGH AXIS IS NOT ANTICIPATED DUE TO A LACK OF MOISTURE
AND A WARM BOUNDARY LAYER. EXPECT ONLY SCT LIGHT RA SHOWERS...MOST
OF WHICH OCCUR WITH THE PASSING OF THE TROUGH AXIS DURING THE
MORNING HOURS WEDNESDAY. A FEW FLURRIES WITH THE PASSING OF THE
SECONDARY TROUGH AXIS ARE A VERY LIMITED POSSIBILITY FOR THE
TENNESSEE VALLEY...AS THE BULK OF THE PVA ASSOCIATED WITH THE TROUGH
AXIS REMAINS WELL NE OF THE AREA.
THURSDAY THROUGH THE EXTENDED...COOLER AND DRIER AIR WILL FILTER
INTO THE TENNESSEE VALLEY IN THE WAKE OF THE HEAVY RAINFALL PRODUCED
BY THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM EARLIER IN THE WEEK. TEMPERATURES WILL
REBOUND NICELY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN AHEAD OF THE NEXT
APPROACHING STORM SYSTEM PROGGED TO AFFECT THE TENNESSEE VALLEY
THIS UPCOMING WEEKEND. STUCK WITH CLIMATOLOGY FOR TEMPS DURING THE
EXTENDED...GIVE OR TAKE A FEW TWEAKS HERE AND THERE. IN
GENERAL...FEW CHANGES WERE NECESSARY.
&&
.HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...FLOOD WATCH FROM 10PM EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: COLBERT...CULLMAN...DE KALB...FRANKLIN
AL...JACKSON...LAUDERDALE...LAWRENCE...LIMESTONE...
MADISON...MARSHALL...MORGAN.
TN...FLOOD WATCH FROM 10PM EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: FRANKLIN TN...LINCOLN...MOORE.
&&
AVIATION...83/DJN
SYN DISC...12/BCCHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 100 PM CST MON JAN 5 2009 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-061000- LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- MARSHALL-JACKSON-DE KALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN- 100 PM CST MON JAN 5 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM DEVELOPING OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY WILL MOVE TOWARD THE TENNESSEE VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON...LIFTING A WARM FRONT THROUGH THE AREA THIS EVENING. RAIN...HEAVY AT TIMES...WILL DEVELOP THIS EVENING AND LAST THROUGH THE NIGHT. ONE TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN IS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA...WITH TOTALS LOCALLY APPROACHING THREE INCHES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... A SECOND ROUND OF HEAVY RAIN WILL IMPACT THE TENNESSEE VALLEY TUESDAY AFTERNOON AS A COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. WITH THIS ADDITIONAL RAINFALL...STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM TWO TO FOUR INCHES AREAWIDE...WITH ISOLATED LOCATIONS RECEIVING OVER FIVE INCHES. WITH ALREADY SATURATED SOILS ACROSS THE AREA...THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT FLOODING THREAT ALONG AREA CREEKS AND RIVERS. A FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ALL OF NORTHERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. IN ADDITION TO HEAVY RAIN TUESDAY AFTERNOON...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE...MAINLY ALONG THE COLD FRONT. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD BE STRONG...WITH GUSTY WINDS TO 50 MPH. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT AND TUESDAY. MA/JLL
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 111 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:04 UTC.
10 flash flood, 7 flood, 1 heavy rain, 1 funnel cloud, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A COOP observer in the West Point area recorded 5.30 inches of rainfall since 6 PM on the 5th.
Heavy rainfall caused area creeks and streams to flood, impacting numerous roads across Marshall county. Roads blocked by flood waters included but were not limited to: Tibbit Circle near Albertville, Sundown Road in Arab, Smith Circle near Arab, Oak Road north of Horton, Horton Road near Albertville, U.S. 231 near Mount Olive Church, Pleasant Valley Road in Union Grove, the Ruth community, and Winkles Road in the Grant area.
Heavy rainfall caused area creeks and streams to flood numerous roads. Some bridges and road were damaged or destroyed by flood waters including: A wooden bridge on County Road 1651, a bridge on County Road 1427, and County Road 310. Particularly hard hit areas were Baileyton, Holly Pond, and Fairview.
Heavy rainfall caused creeks and streams in eastern portions of Lauderdale county to flood. Some roads closed by the flooding included: Highway 534, County Road 96, and Highway 156.
Heavy rainfall caused area creeks and streams to flood across much of Morgan county. Some roads that were closed included: portions of Six Mile Road, several roads in Apple Grove, River Loop Road in Lacey Springs, the intersection of Douglas road and Highway 55 near Falkville, and Ruth Road in the Ruth community.
Heavy rainfall across portions of southeastern Madison County produced flooding. Emergency management officials no less than 6 inches of flood water across: Mayo Road south of Johnson Road, Sam Maples Road at the intersection of Old Highway 431, Oak Grove Road, and Scott Branch Road. These roads were deemed impassable and were closed.
Heavy rainfall caused isolated flooding to occur in the Gurley area near and at the intersection of highway 72 and Cut Rock Road.
A law enforcement officer reported a funnel cloud along interstate 59 west of Collinsville.
Heavy rainfall caused flash flooding to occur at the intersection of Little Cove Road and McMullen Road, leaving the intersection completely underwater.
Several trees were blown down at the intersection of Highways 35 and 176 near the Cherokee County line.
At least six inches of flood water was observed atop Alabama Highway 117 in the Valley Head area.
Heavy rainfall caused flash flooding which closed Turner Lindsey Road in Rogersville.
County Road 522 in Anderson was closed due to flash flooding.
Emergency managers reported numerous roads closed in the Arab area due to flash flooding.
Heavy rainfall caused flash flooding which closed County Road 130 in the Green Hill area near the Alabama and Tennessee state line.
According to the Scottsboro Street Department, twenty roads in Scottsboro were closed or partially blocked due to flash flooding.
Heavy rainfall produced widespread and serious flash flooding across DeKalb County. Numerous roads were closed and several were destroyed or damaged as a result. Particularly hard hit towns were Ider, Sylvania, Fyffe, Fort Payne, and Henagar. Some roads damaged or washed away included: CR 739 (Ider), CR 112 (Sylvania), and Troxtel Road (Henagar). Some additional roads that were closed included: Elliot Drive and Wright Road (Henegar), CR 50 (Peek's Corner), CR 776 and 131 (near Ider), CR 1002 (north of Fort Payne).
Continuing heavy rainfall caused Cotaco Creek to cover portions of Ruth road. The water was reported to be 1 to 2 feet deep and flowing quickly.
Continuing heavy rainfall produced flash flooding one foot deep on Eagle Rock Drive near the Ruth community. Water was reported three feet deep on the shoulder.
Heavy rainfall caused flooding of area streams and creeks on the morning of the 7th, closing at least fifteen roads across the county through the 8th.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, January 2009
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: 152549, 151820, 151821, 152558, 152500, 152618, 152501, 152504, 152506, 152508, 152509, 152510, 152545, 152547, 152548, 152607, 152551, 152555, 152557, 152622.