Flash Flood in Alabama
Every flash flood event the National Weather Service has filed in Alabama, year by year, with the most significant episodes. 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.
The most significant on the map
The most significant flash flood episodes in Alabama.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 2,822
- Deaths
- 34
- Injuries
- 24
- Damage
- $1.2 billion
Every year
The most significant
Ranked by deaths, injuries, damage and size together.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Alabama, February 6, 2008The WFO Huntsville County Warning Area experienced the worst tornado outbreak in 19 years on February 6, 2008.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Alabama, March 25, 2021A potent storm system affected Central Alabama on Thursday, March 25th. A highly-sheared environment combined with increasing instability produced numerous tornadic thunderstorms.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Alabama, January 23, 2012An upper level low pressure system developed over the Great Plains and moved east across the Ohio River Valley, dragging a cold front through the lower Mississippi River Valley.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Alabama, April 15, 2011A potent storm system, which wreaked havoc across the eastern half of the United States on April 14-16, produced a significant and historic tornado outbreak across Central Alabama on April 15. Forty tornadoes, 30 of which touched down in Central Alabama, occurred in the state.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Alabama, January 1 to 3, 2017Multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms affected the region to start the year. Two day rainfall totals in excess of 8 inches were common across portions of the Florida panhandle with several roads flooded.
- Flash Flood in Alabama, March 8, 1998A vigorous Gulf storm dumped up to 14 inches of rain across the northern half of Coffee County. The earthen levee on the Beaver Dam Creek breached. A six foot wall of water rushed into the city of Elba. Two thousand residents were forced to evacuate.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Alabama, April 28 to 29, 2014A tornado outbreak occurred during the late afternoon and evening across the central Tennessee Valley on the 28th. Several cyclic supercells produced tornadoes, some of which were strong. Very heavy rainfall occurred in some areas as well.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Alabama, March 15, 2025A significant severe weather event unfolded across Central Alabama on March 15, with 15 tornadoes, several instances of straight-line wind damage, and isolated flooding.
- Hurricane and Tropical Storm in Alabama, September 15 to 16, 2020Hurricane Sally made landfall in Gulf Shores, AL at 5am on Wednesday, September 16th as a strong Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Alabama, April 24, 2010A deepening storm system and associated cold front brought widespread severe thunderstorms, including at least 8 tornadoes, to central Alabama.
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in Alabama, June 19 to 20, 2021Heavy rainfall and strong winds impacted much of Central Alabama June 19-20 as the Tropical Depression Claudette moved across the area.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Alabama, January 9, 2024A high impact severe weather event impacted the tri-state region on January 9th with supercells producing tornadoes, large hail, and damaging wind gusts, followed by a major squall line with widespread wind damage and additional tornadoes.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Alabama, March 22 to 23, 2022Several supercell thunderstorms developed ahead of a QLCS in advance of a cold front. One supercell produced three weak tornadoes, with another QLCS producing a weak tornado.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Alabama, November 29 to 30, 2022A very dynamic and deepening low pressure system moved through the Ohio Valley states on November 29-30 with a trailing cold. The air mass across Central Alabama was initially stable during the day on November 29th with surface dewpoints in the 40s and 50s.
- Tornadoes and Storm Surge in Alabama, June 20 to 23, 2017Tropical Storm Cindy first developed in the central Gulf of Mexico on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 20th and made landfall between Cameron, LA and Port Arthur, TX during the early morning hours of Thursday, June 22nd.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Alabama, December 24 to 31, 2015An anomalous upper level pattern developed across the country with a large upper level trough remaining nearly stationary west of the area for several days. Continuous southwest flow brought unseasonably warm temperatures and high moisture content across the area.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Alabama, May 8 to 9, 2024A significant outbreak of tornadoes occurred in two waves during the evening of the 8th and early morning hours of the 9th. The first wave occurred as multiple supercell thunderstorms developed across southern middle Tennessee and far north central Alabama.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Alabama, April 10, 2009A strong upper level storm moving across the Mississipi Valley brought a dry line and cold front into north Alabama during the afternoon and early evening hours.
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Alabama, January 6 to 7, 2009A slow moving frontal system caused several large areas of showers and thunderstorms to move across Central Alabama, during the period from January 5 to January 7. Some of the thunderstorms became severe, producing sporadic wind damage.
- Tornadoes and Tropical Storm in Alabama, June 19, 2021Potential Tropical Cyclone Claudette moved west of the Alabama coastal waters on the evening of June 18th, 2021. Claudette was declared a Tropical Storm and made landfall in southeast Louisiana during the early morning hours of June 19th.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Alabama, August 23 to 25, 2008Tropical Storm Fay, and its remnants after landfall, brought high winds, heavy rain, and numerous tornadoes to Central Alabama.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Alabama, May 20 to 21, 2025An outbreak of tornadoes, large hail, wind damage and flash flooding occurred during the afternoon and evening of the 20th. Fourteen tornadoes occurred in north Alabama, including 1 EF-0, 10 EF-1, 2 EF-2, and 1 EF-U (unknown) which was a waterspout on Wheeler Lake.
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in Alabama, April 28 to 30, 2014A strong storm system brought record flooding along with severe thunderstorms that produced damaging winds and tornadoes to the region.
- Flash Flood and Hail in Alabama, July 21, 2022A MCS over Tennessee during the morning hours of July 21 pushed an outflow boundary into north Alabama in the afternoon. The air mass was very unstable south of the outflow boundary with surface based CAPE 3500-4500 J/kg and DCAPE 1300-1500 J/kg.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Alabama, October 3 to 7, 2021An upper level trough just west of the Mississippi River on October 3rd become stationary and evolved into a closed upper low by October 5th. The closed upper low remained nearly stationary for 48 hours and before finally lifting northward on October 7th.
More
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.