Clayton, Alabama recorded 14.2 inches of rain in 6 days; rainfall totals across the state
Black Pond Road in Winston County washed out by high water on Christmas Day. (Contributed photo/Hal Jones)
By Leada Gore | lgore@al.com
No area of Alabama escaped the deluge of rain that rolled through the state in the last week, according to National Weather Service data.
For the period of Dec. 21-26, rainfall totals in the state ranged from the 2-inches across south central Alabama to a whopping 14.2 inches at Clayton in Barbour County.
Flooding has been blamed for three deaths: a 22-year old man and his 5-year-old nephew who died after their car was swept away in high water in Coffee County and a 53-year-old man who is believed to have drowned in New Hope.
North Alabama
Highest rainfall totals in North Alabama were recorded in Haleyville in Winston County, where some 10.35 inches of rain was reported. Guntersville also receive a massive amount of rain in a short period of time – recording 9.8 inches of rain in the 48 hours from Dec. 26-Dec. 27.
The recording station at Huntsville National Space Science Technology Center reported 9.69 inches of rain from Dec. 26-27. Jones Field in Huntsville recorded 7.28 inches.
According to the National Weather Service Center in Huntsville, Madison County received an average of 10.58 inches of rain in December, well above the average of 5.77 inches but below the 1990 record when 18.68 inches was recorded.
Other North Alabama totals include: Decatur at Pryor Field, 7.3 inches; Lawrence County at Bankhead National Forest, 8.24 inches; Ider in DeKalb County, 8.18 inches; and Blountsville in Blount County, 7.05 inches.
Central Alabama
National Weather Service map of tornado track near Birmingham on Christmas Day.
While not the recipient of the highest rain amounts, central Alabama saw a series of tornadoes Christmas Day: ranging from EF-0-EF-2s in Midfield near Brownsville and Hillman and into Jefferson County and an EF-0 that swept close to Coaling and Dudley near Tuscaloosa.
The Birmingham-area tornadoes destroyed 72 buildings and are blamed for five injuries.
Birmingham recorded 5.83 inches of rain with 3.76 inches reported at the Shelby County Airport in Calera.
Bankhead Lock and Dam in Tuscaloosa had 5.34 inches of rain; Lay Dam in Chilton County 5.7 inches; Childersburg in Talladega County saw 7.44 inches; and Ashland in Clay County 6.47 inches.
South Alabama
Southeast Alabama saw some of the heaviest rainfall totals and experienced some of the greatest disruptions due to the storm. Shortly after the Christmas storms, as many as 40 people in the town of Elba were forced to seek shelter after being flooded out of their homes.
More than 9.3 inches of rain was reported at Auburn in Lee County and 6.61 inches in Montgomery. The Troy Airport in Pike County reported 8.48 inches; 7.73 inches was reported at Evergreen in Conecuh County; and 7.23 inches at Bay Minette in Baldwin County. The Mobile Airport recorded 7.35 inches of rain.
You can see more rain totals here.