Notes at 2:35 a.m.

NEW FLASH FLOOD WARNING
Fayette County….goes until 6:15 a.m. More heavy rain moving into the county. Doppler radar estimates from BHM indicate that 306 inches of rain has fallen across the entire counrty in t he past 24 hours with a band of 6-7 inch amounts from just east of Vernon in Lamar County to west of Carbon Hill in Walker County…which cuts acorss North Central Fayette County.

RAIN INCREASING
Radar shows The surface low is over eastern Mississippi between Columbus and Meridian. As that passes, the cold front will begin to sweep southeast through the state and eventually decrease the rain. But for now, convective showers were increasing south of the northward retreating boundary over West Alabama. Rain and storms should continue to increase over Central Alabama to the south of the boundary. And rain was really increasing along the boundary in parts of Lamar and Fayette Counties. This trend should spread eastward into the Birmingham area, so look for more heavy rain and flooding.

SEVERE THREAT
The approach of the low and the northward retreat of the boundary means that the severe weather threat will likely increase again in areas along and south of the boundary and the tornado watch will likely be reissued before its scheduled expiration time of 3 a.m.

HISTORIC DAY
3.35 inches of rain at the Shuttlesworth-Birmingham International Airport through 2 a.m.

Only 67 days have had 3.35 inches or more at BHM. Now that is not apples to apples, as I am talking about an eventual 24 hour total from 9 a.m. to 9 a.m. or so and don’t have access to the 24 hour records.

With more steady rain on the way for the next 4-6 hours, you would have to imagine the rainfall total will be at least 4.25 inches at the airport. Perhaps a lot more.

If that happens, only 21 days in BHM history have had that much rain or more.

It will likely be the wettest day in Birmingham since Hurricane Ivan in September 2004, when 9.75 inches fell.

A rather historic 24 hours.

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