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WGUS74 KBMX 231453

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ALZ001-002-231600-



FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL

850 AM CST WED JAN 23 2002



...FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR LAUDERDALE AND COLBERT COUNTIES

UNTIL 1030 AM CST...



AT 850 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADARS INDICATED

A LARGE BAND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE ACROSS MUCH

OF LAUDERDALE AND COLBERT COUNTIES. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS

REPORTED THAT SOME ROADS WERE COVERED WITH WATER ACROSS PARTS OF

LAUDERDALE AND COLBERT COUNTIES THIS MORNING...AND FLOODING WAS

BECOMING MORE WIDESPREAD AS THE RAIN CONTINUED.



RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES HAVE FALLEN ACROSS PARTS OF

NORTHWEST ALABAMA SINCE MIDNIGHT...AND A FEW SPOTS MAY HAVE

RECEIVED AROUND 5 INCHES. THE MAIN AREA OF HEAVY RAINFALL EXTENDED

FROM WESTERN COLBERT COUNTY...NORTHEAST ACROSS TUSCUMBIA AND

FLORENCE...TO ROGERSVILLE.  THE RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE

TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA...AND DRIFT SLOWLY NORTH...FOR AT LEAST

ANOTHER HOUR OR TWO.  ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES

ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH 1030 AM.



MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.  DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS

BRIDGES...DIPS...OR OTHER LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY.



A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.

IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.

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