On this date in 1927, the headline of the New Orleans Times Picayune screamed the words of Mississippi Governor Dennis Murphree: “For God’s Sake, Send Us Boats” as the Mississippi River raged out of control in the Magnolia State. Nearly 200,000 people in the Mississippi Delta were forced from their homes by floodwaters from a levee break at Mounds Landing. The waters covered an area fifty miles wide and one hundred miles long. That is one million acres to a depth or up to twenty feet!

The Mississippi River Flood of 1927 would be one of the most devastating to hit the United States. Hundreds of people were killed and 500,000 were homeless. The disaster came before extensive flood control measures were in place on the mighty Mississippi River. All through the fall of 1926, rainfall over the Mississippi Valley was above normal, so the river was high when the annual spring floods began. Then heavy rains of up to nine inches over Missouri and Arkansas combined with melting snows to swell the Mississippi to record levels. The result was 120 breaks through levees on the Big Muddy and its tributaries.

The town of Greenville MS was nearly destroyed by the crevasse at Mounds Landing. Over 13,000 African American refugees crowded the only high ground in the county, the remaining levee near Greenville. Without food, safe water, and shelter, outbreak of disease was inevitable. But local leaders refused to evacuate the refugees, fearing that they would leave the area and remove a large part of the labor pool that the cotton industry depended upon. A sickening display of power and greed.

A total of 260,000 acres of land was flooded in seven states. 600,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes across the nation. The river was eighty miles wide in some places. The Flood Control Act of 1928 resulted from the horrendous disaster and led to vastly superior flood control through reservoirs and levees.

But can man control the mighty Mississip? The jury is still out.

The Severe Thunderstorm Watch that was in effect for a huge part of North and Central Alabama expired at 9 pm. A new Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect until 1 am for parts of East and South Alabama. The Birmingham Metro Area is not included.

Most of the stronger storms have shifted into East Central and South Alabama.

Just before 8 o'clock tonight...

.....Hail the size of nickles reported at Rock Creek and Hueytown in West Jefferson County. The Severe Thunderstorm Warning continues for Jefferson County.

A "dry line" is advancing eastward across NW Alabama. The air is much drier as soon as the line passes. But it is also the focus point for thunderstorm activity and several storms are now in progress along the line.

One of the strongest storms was over NE Tuscaloosa County but now moving into Extreme West Jefferson County near Oak Grove.

The NWS has now issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Jefferson...St.Clair...and Blount County until 8:15 pm.

Two counties in the NE corner of Alabama under tornado warnings.

...Tornado Warning for NE Cherokee County until 7:30.

...Possible tornado indicated by radar over Fort Payne...moving east at 30 mph.

...So Dekalb County also under a Tornado Warnings

...The radar signature over Fort Payne has been quite impressive.

.....Nickle size hail and 60 mph wind gusts in North Pike County along U. S. 231
.....Golf ball size hail covering U. S. 231 along the Montgomery-Pike County line. The swatch of hail was two miles wide.

This is a sampling of recent reports. By the way, we have not been able to keep up with all the hail reports today and get them posted on the blog. Just too many...and with other pressing duties such as numerous radio updates...

.....Golf ball size hail at Munford, Talladega County
.....Nickle size hail at Alexandria, Calhoun County
.....Penny size hail at Tuscaloosa and also at Taylorville a few miles south of Tuscaloosa
.....Quarter size hail at Geiger, Sumter County
.....Nickle size hail at Weaver, Calhoun County
.....Quarter size hail at Stemley, Talladega County

As far as we know, the most damage, not hail related, was in Wedowee, in East Alabama at mid-day.

Much drier air has pushed into NW Alabama with the dew point at Hamilton now 46!

Very busy, tired and hungary but that is a necessary part of our ballgame...

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning for South Tuscaloosa County including the city of Tuscaloosa until 6:15 pm. In East Alabama, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Calhoun County until 6 pm.

A new warning (Severe Thunderstorm) for Marengo County until 6:30.

Looking westward...
At least 5 Mississippi counties under Tornado Warnings
About 10 Mississippi counties under Severe Thunderstorm Warnings

A Tornado Warning for Nuxubee, Kemper and Winston County based on radar indications of a possible tornado near Preston, Miss., or 18 miles SE of Louisville, Miss., and moving east at 35. We will watch West Alabama closely.

It formed quickly just north of Downtown Birmingham and started along an eastward track.

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is in effect for East Jefferson County until 5 pm. This severe thunderstorm will be moving eastward toward Trussville and Leeds. It will move into St. Clair County soon...and a Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for St. Clair until 5:30.

Another strong thunderstorm was near the Blount-St Clair County line.

At least 4 Mississippi Counties under Severe Thunderstorm Warnings and now Sumter County in West Alabama until 5:45.