A Soaking For Alabama--a 4:45 am Report

As advertised, a big part of Alabama has received a real soaking since yesterday. It was a God-send because so much of the state was very dry.

This should also help the autumn color situation.

At 4:30 this morning, heavy rain continued. However, rain has slackened greatly over the NW counties. The heaviest rain was over Walker, Tuscaloosa, Fayette and Sumter County. Rain will become heavier in the Birmingham Metro area between 5 an 6 this morning.

A Tornado Watch is still in effect until 9 o'clock this morning for part of SW Alabama. Please scroll down to see the details on that.

It is still very windy this morning especially on the ridges. Birmingham Airport was reporting SE gusts to 37 mph at 4 am. Here are some wind reports from the network of 33/40 Skycams:

Birmingham...ESE 22, with gusts to 49 mph
Cullman...gusts to 45
Gadsdn...gusts to 39
Gulf Shores...gusts to 46
Hamilton...gusts 37
Inverness...gusts 37
Jasper...gusts 33 (one inch of additional rain since midnight)
Tuscaloosa...gusts 37 with 1.16 additional rain since midnight

Later this morning, we will try to post a more complete list of rainfall amounts but here are a few early notes:

* 3.42 inches at Fayette (3340 skywatcher)
* 0.98 at Tuscaloosa Airport just in the last 6 hours
* 5.62 inches at Mississippi State University, Starkville
* 4.29 inches in Greenwood, Miss., Monday, a record for the date
* 5.33 inches at Vicksburg, also a record
* Stores and businesses were flooded in downtown Columbia, Miss.
* Water was in houses and streets under water at Canton, Miss., Madison County
* Numerous trees down across Hines County, Miss.
* 1.16 inches of rain in NE Trussville (through 4:45 am)