Flood warnings still in affect in Morgan County
Heavy, sustained rains have brought more than four inches of precipitation to parts of Morgan County since Thursday morning, creating flood situations across the area.
Meteorologist Chelly Amin, with the National Weather Service in Huntsville, said the heaviest rains have fallen in Falkville (4.12 inches) and Somerville (3.36 inches) with Hartselle receiving 2.42 inches over the past 48 hours.
A flood warning has been extended to 3 p.m. today for parts of Morgan County.
“There’s been quite a bit of rain,” Amin said. “Winter is typically the wettest season we experience. December is one of our wetter months and that has rolled into the early part of January.”
Overnight rain caused flooding around Hartselle and Morgan County, with water breaching Highway 36 near downtown, as well as Gum Springs Cut off Road, Murphy Road between Matkins Road and Highway 36 and the eastbound lane of Highway 36 between Collins Hill Road and Henry Drive near Cotaco.
“We’ve received reports of flooding, the majority of which involve low-lying roads, or roads situated near creeks, that typically flood when we see heavy rains,” Trent Simon, a specialist with Morgan County EMA, said. “We’re already seeing some of those roads clear off, but that could take a day or two for some of the roads near Hartselle and Danville.”
Amin said the heavy rains are a result of multiple weather scenarios meeting at the same time.
“There were a lot of things that lined up to give us this constant, heavy dose of rain,” she said. “We typically will see one or two components that can bring precipitation, like increased warmth or pressure changes. This time it all came together and the result has been sustained, heavy rain and the flooding that Morgan County is experiencing now.”
Amin said the area could see another round of rain move in on Monday.
“It would be much quicker,” she said. “That round of potential rain looks like it would be in and done with not nearly as much total precipitation.”