Alabama storms cause street flooding, power outages

Marty Roney, Montgomery Advertiser
Updated ·4 min read

A potent weather system moving through the state overnight and into Tuesday morning caused widespread power outages, flash flooding and downed trees.

Autauga, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery and eastern Dallas counties were under a flash flood warning until 7:45 a.m. Tuesday with rainfall totals expected to exceed five inches from the storms.

At 6:30 a.m. Prattville reported widespread street flooding and power out to several traffic lights. Police Chief Mark Thompson urged drivers to stay off the streets if possible. Autauga County Schools delayed opening two hours Tuesday.

At about 7:30 a.m. the Prattville Fire Department started evacuating some residents in the Candlestick Park neighborhood. The mobile home community is on South Memorial Drive near the Autauga County 4 intersection and near Pine Creek. The effort took about two hours and 13 people and six animals were evacuated, the PFD's Facebook page reported.

Water flows Tuesday at the mill pond in downtown Prattville.
Water flows Tuesday at the mill pond in downtown Prattville.

In Elmore County there are reports of widespread street flooding, said Keith Barnett, director of the Elmore County Emergency Management Agency. Schools in Elmore County delayed opening until 10 a.m.

The Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency was compiling a list of areas with flooding. The agency said in a social media post that the Catoma Creek area "will reach flood stage, crest and quickly recede over the next 24 hours." Officials said they were continuing to monitor other rivers and creeks across Montgomery.

Suzzanne Sanders was busy cleaning mud and water from Indulgence Salan and Spa in downtown Prattville about 9 a.m. Tuesday. The business is at the intersection of West Main and Court streets in downtown Prattville.

Suzzanne Sanders cleans the floor Tuesday in Indulgence Salon and Spa in downtown Prattville. The business is at the intersection of West Main and Court streets in downtown Prattville and was flooded by the heavy rains. It remained open.
Suzzanne Sanders cleans the floor Tuesday in Indulgence Salon and Spa in downtown Prattville. The business is at the intersection of West Main and Court streets in downtown Prattville and was flooded by the heavy rains. It remained open.

"We're just trying to get the last of the water up, we are open," she said. "We had a lot of help and the city came out quickly to hose the mud from the sidewalks. It could have been much worse.

"We've lost our internet, but the power stayed on. That means we could stay open. We just have a lot of mopping to do."

City crews and the Prattville Fire Department were hosing off downtown streets and sidewalks that were covered in mud from the flooding.

At 9 a.m. Tuesday, there were 4,200 Alabama Power Co. customers in central Alabama. without service, said Michael Jordan, spokesman for the utility. At the height of the storm there were about 48,000 customers statewide without service. At the 9 a.m. update, statewide, there were about 38,000 APC customers without service.  Power has been restored to more than 3,000 customers in central Alabama since earlier this morning.

A car drives through standing water on Upper Wetumpka Road in Montgomery on Tuesday after overnight thunderstorms.
A car drives through standing water on Upper Wetumpka Road in Montgomery on Tuesday after overnight thunderstorms.

Central Alabama outages exist in the following areas:

  • Tallapoosa County: 1,000 outages

  • Lee County: 870 outages

  • Montgomery County: 480 outages

  • Bullock County: 390 customers

  • Chilton County: 320 outages

  • Butler County: 250 outages

  • Lowndes County: 230 outages

  • Wilcox County: 160 outages

  • Perry County: 140 outages

  • Autauga County: 120 outages

Fewer, widely scattered outages also exists in Dallas and Elmore Counties.

Until electrical power is fully restored, Alabama Power offered these safety reminders:

  • Stay away from downed lines. Do not drive over lines or under low-hanging lines. Always assume power lines are energized.

  • Keep children and pets away from downed lines.

  • Stay clear of areas with fallen trees or limbs where downed lines may be hidden.

  • Exercise caution near chain link fences. Dangerous lines may touch the metal.

  • Avoid stepping in puddles and standing water after a storm as they may be touching hidden, downed power lines and be electrified.

  • Do not attempt to remove tree limbs or anything else caught in power lines. Call us at 1-800-888-2726 or contact a local law enforcement agency if downed lines are spotted.

Downed Christmas trees lay among holiday decorations at Riverfront Park in Montgomery following overnight thunderstorms.
Downed Christmas trees lay among holiday decorations at Riverfront Park in Montgomery following overnight thunderstorms.

By 11 a.m. most of the rain had moved out of the River Region, and clearing skies are forecast for the afternoon. There's a break in the weather until the next chance of rain is forecast for Friday.

According to forecasts from the National Weather Service office in Birmingham, for the Montgomery area Wednesday will be sunny with a high of 51 degrees and low Wednesday night of 34 degrees. Thursday will be mostly sunny with a high of 61 and low of 47.

Friday sees a warmup with a high forecast near 70, but also with a 100 percent chance of rain. The rain ends Friday night making way for a clear, cooler weekend.

City crews clean sidewalks Tuesday along West Main Street in Downtown Prattville.
City crews clean sidewalks Tuesday along West Main Street in Downtown Prattville.

Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at mroney@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Alabama storms cause street flooding, power outages