A life-threatening flash flood warning has been put in place for parts of the Deep South, mainly central Alabama, as Tropical Depression Claudette traveled over coastal states early Sunday morning. The depression is reaching across Alabama up to parts of North Carolina.
Claudette was named after qualifying as a tropical storm early Saturday morning when the storm’s eye had already been ashore. Since then, it has caused flooding throughout the south, in some places as high as 13 feet.
Watch #Claudette's ongoing trek across the southeast U.S., producing heavy rain and gusty winds. It's expected to regain tropical storm status as it reaches the Atlantic Ocean (with a tropical storm warning in effect for the NC coast), then quickly move northeast away from land. pic.twitter.com/SEZbuTSwXk
— Dr. Kim Wood (@DrKimWood) June 20, 2021
Water began rising when heavy rain hit late Saturday night and continued into Sunday morning through the Birmingham and Tuscaloosa metropolitan areas.
The flooding resulted in 20 people needing to be rescued by boat in Northport, Alabama, according to WVUA-TV.
The high winds have also wreaked havoc, leaving a path of downed trees and damaged houses in several states throughout the south.
Winds in some parts of Florida reached 85 mph causing an 18-wheeler to flip over onto its side.
The National Hurricane Center located the storm about 85 miles west-southwest of Atlanta, with sustained winds of 30 mph as it moved east-northeast at 13 mph, in an advisory Sunday morning.
The high winds have also resulted in tornado warnings being issued in parts of Alabama, Mississippi, the Florida panhandle, and southwestern Georgia. One tornado touched down in Blakely, Georgia, at 1:38 p.m. on Saturday. It was moving north at 30 mph, according to NWS Tallahassee.
Claudette was expected to cross into the Atlantic Ocean once again on Monday and regain tropical storm strength while over eastern North Carolina, according to the Associated Press.
As of now, the storm is beginning to hit parts of North Carolina, and parts of the storm may even impact Washington D.C., continuing on its path of destruction.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
