Parts of the Gulf Coast are under a flash flood emergency as torrential downpours soak parts of Alabama and Florida. Officials in one county are calling it the worst flooding in 30 years.
"That's where we've had Doppler-estimated totals of at least 17 inches. In some cases, well over 20 inches of rainfall. ... Up to 15 1/2 inches south of I-10." (Via WKRG)
NBC reports Pensacola, Fla., saw more than 6,000 lightning strikes in 15 minutes and 5 inches of rain in just one hour Tuesday night. On top of that, the Fish River in Alabama reached its highest level in 60 years.
A reporter with the Pensacola News Journal said this road was covered with 2 feet of standing water as some drivers tried making their way through it.
And WALA notes Mobile, Ala., has gotten more than a foot of rain in two days. The flooding caused so much damage on the roads, a large pickup truck fell into a sinkhole.
The flooding has caused dozens of roads across the area, including a stretch of Interstate 10 in Florida, to be closed until further notice.
So far, officials say at least one woman has died in Florida after driving her car into high floodwater. The flooding comes after days of deadly severe weather.
At least three dozen people have died from a tornado outbreak that ravaged parts of the South and Midwest from Sunday to Tuesday. According to The Weather Channel, nearly half of those deaths happened in Mississippi alone.
The tornado outbreak even caused this meteorologist at WTVA in Tupelo, Miss., to take shelter while he was on the air Monday.
"Let's go. Now."
And, unfortunately, it's not over yet. CBS reports severe weather watches are in effect from Florida to Maryland Wednesday, with the threat of hail, damaging winds and possibly even more tornadoes.
