More flooding possible today in Alabama: Where to watch

Residents in northern and central Alabama should remain on high alert today as the region faces an ongoing risk of flash flooding. While no organized severe weather is in the forecast, a stalled weather pattern is bringing another round of rain to areas that were already swamped by heavy storms on Sunday.

A Soaked Sunday

Sunday saw significant rainfall across northern and central Alabama, with some regions receiving between 3 and 9 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service in Huntsville. Data collected between 5 a.m. Sunday and 5 a.m. Monday indicates that large swaths of North Alabama recorded at least 2 inches of rain, with the highest totals concentrated near and northeast of Huntsville, where some areas surpassed 5 inches.

The aftermath of these heavy totals has been severe. Numerous roads remained underwater as of Monday morning, and some homes on the north side of Huntsville experienced water intrusion. Additionally, reports of flooding emerged late Sunday night in the Birmingham metro area and Gadsden.

Flooding Risks Today

Forecasters at the National Weather Service have issued a Level 2 out of 4 risk for excessive rainfall across northern and northeast Alabama for today. This designation signals a 15 percent probability of heavy rain sufficient to trigger flash flooding. Portions of central Alabama are under a Level 1 risk, carrying a 5 percent probability of excessive rainfall.

Because these slow-moving thunderstorms are expected to hover over areas already saturated from yesterday's deluges, the risk for flash flooding is higher than normal. Flood watches remain in effect for parts of north and central Alabama through tonight.

The Week Ahead

While scattered storms will keep the rain threat alive into Tuesday, weather experts at 205focus.com note that organized severe weather is not expected. Rainfall chances are projected to persist in eastern Alabama through Wednesday before returning to more typical summertime patterns of afternoon showers and storms for the remainder of the week. Rain chances are anticipated to increase again as we head into the weekend.

Beyond the rain, residents should prepare for a spike in heat. Temperatures are set to climb into the upper 80s and 90s throughout the week, with heat index values expected to surpass 100 degrees in some locations.