Alabama Can Expect Days of Rain, Potential Flooding
Rain is forecast for Alabama this week. A lot of rain.
On Monday, the National Weather Service issued a flood watch through Friday morning for roughly north of Interstate 59/20. That area could see up to 6 inches of rain this week.
John De Block, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Birmingham, says the heavy rain is partly due to El Niño, the periodic warming of the Pacific Ocean off the South American coast. The phenomenon has meant a wet winter already.
“So this additional rainfall that’s going to fall is going to pretty much immediately go into runoff,” De Block says. “We are expecting some significant rises on area rivers, lakes and streams.”
De Block says those living near water and low-lying areas should be on guard. He says with enough lead time, people can sandbag structures or move property to higher ground. But that shouldn’t be done at the expense of people’s lives.
“A lot of times people will wait, have offers to be moved to higher ground. They wait and they wait and before you know it they have to be rescued,” De Block says.
De Block says the general public should not drive over water-covered roadways. Floodwater can wash away roads that can’t been seen by drivers.
“The best bet is to turn around and don’t drown,” De Block says.
Photo by HowardLake
How will China impact the future of climate change? You might be surprised
As a new Trump administration signals a retreat on climate action, China is stepping up. China is the biggest producer of climate technologies like electric vehicles and solar panels.
More than 100,000 pounds of ground beef are recalled for possibly having E. coli
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture alerted federal authorities about several illnesses in the past week.
President-elect set to shape ‘Trump judiciary’ for next generation
Legal experts predict President-elect Donald Trump will move quickly next year to cement and extend his legacy in appointing federal judges.
Mama Stamberg’s relish faces its toughest critics: NPR staffers
Susan Stamberg returns with her annual love letter to the pink pile of Thanksgiving mush known as Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish.
In ‘Wicked: Part I’, Cynthia Erivo defies gravity — and convention — as Elphaba
Cynthia Erivo says being different had "something to do with" her role as Elphaba in 'Wicked: Part 1.'
In this election, demographics did not determine how people voted
Groups that Democrats believed would always turn out in their favor did not do so this year. Here's how the vote shook out in the seven swing states.
