Strong thunderstorms are firing up across the Southeast, causing flash flooding emergencies as evacuations are underway from rising water.
A Flash Flood Emergency was issued Friday morning for Union City, Tennessee. Thunderstorms produced between 9 and 11 inches of heavy rain in the Green Acres mobile home park, where evacuations took place. Additional rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches are possible in the warned area.
Another Flash Flood Emergency was issued for Hickman, Kentucky, after emergency management reported numerous roads flooded and evacuations in the city and across Fulton County. Between 4 and 7 inches of rain have fallen, with up to 3 inches more expected.
Meanwhile, flash flooding in Oneonta, Alabama, triggered water rescues after 3 inches of rain fell in 4 hours, according to the National Weather Service.
So far there are no reports of any injuries in any of the flooding events.
Flood Watches cover much of the same area Friday morning that has been drenched since Wednesday, stretching from central and southeastern Missouri through western Kentucky and into a swath of western Tennessee and even northern Alabama.
Renewed reports of flash flooding in Missouri Friday morning came in from Linn and Mount Sterling, just southeast of Jefferson City, where radar estimates show several inches of rain have fallen this week.
Thunderstorms riding along a stalled frontal boundary in the area are tapping into copious amounts of available moisture from the hot, humid air in the region and dropping as much as 1 to 2 inches of rain per hour or more. It’s enough rain to bring a risk of flash flooding.
Flood Watches are expected to expire around midday Friday, with thunderstorms finally tapering off Friday afternoon.