Update, 5:55 a.m. CDT October 5: The Flash Flood Warning for central Dale County reached its scheduled 5:45 a.m. CDT expiration. The earlier warning for central Coffee and northwestern Dale counties had reached its scheduled 4:15 a.m. expiration. Readers should use the live NWS alert page for any replacement warning or later change.
Before expiring, the newer warning had been issued at 2:46 a.m. CDT. Radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain; 1 to 2 inches had fallen and another 1 to 3 inches was possible. Flash flooding was ongoing or expected to begin shortly in Daleville, Ozark, Fort Rucker, Enterprise, Level Plains, Newton and nearby communities. Flooding may affect creeks, streets, underpasses and other low-lying areas, and nighttime conditions make flooded roads harder to recognize.
The warning was issued at 2:20 a.m. EDT, or 1:20 a.m. CDT, by the National Weather Service in Tallahassee, with the product issued by the Jacksonville office. Radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area.
Rainfall and affected locations
Between 1 and 3 inches of rain had fallen when the warning was issued, and up to 2 additional inches was possible. The Weather Service said flash flooding was ongoing or expected to begin shortly.
Locations named in the warning include Elba, Fort Rucker, Enterprise, Ozark, New Brockton, Ariton, Lee, Tabernacle, Eanon, Mixons Crossroads, Camp Alaflo BSA, Java, Clintonville, Victoria, Greater Salem Church, Woodland Grove Church, Frisco, Shell Army Field, Roeton and Arcus.
Residents should use the latest official warning summary because the expiration time, polygon or expected rainfall can change as new radar and ground reports arrive.
Expected impacts
The warning identifies a threat to small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets, underpasses and other poor-drainage or low-lying locations. Darkness makes it harder to judge the depth of water or see damage beneath a flooded road.
A Flash Flood Warning means flooding is occurring or imminent. It calls for more immediate action than a Flood Watch, which means conditions are favorable for flooding over a broader area and time.
Drivers should not enter water covering a road. Anyone in a flood-prone location should monitor local emergency instructions and be ready to move to higher ground if water rises.
Uncertainty and broader conditions
Rain totals can vary substantially within a warning polygon. Some communities may receive less than the maximum additional two inches, while repeated thunderstorms over the same corridor could produce faster runoff than the area-wide estimate suggests.
The new Coffee-Dale warning is distinct from the earlier Flash Flood Warning in northern Barbour County. It also sits within the wider heavy-rain pattern covered in AskNovus’s Florida Panhandle and south Georgia flood report.
The NWS Tallahassee office should be used for subsequent statements, cancellations or extensions.
Sources
- National Weather Service Flash Flood Warning, issued October 5, 2026 at 2:20 a.m. EDT
- National Weather Service Tallahassee office, latest alerts and forecasts
- National Weather Service flood-safety guidance
Featured image is illustrative. Photo: Leo_Visions/Unsplash.