Alabama receives an average of 56 inches of rainfall annually and enjoys a lengthy growing season of up to 300 days in the southern part of the state.  Alabama is also prone to tropical storms and even hurricanes.  Areas of the state far away from the Gulf are not immune to the effects of the storms, which often dump tremendous amounts of rain as they move inland and weaken.

South Alabama reports more thunderstorms than any part of the U.S.  The Gulf Coast, around Mobile Bay, averages between 70 and 80 days per year with thunder reported.  This activity decreases somewhat further north in the state, but even the far north of the state reports thunder on about 60 days per year.  Occasionally, thunderstorms are severe with frequent lightning and large hail - the central and northern parts of the state are most vulnerable to this type of storm.

Sometimes tornadoes occur - these are common throughout the state, although the peak season for tornadoes varies from the northern to southern parts of the state. Alabama shares the dubious distinction, with Kansas, of having reported more F5 tornadoes than any other state - according to statistics from the National Climatic Data Center for the period 1 January 1950 to 31 October 2006. An F5 tornado is the most powerful of its kind.  Several long - tracked F5 tornadoes have contributed to Alabama reporting more tornado fatalities than any other state except for Texas and Mississippi. The Super Outbreak of March, 1974, badly affected Alabama. The northern part of the state - along the Tennessee Valley - is one of the areas in the US most vulnerable to violent tornadoes. The area of Alabama and Mississippi most affected by tornadoes is sometimes referred to as Dixie Alley, as distinct from the Tornado Alley of the Southern Plains. Alabama is one of the few places in the world that has a secondary tornado season (November and December) in addition to the Spring severe weather season.

Do not be left in an Alabama flood without Alabama flood insurance.  Get your Alabama Flood Insurance Quote today!