Governor Kay Ivey announced further plans to launch a statewide flood notification system during her State of the State address on Tuesday.

“Looking only at last year, our country experienced devastating weather events, including the horrific flooding in Texas that claimed the lives of fellow Alabamians, the youngest being Sarah Marsh, who was away at summer camp,” Ivey said.

“For that reason, I am launching a statewide flood notification system that will be in place for this summer. I am also calling on the Legislature to fund this notification system moving forward. We cannot put our young people at risk.”

Alabamians currently receive flood-related warnings primarily through the National Weather Service and local emergency management agencies, including Flood Watches and Flash Flood Warnings disseminated through standard public-warning pathways.

Flooding remains one of Alabama’s most frequent natural threats. The state experiences flooding on average every 12 days, fueled by roughly 56 inches of rainfall each year. Alabama’s geography, including its Gulf Coast exposure, extensive river systems, and countless streams, creates ongoing vulnerability to both riverine and flash flooding.

Emergency officials have repeatedly warned that heavy rainfall poses a serious danger statewide, even in areas that have never flooded before. Flooding impacts residents in both rural and urban communities, often developing rapidly and leaving little time to react.

In addition to weather warnings, Alabama has expanded statewide alerting in other public-safety areas. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has promoted CodeRED as a statewide subscription-based alert system for certain state-issued alerts, with enrollment available online or by texting “ALalerts” to 99411, according to ALEA.

The governor called on lawmakers to provide long-term funding for the system.

Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].