STRONG STORMS POSSIBLE FRIDAY A.M.
SEVERE WEATHER RISK FRIDAY MORNING… Strong storms will approach west Alabama from Mississippi early on Friday morning. Some of the storms may be severe, potentially producing a few tornadoes and damaging straight line winds. The Storm Prediction Center has included much of our area in their formal severe weather risk zones valid for late Thursday into Friday morning. We’re also concerned about the potential for heavy rain that could lead to flash flooding over the next few days. Let’s talk details…
SEVERE WEATHER PLACEMENT… The Storm Prediction Center has included much of west Alabama in their Level 2 (out of 5) slight risk zone valid overnight into Friday morning. Parts of Choctaw, Washington, and Mobile counties are included. Much of the remainder of the local area is involved in the low-end, Level 1 marginal risk zone, meaning severe storms could still happen but the overall chance is much lower. The main severe weather concern will happen due to an eastward-moving line of strong to severe thunderstorms that will most likely approach the Alabama-Mississippi state line early on Friday morning.
POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER HAZARDS… Damaging wind gusts and isolated tornadoes will be possible, especially across west Alabama on Friday morning. The main risk will happen as the weakening line of thunderstorms approaches from the west, although there is a small chance of a few discrete storms out ahead of the main line that could also become severe.
SEVERE WEATHER TIMING… The severe weather risk will kick off in the early morning hours of Friday around 2AM. The line of storms will move across the region from west to east. The severe weather risk will end probably by 10AM on Friday. We note that rain will be falling long before and long after the severe weather risk.
FLASH FLOOD WATCH… 2-4” of rain will fall across our region over the next few days. Accordingly, the local National Weather Service offices have placed MANY Alabama and northwest Florida counties under a Flash Flood Watch. For southwest Alabama and northwest Florida: Mobile, Baldwin, Escambia (FL), Santa Rosa, Escambia (AL), Washington, Clarke, Monroe, Conecuh, and Butler counties are included. Many more central Alabama counties are also under a Flash Flood Watch, including places near Montgomery, Auburn, Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Gadsden, Alex City, Selma, Camden, and Hamilton. The next few days will be a big time rain event for much of the Deep South.
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