WEDNESDAY EVENING UPDATE: LEVEL 3 (OUT OF 5) ENHANCED SEVERE WEATHER RISK FOR SATURDAY… We continue to look at an environment on Saturday that will support tornadoes and damaging wind gusts across Alabama and northwest Florida as the Storm Prediction Center maintains the entirety of our local area in their Level 3 (out of 5) enhanced severe weather risk valid for Saturday, January 11. One thing that has changed today is that it appears we will have at least a small risk of severe storms earlier than initially thought, perhaps as early as Friday evening. Rain will return to the area on Friday and storms could erupt due to rising instability levels as early as Friday evening into the overnight hours. The core risk of severe weather continues to be during the daytime hours of Saturday, however. Here’s the latest on this developing situation as of Wednesday night.
WHO IS INVOLVED IN TORNADO RISK ON SATURDAY… Much of Alabama, northwest Florida, Mississippi, and the northeast corner of Louisiana near New Orleans is involved in the Level 3 (out of 5) enhanced severe weather risk zone. Here are a few of the locales involved in the Level 3 risk area. Note that even if your specific town isn’t included in this list, if you see surrounding towns or cities involved, you’re still probably included in the risk zone. Level 3 risk as of Wednesday night: Mobile, Pensacola, Birmingham, Montgomery, Andalusia, Opp, Florala, Georgiana, Greenville, McKenzie, Hayneville, Camden, Brewton, Atmore, Poarch, Huxford, Flomaton, Evergreen, Repton, Castleberry, Monroeville, Beatrice, Uriah, Thomasville, Grove Hill, Jackson, Coffeeville, Silas, Butler, Pennington, Livingston, McIntosh, Leroy, Citronelle, Bay Minette, Mount Vernon, Saraland, Satsuma, Prichard, Theodore, Bayou La Batre, Fort Morgan, Dauphin Island, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Perdido Key, Foley, Fairhope, Daphne, Spanish Fort, Loxley, Stockton, Century, Bratt, Walnut Hill, Molino, Gulf Breeze, Warrington, Milton, Pace, Berrydale, Jay, Navarre, Crestview, Destin, Baker, Fort Walton Beach, Tuscaloosa, Marion, Selma, and Demopolis.
SEVERE WEATHER SETS UP TO OUR WEST ON FRIDAY DURING THE DAY… The ArkLaTex region (east Texas, southern Arkansas, and northern Louisiana) has a considerable severe weather risk setting up during the daytime hours of Friday. This includes places near Alexandria (LA), Shreveport (LA), and Lufkin (TX). Strong tornadoes will be possible in and near these areas on Friday. The core risk shifts eastward overnight into our region on Saturday.
RAIN RETURNS FRIDAY; FEW STRONG STORMS POSSIBLE FRIDAY EVENING… We will remain dry across our region until late Thursday evening. That is when we could have a few areas of sprinkles and light rain across west Alabama. Rain will be possible throughout the day on Friday. There could be a few thunderstorms Friday afternoon. We will need to watch radar trends carefully Friday evening into the overnight hours on Saturday morning as there could be a few strong to potentially severe thunderstorms as EARLY as Friday evening. There is a low-end chance of severe storms Friday evening into Saturday morning, but the more substantial, major risk will happen on Saturday during the daytime hours.
TORNADO RISK INCREASES AFTER SUNRISE SATURDAY MORNING… The core risk of severe weather when tornadoes, damaging wind gusts, large hail, and flash flooding will be MOST likely to happen across Alabama and northwest Florida will happen during the daytime hours of Saturday with the 12 hour window for strong to severe storms primarily being from 6AM to 6PM on Saturday.
DON’T WAIT TO PREPARE… If you missed my detailed tornado preparedness post earlier, I would highly suggest you check it out, especially if you’re new to our area and all of the severe weather we have around here. Here is the link to that post: https://www.facebook.com/rzweather/posts/1462049533953381
APP ALERTS… Many consistent updates will be posted over the next few days in the RedZone Weather app. redzoneweather.com/app is the link for the free download. Be sure to visit the Alerts tab (bottom right corner) and tap the large, yellow “Alert Settings” button to customize the alerts you’d like to receive from me. Everyone should toggle ON Medium-Level Alerts. If you like a lot of info, be sure to toggle ON Low-Level Alerts.
I plan to have an *extremely detailed* early morning text discussion with the latest info in the morning video on Thursday morning. Please be sure to check back with me at 7:15AM on Thursday for the very latest. I’ll have updates as needed throughout the day Thursday, Friday, and of course on Saturday in the RedZone Weather app. Let me know if you have any questions. Have a great evening!
