FEW SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON… Vast majority of us across south Alabama and northwest Florida remain dry as of 12:55PM. We are observing a few showers and thunderstorms near Niceville and Eglin AFB in southern Okaloosa County, FL. These showers are slowly drifting eastward. There also are a few blips on the radar, indicating light rain showers, in parts of southern Covington County near Florala. There could be a few more showers that pop up across coastal counties or Escambia, Conecuh, or Covington counties in south Alabama later this afternoon. No severe weather is expected locally.
SEVERE T-STORM WATCH TO OUR NORTH… Parts of west-central Alabama are now under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch valid until 7PM this evening. The Storm Prediction Center issued this in response to the mesoscale convective system (MCS) that will be moving southeast into these areas over the next few hours. Tuscaloosa, Centreville, Marion, Eutaw, Livingston, Greensboro, Gordo, Fayette, Jasper, and Hamilton are all included. This watch is in effect for all parts of Marion, Winston, Lamar, Fayette, Walker, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Sumter, Greene, Hale, Bibb, and Perry counties. The main concern in the stronger storms in these areas over the next few hours will be the potential for brief, damaging wind gusts and large (golfball size) hail. The overall tornado risk remains very low.