RAIN & STORMS AT TIMES THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT; INCREASING CLOUDINESS TODAY… Heavy rain and strong to severe thunderstorms are expected at times Thursday evening into early Friday morning as a cold front approaches from the west. The Storm Prediction Center continues to include our area in severe weather risk zones, suggesting the potential for tornadoes, damaging winds, and heavy rain at times that could lead to flash flooding. The main time frame for severe storms will be from 4PM Thursday to 4AM Friday. We will go into nonstop live video coverage if and when tornado warnings are required for our local area (even if a warning is happening at midnight when 2021 starts!). You’ll notice more in the way of cloud cover on this Wednesday with temperatures that are too warm for late December, climatologically speaking. High temperatures will be in the low-70s by 2PM. Looking ahead to New Year’s Day on Friday and into the weekend, we could have some lingering showers on Friday. A few showers may also become possible on Saturday morning. Sunday and Monday will trend drier and colder.

PARTLY CLOUDY TODAY; WARM FOR LATE DECEMBER… Increasing cloudiness is expected across the region on this Wednesday. High temperatures will peak in the 71-74° range this afternoon, which is approximately 15 degrees above our climatological normal high temperature for late December. Get out and enjoy the warm, nice weather today if you can. Today will be the warmest day out of the next 7 days.

A FEW SHOWERS POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING… There could be a few showers as early as this evening into the overnight hours. Most of the rain will happen on Thursday into early Friday, however. We’ll call it a 30% chance of showers after midnight tonight extending into the early morning hours of Thursday. Overnight lows will be in the mid-50s by Thursday morning around 6AM.

RAIN & STORMS BECOME MORE NUMEROUS THURSDAY AFTERNOON… Rain chances will gradually increase throughout the day on Thursday. There is a chance some spots will remain dry through the afternoon and early evening hours, but I expect rain to spread across the region especially near and after sunset on Thursday. High temperatures Thursday will be in the mid-70s. The southeasterly wind will really bring up humidity levels on Thursday evening, paving the way for the severe weather risk.

SEVERE WEATHER RISK THURSDAY EVENING INTO FRIDAY EARLY MORNING… The 12 hour window when severe storms seem most likely to happen across southwest Alabama and northwest Florida is from 4PM Thursday to 4AM Friday. This time frame includes a big chunk of the overnight hours, meaning we all should have a way (or better yet, multiple ways!) to get urgent weather warnings before we go to sleep Thursday night. I will not be sleeping Thursday night as we will be in studio all night long bringing you the latest information until the severe weather threat ends. We will “go live” for any tornado warnings that are issued locally. See redzoneweather.com/coverage for our detailed coverage policy.

NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATIONS LIKELY TO HAVE RAIN AROUND… Unfortunately, rain and storms will be increasingly likely as we approach midnight on Thursday night. This means there is a high chance many local New Year’s Eve celebrations will have rain and storms around. I (nor anyone else) can pinpoint exactly where storms will be firing around midnight, but there is a high chance we will have a line of strong to severe storms moving across our region at that point. If, by chance, we have active tornado warnings going on across our local area at midnight as 2021 begins, we will be in live video coverage (per our normal).

LEVEL 2 (OUT OF 5) RISK FOR MUCH OF OUR AREA… The severe weather risk zones have not changed that much since last night. The Storm Prediction Center continues to include much of our area in their Level 2 (out of 5) severe weather risk zone valid for Thursday into early Friday. Locally, this zone includes areas along and WEST of a line from Forest Home to Georgiana to Wing to Navarre. This means the following communities are involved in the Level 2 risk zone (where scattered severe storms may happen Thursday into Thursday night): Mobile, Pensacola, Milton, Pace, Gulf Breeze, Molino, Warrington, Perdido Key, Walnut Hill, Bratt, Century, Jay, Berrydale, Munson, Whiting Field, Holt, Harold, Bay Minette, Perdido, Stockton, Stapleton, Daphne, Fairhope, Spanish Fort, Montrose, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Foley, Magnolia Springs, Elberta, Loxley, Gateswood, Bayou La Batre, Coden, Dauphin Island, Theodore, Wilmer, Prichard, Saraland, Satsuma, Creola, Mt. Vernon, Citronelle, Chunchula, Brewton, Atmore, Flomaton, Poarch, Huxford, Damascus, Riverview, Castleberry, Evergreen, Repton, Range, Owassa, Lyeffion, Monroeville, Uriah, Beatrice, Tunnel Springs, Peterman, Excel, Frisco City, Perdue Hill, Grove Hill, Thomasville, Jackson, Coffeeville, Millry, Chatom, Yarbo, Wagerville, McIntosh, Greenville, Georgiana, McKenzie, and surrounding areas.

LEVEL 1 RISK FARTHER EAST… Much of Covington and Okaloosa counties are involved in the lower, Level 1 (out of 5) marginal severe weather risk where strong storms are not as likely to happen, but still possible. This includes places like Andalusia, Opp, Florala, Straughn, Horn Hill, Crestview, Destin, and Niceville.

RAIN MOVES OUT FRIDAY MORNING… Lingering rain will gradually move out on Friday, predominantly in the morning hours. Skies will likely remain cloudy for much of the day on Friday. High temperatures will peak in the upper-60s.

FEW SHOWERS POSSIBLE SATURDAY; MOST TO REMAIN DRY… There is a bit of weather model divergence, with some models suggesting a drier pattern, while others show the potential for a few showers on Saturday. For now, it seems like most spots will be dry with only a slight chance of rain closer to the immediate beaches on Saturday. High temperatures will be in the 60s. We note these would be rain showers with no chance of snow or mixed precipitation anytime in the next 7 days.

SUNNY SUNDAY AND MONDAY… High temperatures will be near 60 on both Sunday and Monday with overnight lows in the 30s. Sunshine is expected both days.

APP ALERTS… Be sure to download our free RedZone Weather app if you haven’t done so already. redzoneweather.com/app is the link where you can download the app for your iOS or Android device. Once you have the app downloaded, be sure to visit the Alerts tab in the lower right corner of the app to select the specific notifications you would like to receive straight from me.

See all the details in your Wednesday #rzw forecast video. Have a great day!