LOW-END TORNADO RISK FOR S.W. ALABAMA & POINTS WEST INTO THIS EVENING… The Storm Prediction Center has added a low-end, Level 1 (out of 5) tornado risk valid for this afternoon into this evening. Scattered thunderstorms are developing now across west Alabama, southern Mississippi, and eastern Louisiana. A few of these storms have had transient, broad rotation over the last few hours. A few brief, spin-up tornadoes will be possible in the stronger storms that happen today. Locally, this Level 1 (out of 5) risk includes parts of Clarke, Washington, Mobile, and Baldwin counties. The vast majority of us across the region will simply have scattered showers and thunderstorms that are well below severe limits today. This won’t be a day when we have numerous tornado warnings, most likely. Instead, the risk will be a storm or two that could briefly ramp up and become severe, producing a brief tornado or two. I will have radar updates posted over the next several hours in the RedZone Weather app. As always, IF we have a tornado warning locally, we will start our uninterrupted, live video coverage to bring you the very latest information.
WHAT TO EXPECT TODAY INTO TONIGHT – SCATTERED STORMS… As of 11AM, numerous showers and thunderstorms are happening across southern Mississippi and across parts of Mobile, Washington, and Choctaw counties in southwest Alabama. For most locales across southwest Alabama and northwest Florida, today will NOT be a “tornado day.” Most communities will have rain at times with occasional thunder. Cloud-to-ground lightning is likely the biggest weather hazard for most spots today. The low-end tornado risk will set up mainly in areas to our west, but a tornado cannot completely be ruled out in several counties in southwest Alabama.
LOW-END, LEVEL 1 (OUT OF 5) RISK FOR S.W. ALABAMA… All parts of Mobile, Washington, and Choctaw counties are involved in the low-end, Level 1 (out of 5) severe weather risk today along with the western parts of Baldwin and Clarke counties. These communities have a low-end tornado risk today into this evening: Mobile, Prichard, Saraland, Satsuma, Creola, Mt. Vernon, Wilmer, Theodore, Navco, St. Elmo, Grand Bay, Bayou La Batre, Dauphin Island, Spanish Fort, Bromley, Jackson, Grove Hill, Coffeeville, Campbell, Zimco, Silas, Toxey, Gilbertown, Butler, Sweet Water, and surrounding areas in west Alabama.
GENERAL THUNDERSTORMS ZONE FOR MOST LOCALES… There is no formal severe weather risk farther east for Monroe, Conecuh, Butler, Covington, Escambia (AL), Escambia (FL), Santa Rosa, or Okaloosa counties today. These counties are involved in the “general thunderstorms” zone where widespread severe weather remains unlikely.
MORE SHOWERS & STORMS THIS WEEK… Scattered showers and thunderstorms will continue to be the norm across our region on Monday into Tuesday. Rain chances will be quite elevated on Monday and Tuesday with lower (yet not zero!) rain chances Wednesday into Thursday. High temperatures on Monday and Tuesday will be in the mid- to upper-80s.
TROPICS QUIET… The National Hurricane Center continues to indicate that no tropical storm formation is expected over the next 5 days in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, or northern Atlantic Ocean.
TORNADO WARNING POLICY… Any time there is an active tornado warning in effect for southwest Alabama or northwest Florida, we provide uninterrupted, live video coverage on Facebook Live and in the RedZone Weather app. Our detailed coverage commitment is outlined at redzoneweather.com/coverage. We are proud to cover all parts of Escambia (AL), Covington, Monroe, Conecuh, Baldwin, Mobile, Clarke, Washington, Butler, Escambia (FL), Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties. If you live in any locale in those counties, be sure to tune into our coverage whenever there is an active tornado warning!
APP ALERTS… If you haven’t already, be sure to download the free RedZone Weather app to keep up with all the latest information on the world of weather in south Alabama and northwest Florida. redzoneweather.com/app is the link for the free download. Once you have the app downloaded to your iOS or Android device, be sure to visit the Alerts tab (lower right corner) and tap the large, yellow Alert Settings button to customize the alerts you would like to receive straight from me.
We will go into live, nonstop tornado warning coverage if a tornado warning is required for any part of south Alabama or northwest Florida this afternoon. Again, the odds of that happening are fairly low. I’ll have more updates in the RedZone Weather app in the coming hours. Have a nice Sunday evening!