STRONG STORMS & HEAVY RAIN THIS EVENING; BREEZY THROUGHOUT THE DAY… Severe storms will be possible across parts of the Deep South today into tonight, including the potential for a few significant (EF2+) tornadoes. While our entire local area in south Alabama and northwest Florida remains involved in the lower-end severe weather risk zones, parts of north and west Alabama along with the northern half of Mississippi remain involved in the Level 3 (out of 5) enhanced severe weather risk. These are the zones where tornadoes will be MOST likely to happen today. Storms will likely start developing this afternoon locally and extend into the evening hours ahead of a squall line that will move across our region this evening into tonight. Tornadoes, gusty winds, hail, and flash flooding are the concerns today into tonight. Please have a way to get urgent weather warnings throughout the day and into tonight. Scattered showers will linger into Friday morning ahead of clearing skies late in the day. Details about the severe weather risk later today are below.
SEVERE WEATHER TIMING – TODAY INTO TONIGHT… 3PM today to 3AM Friday is now the 12 hour window when severe storms will be most likely to happen across south Alabama and northwest Florida. 6PM to Midnight is the 6 hour “core window” for severe weather locally. Rain will likely linger into Friday morning. Please have a way to get urgent weather warnings today into tonight!
WIND ADVISORY FOR ENTIRE LOCAL AREA… The National Weather Service continues to have a Wind Advisory in place for all local counties today due to the potential for gusty winds long before and even after the passage of storms later this evening. 25-35 mph wind gusts will be possible today into tonight.
POTENTIAL HAZARDS THIS EVENING… Tornadoes will be most likely to happen in our local area across west Alabama in areas west of the Alabama River (Washington and Clarke counties). The tornado risk is lower, although not zero for the remainder of south Alabama and northwest Florida. Damaging wind gusts and small hail will be possible in the storms today into tonight. Heavy rain that could lead to flash flooding will be a concern if storms train over the same areas. A few discrete, isolated storms are expected this afternoon ahead of an advancing line of storms that will move across the region tonight.
The convective outlook zones have not changed at the time I am producing this video around 6AM. These zones are outlined below.
LEVEL 3 (OUT OF 5) RISK TO OUR NORTH… The tornado risk will be maximized across parts of north and west Alabama, the northern half of Mississippi, and western Tennessee on Thursday. SPC notes that a few significant (EF2+) tornadoes may be possible in these areas. The Level 3 (out of 5) enhanced severe weather risk zone includes: Tuscaloosa, Huntsville, Florence, Muscle Shoals, Decatur, Jasper, Double Springs, Cullman, Eutaw, Moundville, Northport, Greensboro, Demopolis, Livingston, Aliceville, Sulligent, Haleyville, Fayette, Russellville, and Hamilton. Jackson (MS), Meridian (MS), Tupelo, Columbus, Oxford, Starkville, Jackson (TN), Memphis (TN), and Nashville (TN) are also involved in this higher, Level 3 risk zone.
LEVEL 2 (OUT OF 5) RISK FOR WEST ALABAMA… The only part of our local area involved in the Level 2 (out of 5) standard slight severe weather risk on Thursday involves parts of Clarke and Washington counties. Thomasville, Grove Hill, Jackson, Coffeeville, Campbell, Fulton, Springfield, Sandflat, Zimco, Chatom, Millry, Leroy, St. Stephens, and Wagerville are the local communities involved in this Level 2 risk zone. Other Alabama places involved in the Level 2 risk zone include Birmingham, Camden, Sweet Water, Butler, Selma, Marion, Clanton, Centreville, Hoover, Homewood, Montevallo, Talladega, Leeds, Gadsden, Ft. Payne, Boaz, and Scottsboro.
LEVEL 1 (OUT OF 5) RISK FOR MUCH OF THE LOCAL AREA… The remainder of Alabama and northwest Florida are involved in the lower-end, Level 1 (out of 5) risk zone. This zone is where a few severe storms may happen, but the overall risk is lower. The Level 1 risk zone includes Mobile, Prichard, Saraland, Satsuma, Creola, Citronelle, Mt. Vernon, Wilmer, Dauphin Island, Theodore, Tillmans Corner, Daphne, Fairhope, Spanish Fort, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Foley, Magnolia Springs, Elberta, Loxley, Elsanor, Bay Minette, Gateswood, Stockton, Stapleton, Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Century, Molino, Walnut Hill, Warrington, Milton, Pace, Navarre, Jay, Berrydale, Point Baker, Holt, Harold, Crestview, Milligan, Baker, Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Brewton, Atmore, Flomaton, Poarch, Damascus, Pineview, Monroeville, Uriah, Excel, Frisco City, Peterman, Tunnel Springs, Keith, Vredenburgh, McWilliams, Evergreen, Owassa, Lyeffion, Repton, Range, Lenox, Castleberry, Brooklyn, Greenville, Georgiana, Chapman, McKenzie, Andalusia, Opp, Florala, Straughn, Gantt, River Falls, Red Level, Carolina, Libertyville, and Rose Hill. We also note that other Alabama communities are involved in the Level 1 risk zone: Montgomery, Troy, Auburn, Dothan, Enterprise, Geneva, Samson, Elba, Alexander City, Eufaula, and surrounding areas in east Alabama.
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.
See all the details in your Thursday morning #rzw forecast video. Have a great day!
