ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT ROUND OF SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE MIDWEEK; LEVEL 3 RISK… If this feels like deja vu from last week, that is understandable. We have another potentially significant round of strong to severe thunderstorms possible this week (March 30-31, 2022) across a large swath of the Deep South, including much of our local area in southwest Alabama and northwest Florida. The Storm Prediction Center has included much of Mississippi, northeast Louisiana, and a large chunk of west Alabama in their Level 3 (out of 5) enhanced severe weather risk zone valid for Wednesday into early Thursday. Tornadoes, damaging wind gusts, hail, and flash flooding will be possible as this next weather system moves by.
SEVERE WEATHER TIMING – WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY… It is a bit too early to nail down specifics for a 12 hour window for severe storms, but Wednesday afternoon into the evening and overnight hours appears to be the time of greatest concern for southwest Alabama and northwest Florida. Severe storms may also be possible into early Thursday morning. Model inconsistencies and differences should begin to resolve over the next 12-24 hours and I expect to be able to give a 12 hour window tomorrow for storms slated to move by midweek.
LEVEL 3 (OUT OF 5) RISK – WEST ALABAMA… Locally, much of Clarke, Washington, Monroe, northern Mobile, Wilcox, and Choctaw counties are involved in the Level 3 (out of 5) enhanced severe weather risk valid on Wednesday into early Thursday. This is the zone where scattered severe thunderstorms will be likely to happen, including a few tornadoes. The Storm Prediction Center notes a few long-tracked, significant (EF2+) tornadoes will be possible Wednesday into early Thursday. A Level 3 (out of 5) risk means scattered severe storms (including some intense storms that could last awhile) will be likely.
LEVEL 2 (OUT OF 5) RISK – MANY MORE LOCAL COMMUNITIES… Outside of the current-defined Level 3 risk zone in west Alabama, a large portion of our local area is involved in the Level 2 (out of 5) severe weather risk zone valid for Wednesday into early Thursday. This zone currently includes much of Mobile, Baldwin, Escambia (FL), Santa Rosa, northwestern Okaloosa, Escambia (AL), Covington, Conecuh, Butler, and Crenshaw counties. Note that just because you’re in the “lower” Level 2 risk zone does not mean (as we saw last week!) the severe weather risk is zero. It means the risk is a bit lower. A Level 2 (out of 5) risk means scattered severe storms (including tornadoes) will be possible.
SET UP APP ALERTS… We send quite a bit of Low-Level Alerts in our RedZone Weather app. The app is totally free for you! redzoneweather.com/app is the link where you see the download links to your respective app store for iOS and for Android devices. Once you have the app downloaded to your smartphone or tablet device, be sure to visit the Alerts tab to customize the alerts you would like to receive straight from me.
I will have a full forecast video and detailed text discussion posted by 7:15AM tomorrow morning. Be sure to join me for the latest information. Until then, I will have more updates posted throughout the afternoon in the RedZone Weather app. Have a nice Sunday afternoon!