OUTLOOK UPGRADE: LEVEL 3 (OUT OF 5) RISK TUESDAY NIGHT… The Storm Prediction Center has upgraded parts of southwest Alabama and northwest Florida into the Level 3 (out of 5) severe weather risk valid for Tuesday night. Parameters supporting tornadoes have increased to the point where SPC feels it is warranted to issue this higher risk level. PLEASE note that even if you are not involved in the Level 3 risk zone, tornadoes may happen in the other risk zones. We all have a potentially significant round of severe weather ahead tomorrow night, including ALL of our local area in south Alabama and northwest Florida. Please have a way to receive urgent weather warnings tomorrow night! You need to have multiple devices that can wake you up and cause you to take action to get sheltered if a warning is needed for your specific location. Windy conditions are likely in advance of the storms tomorrow – please see the paragraph below if you’re wondering about parade conditions for Fat Tuesday.
SEVERE WEATHER TIMING – TUESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY… 6PM on Tuesday to 3AM Wednesday is the nine hour window for strong to severe thunderstorms across southwest Alabama and northwest Florida. Storms will start on the western side of our region in Mobile and Washington counties and gradually move eastward throughout the night, exiting out of Covington and Okaloosa counties to the east by 3AM. We encourage everyone to have multiple ways to hear warnings Tuesday night – you need something that can wake you up like a loud NOAA Weather Radio, just in case your specific location goes under a tornado warning.
MAIN HAZARDS TUESDAY NIGHT ARE TORNADOES & HIGH WIND… Damaging wind gusts and tornadoes will be possible tomorrow (Tuesday) night across parts of our local area in south Alabama and northwest Florida. The Storm Prediction Center notes there is a conditional risk of a few strong (EF2+) tornadoes IF supercells can sustain out ahead of the main line of thunderstorms. Damaging winds will also be a major concern as a squall line moves by from west to east Tuesday night. There is a real chance we may have quite a few, if not widespread, power outages across the region due to downed trees. Make SURE you charge your phone and devices tomorrow morning before this event happens.
WINDY CONDITIONS FOR FAT TUESDAY; RAIN & STORMS LATE… Sustained winds of 10-25 mph will be possible throughout the day on Fat Tuesday into the evening hours. Wind gusts of 30-40 mph will be possible across much of the Deep South ahead of the advancing line of thunderstorms. Wind gusts in the thunderstorms could be in the 70-80 mph range for a brief time as storms pass through, but breezy conditions are likely WELL in advance of the storms. Temperatures on Tuesday will peak around 75 degrees around 3PM. We note that much of the daytime on Tuesday should be dry with breezy/windy conditions. Rain chances will spike after sunset as a few showers become possible. The heavier rain will set in as a line of storms moves across the region tomorrow night.
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… redzoneweather.com/app is the link where you can download the free RedZone Weather app. We post brief updates throughout each day in the app, keeping you up-to-date about the latest happenings in weather across south Alabama and northwest Florida. Once you have the free app downloaded to your iOS or Android device, be sure to visit the Alerts tab (lower right corner) then tap the large Alert Settings button to customize the alerts you would like to receive straight from me.
I’ll have more updates throughout the day in the RedZone Weather app. My next long form, detailed post will be available later this evening. We will go into live, uninterrupted video coverage if and when tornado warnings become required tomorrow night. Have a nice Monday afternoon!
