DANGEROUS TORNADO OUTBREAK ABOUT TO BEGIN… Intense, long track tornadoes will be possible across the Deep South through tonight. We ALL have a significant severe weather risk in place with a rare Level 5 (out of 5) high risk zone in place for parts of Mississippi and Alabama. This is the first time since we introduced the five tier alert system in our RedZone Weather app that I am choosing to send a Critical-Level Alert to ALL app users. This will likely be a high-end tornado event for parts of the Deep South. Please be “weather aware” through tonight! The core tornado risk will set up for inland counties over the next several hours. You will likely get a new Tornado Watch a bit later if you are closer to the coast. To be clear: This is only due to a delay in timing and not in overall threat. It is likely that the PDS watch will be extended eastward a bit later.
NEW PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION TORNADO WATCH TILL 8PM… The Storm Prediction Center has issued a new Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Tornado Watch valid until 8PM. Locally, this includes Butler, Conecuh, Monroe, Clarke, and Washington counties. Many more counties to our north (Choctaw, Marengo, Wilcox, Dallas, Lowndes, Tuscaloosa, Jefferson, Shelby, etc.) are also included. This Tornado Watch is considered a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) watch as more long-tracked, strong tornadoes will be possible locally in the hours ahead. We have already had several tornadoes due to this same weather system in areas to our north overnight. It cannot be stressed enough: Have multiple ways to hear warnings through tonight and TAKE ACTION when you get a warning to protect yourself. Another Tornado Watch will likely be required further south and east later today or tonight.
HIGH (LEVEL 5 OUT OF 5) RISK INLAND; LEVEL 4 (OUT OF 5) RISK FOR MOST… Regardless of which risk level you are involved with, please understand that we ALL have a major risk of severe weather over the next 12-15 hours across Alabama and northwest Florida. The highest probability of tornadoes will happen across parts of central and north Alabama, but a few intense tornadoes will be possible across parts of south Alabama and northwest Florida as well. Some communities will simply have rain and not much else, in fact, I suspect MANY communities will be just fine with no major issues. Where tornadoes happen, however, you’d better be ready for major issues being possible. These will be long track, significant tornadoes that are on the ground for quite some time. No matter which risk you are in, specifically, be ready for WARNINGS!
WHAT TO EXPECT – THROUGH 3PM… Please understand that the next several hours probably will be fine in many communities across south Alabama and northwest Florida. There is a real chance that 6PM to midnight ends up being the main six hour window for severe weather for many communities across our local area. The imminent concerns over the next three hours will happen across Mississippi and potentially parts of west Alabama where supercell thunderstorms will be possible. These supercells will be capable of producing all severe weather hazards: Large tornadoes, damaging wind gusts, and damaging, large hail up to tennis ball size. The threat will very gradually spread eastward through tonight.
ALL CLEAR MESSAGES BY COUNTY LATER TONIGHT… I will be sending “all clear” messages for each county, as I can, in the RedZone Weather app tonight. We will finish the round of storms tonight into early Sunday morning and when I am able to do so, I will send a Medium-Level Alert with the final, big “all clear” for the 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, YouTube Live, and in the Live tab of 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!
SET UP COUNTY ALERTS IN RZW APP… Make sure your specific county is toggled on to be able to get 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.
We will go into live video coverage in the hours ahead when/if a tornado warning becomes required for any part of our local area. Stay weather aware in the hours ahead!
