SEVERE STORMS MONDAY: TORNADOES AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS POSSIBLE… Despite the ongoing thunderstorms near the coast this evening, we have a potentially more potent round of thunderstorms expected on Monday. We’ll be tracking a line of strong to severe storms tomorrow morning that will cross our area from northwest to southeast. This line of storms will be capable of producing widespread, damaging wind gusts, large hail, and tornadoes. We encourage everyone to have a way to hear warnings on Monday!
TORRENTIAL RAIN AND STORMS NEAR THE COAST… Ongoing thunderstorms near the Alabama and northwest Florida beaches have produced excessive rainfall and numerous areas of flash flooding across parts of Baldwin, Escambia (FL), and Santa Rosa counties over the last several hours. Flash flooding in the Pensacola metro is particularly intense this evening with multiple reports of cars being flooded. If you’re in one of the many flash flood warnings in place for parts of these counties, please DO NOT DRIVE unless it is an emergency. Flash flooding is quite intense! Constant updates are being posted in the RedZone Weather app.
WHAT TO EXPECT – NEXT FEW HOURS… The thunderstorms near the Alabama and northwest Florida beaches will continue to very slowly (10-15 mph) move southward into the northern Gulf. More flash flooding will be possible until storms clear out to the south. The overall intensity of the thunderstorms has lessened somewhat, but there is an ongoing risk of gusty winds and a brief tornado or two over the next few hours, specifically near the Alabama and northwest Florida beaches in parts of Baldwin, Escambia (FL), and Santa Rosa counties.
A QUICK NOTE ABOUT A NATIONAL APP… There has not been a tornado warning today for Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Ferry Pass, Pace, or Milton. A national weather vendor incorrectly sent out a tornado warning for these areas in the last hour. The National Weather Service never issued a tornado warning as there never was a threat. Warning text from storms well to our north in Tennessee and Arkansas somehow incorrectly triggered a warning in THEIR system for our local area. I have cautioned against using these completely automated weather apps for years. This is yet another example of why.
UPDATED: SEVERE WEATHER TIMING – MONDAY… Thunderstorms will approach south Alabama and northwest Florida from the northwest on Monday morning. Storms will likely be in progress before sunrise across parts of central Mississippi and central Alabama. This line or complex of thunderstorms will enter Clarke and Washington counties in west Alabama first before gradually moving across our region throughout the day on Monday. 6AM to 6PM Monday continues to be the twelve hour window for strong to severe storms across south Alabama and northwest Florida on Monday, meaning this will very likely exclusively be a problem during the DAYTIME hours. Core threat window in the 6AM-6PM slot will be from 8AM to 2PM. Have a way to hear warnings on Monday!
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 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 updates posted today in the RedZone Weather app. Have a nice Sunday!
