STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT INTO SATURDAY… The overall risk of severe storms has increased for the overnight hours into Saturday, driven by an increased chance of large hail and damaging wind gusts. The overall risk of tornadoes remains LOW, but not entirely zero. The Storm Prediction Center now includes much of west Alabama and southeast Mississippi in their Level 2 (out of 5) severe weather risk zone valid for overnight into Saturday morning. In addition to this overnight round of storms, we’re also looking ahead to tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon when yet another round of storms may fire up that COULD become severe. Confidence in the overall risk of severe storms on Saturday afternoon and evening is much lower compared to the increasing confidence in the overnight round of storms TONIGHT.
SEVERE WEATHER TIMING – OVERNIGHT INTO SATURDAY… The increasing risk of large hail and gusty winds will happen from midnight tonight to 8AM Saturday morning. Thunderstorms will likely increase in coverage across Clarke, Washington, Mobile, and Baldwin counties first before spreading eastward across our entire region. Storms will exit the area tomorrow morning after 7AM, most likely. Another round of thunderstorms may develop tomorrow afternoon into the evening hours with gusty winds and hail being the two main concerns.
MAIN CONCERNS: LARGE HAIL & DAMAGING WIND GUSTS… Large hail up to golf ball, or even tennis ball, size will be possible in the strongest of the storms. Tonight is definitely a night to have the vehicles under the carports and garages, if possible. Damaging wind gusts capable of knocking down trees and power lines may be possible. The overall threat of tornadoes is LOW, but not exactly zero. This is not a classic tornado setup by any stretch of the imagination, but tornadoes can happen sometimes in setups like this. Regardless of the primary hazard types being hail and damaging wind gusts, we encourage everyone to have multiple ways to hear warnings overnight. There is a HIGH probability that if severe thunderstorm warnings become required overnight (and I suspect we will have several) that some of the damage caused by wind may be considerable.
SECOND ROUND OF STORMS TOMORROW AFTERNOON LESS CERTAIN… Please be aware that after we get through the overnight/morning round of storms tonight that another, separate round of storms may fire up Saturday afternoon and evening. Confidence in this second round of storms is much less certain as there is a real chance the atmosphere may not have an opportunity to destabilize to the point (after the overnight/morning round of storms) of supporting new storms. I will have updates posted overnight and into Saturday in the RedZone Weather app.
ONGOING SEVERE STORMS TO OUR NORTH… Numerous severe thunderstorms have happened over the last several hours across parts of central and north Alabama. Storms have caused hail and damaging wind gusts at times. Several reports of trees being knocked down have happened across parts of north Alabama. At the time I am producing this update around 7:05PM, severe thunderstorm warnings are in effect for parts of Perry, Bibb, Shelby, Jefferson, Chilton, Talladega, Clay, Cleburne, Calhoun, and St. Clair counties.
DRIER, SLIGHTLY COOLER WEATHER ON SUNDAY… The active weather ahead over the next 24 hours is because of a cold front approaching the local area from the northwest. This frontal boundary will not usher in colder air, but it WILL bring with it a slightly cooler, slightly drier air mass that will be in place across the region on Sunday and Monday. High temperatures on Sunday will be in the upper 70s and low 80s. Overnight lows Sunday morning will be in the low 50s.
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 throughout the night, as needed, in the RedZone Weather app. In addition, I will have many updates posted throughout the day on Saturday.
Have a nice Friday evening!
