SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 11PM… Another round of thunderstorms is now developing across southeast Mississippi as of 5:26PM. These storms will move eastward into south Alabama and northwest Florida over the next several hours. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued that includes several counties in Alabama and Escambia (FL) and Santa Rosa counties in northwest Florida. Alabama counties involved include Mobile, Baldwin, Escambia (AL), Conecuh, Monroe, Clarke, Washington, Wilcox, Choctaw, Marengo, Dallas, Perry, Hale, Greene, and Sumter counties.
MAIN CONCERNS: GUSTY WINDS AND LARGE HAIL… This watch is a Severe Thunderstorm Watch and not a Tornado Watch as the overall tornado risk remains quite low. Damaging wind gusts and large hail up to the size of a quarter will be possible over the next several hours. The tornado risk is not zero, but it is very low.
NOAA WEATHER RADIOS WILL NOT WORK TONIGHT… The National Weather Service (NWS) in Mobile is currently undergoing a major software upgrade that has required their office to be essentially offline tonight. NWS New Orleans is handling the warning issuing process for our local area tonight. Warnings WILL continue to be disseminated, just not through NOAA Weather Radio. This means that all of the local NOAA Weather Radio transmitters are not broadcasting severe weather alerts. Please rely on other sources, including but certainly not limited to our free RedZone Weather app, for alerts. Cell phone Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are not impacted.
