LOW-END SEVERE RISK CONTINUES OVERNIGHT… Unlike the last line of storms that moved through Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, this event (so far) seems to be setting up as more of a heavy rain event with embedded thunderstorms. The heaviest rain in our primary coverage area is happening in northern Washington, southern Choctaw, and northern Clarke counties. As of 1:22AM, NWS Mobile has just issued a Significant Weather Advisory for these areas… Millry, Coffeeville, Cunningham, Campbell, Tallahatta Springs, Zimco, Thomasville, Fulton. This means wind gusts up to 35-40mph will be possible along with continuing heavy rain and ample lightning. See forecast details below…
Elsewhere across the region, in places like Monroeville, Beatrice, Evergreen, Greenville, Andalusia, Brewton, Atmore, and Citronelle, there have been occasional showers and thunderstorms. The heavier rain and storms will continue sliding south into these areas around 4AM.
The threat of damaging winds and isolated tornadoes is much lower over southwest Alabama and northwest Florida compared to areas back to the west in Mississippi, however, our severe weather risk is NOT zero. We’ll get an all clear later today, but for now, a low-end risk continues. Please have a way to receive urgent warnings if you’re headed to sleep.
FLASH FLOOD WARNING – CHOCTAW COUNTY… NWS Mobile has just issued a Flash Flood Warning for the southern half of Choctaw County, Alabama valid until 5AM. Needham, Silas, Toxey, and Gilbertown are included along with a long stretch of Alabama Highway 17 and all of US84 in southern Choctaw County. Heavy rain continues near Silas and near the Tombigbee River in the southeastern corner of the county. Stay off the roads in these areas and do NOT, for any reason, drive over a water-covered roadway. “Turn around, don’t drown!”
FORECAST THRU 7AM… The complex of heavy rain and storms over west Alabama extending back into southeast Mississippi will continue to move southeastward in the next few hours. For those of us in southwest Alabama and northwest Florida, that means occasional heavy rain, lightning and thunder, and a low-end severe weather risk that continues over the next few hours.
COASTAL ALABAMA & NORTHWEST FLORIDA… If you live in Mobile, Baldwin, Escambia [FL], Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, or Walton counties, you may be wondering what all the fuss is about. It’s been mainly dry in these counties so far. Heavy rain and storms will move southward overnight and into these areas around 4-5AM.
I’ll be monitoring radar trends closely over the next few hours and bring you updates here in the RZWeather app as necessary. For now, it’s heavy rain and general thunderstorms. Nothing severe as of 1:27AM.