**STRONG TORNADOES POSSIBLE THIS EVENING**
SIGNIFICANT TORNADOES POSSIBLE THIS EVENING… Be ready for possible tornado warnings and severe thunderstorm warnings over the next 12-16 hours as a significant round of severe weather is now imminent across south Alabama and northwest Florida. Vast majority of our inland communities remain involved in the significant Level 4 (out of 5) severe weather risk zone with pretty much everyone else (except Alabama beach zones) being involved in the Level 3 risk, which is still quite significant. Strong tornadoes will be possible across south Alabama, northwest Florida, southeast Mississippi, southern Georgia, and Louisiana over the next 12 hours. Damaging winds, large hail, and flash flooding will also be concerns.
HIGH-LEVEL ALERT… This is only the second time ever that our High-Level Alert has been issued in the RedZone Weather app. The first happened on October 10, 2018 when category 5 Hurricane Michael slammed ashore near Tyndall AFB and Panama City. We are issuing a rare High-Level Alert in the RedZone Weather app as multiple, potentially significant/strong tornadoes are expected this evening across parts of southwest Alabama. This should underscore the need to take this event seriously and be ready for possible warnings in the hours ahead.
GREATEST THREAT OF TORNADOES: SOUTHWEST ALABAMA & S.E. MISSISSIPPI… While the Level 3 and Level 4 risk zones are quite expansive across much of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia, the Storm Prediction Center noted in their morning discussion that “the greatest potential for a regional cluster of tornadoes is forecast from just southeast of Jackson, Mississippi and Hattiesburg, Mississippi eastward across southwest Alabama and south-central Alabama.” This includes Clarke, Washington, Monroe, Wilcox, Marengo, and Choctaw counties in west Alabama. Let me be clear that no matter which specific severe weather risk level your location is involved in today, there will be a risk of significant tornadoes. Tornadoes are not confined to this greatest threat zone, although the greatest threat zone is the area that has the higher risk based on the latest guidance. Strong, potentially long track tornadoes, damaging winds, large hail, and flash flooding will all be possible across the region today into tonight.
TORNADO WATCH WILL BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON… There is now a Tornado Watch in effect for much of central and southern Mississippi. I expect much of west Alabama to go under a Tornado Watch within the next few hours. There is a high chance vast majority of us will go under a Tornado Watch later today. There is some chance the Tornado Watch locally may need to be deemed a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” due to the significant nature of the tornadoes expected later today.
SEVERE WEATHER TIMING… 3PM today to 3AM Monday remains the 12 hour window when storms will be most likely to happen. 6PM to 11PM tonight will be the core risk time for south Alabama and northwest Florida. Storms could move into west Alabama as early as 3PM. More likely though, storms will move in around 5 or 6PM in the evening and progressively move across the region from west to east. PLEASE have a way to get urgent weather warnings if you’re going to sleep later this evening. I’m sure we will be in long form coverage later today into tonight. We will give “all clear” notices in that broadcast when we can, but I don’t expect that until after midnight in most cases locally.
DAMAGE TO OUR NORTH… Parts of central Alabama took a beating this morning with numerous large trees being blown down near Lake Martin and across parts of Chilton, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Chambers, and Lee counties. At least one person was injured by a falling tree. Power remains out in several communities in those counties.
HAVE THOSE HELMETS READY… Tornado helmets or makeshift helmets are absolutely critical in a severe weather event like this. NOW is the time to make a severe weather plan if you haven’t done so already. More info here.
BE THE HERO & SHARE INFO… The National Weather Service has launched an awareness campaign entitled, “Be The Hero.” The truth is you can absolutely be a hero and inform those folks around you that pay no attention to the world of weather. Sadly, there are some folks all around that have heard NOTHING about this significant severe weather threat setting up for tomorrow. The way we combat that is to “be the hero” and let your friends and family know about this risk. Call them, text them, tag them, pass it along to them, I really don’t care HOW you tell your folks as long as we make as many folks aware of this risk as possible.
WIND ADVISORY LOCALLY… All local areas are now involved in a Wind Advisory due to strong pressure-gradient winds expected out ahead of the severe storms today. This Wind Advisory means winds of 15-25 mph are expected with gusts as high as 30-35 mph. Today into tonight will be a breezy and windy just like last Sunday!
FLASH FLOOD WATCH INLAND… Clarke, Monroe, Conecuh, Butler, Wilcox, and Crenshaw counties (in addition to many counties across central Alabama) are under a Flash Flood Watch today into tonight due to the heightened potential for flash flooding in these areas.
ANOTHER POTENT ROUND OF STORMS ON THURSDAY… There continues to be growing concern about yet another upcoming severe weather risk setting up for Thursday, April 23. That is four days out from today. Early weather model guidance points to the potential for strong to severe thunderstorms across the Deep South with a potential tornado risk involved. Let’s get through the event this evening and then we will start focusing our attention on Thursday. Note that it is not at all uncommon to have concurrent severe weather events “regularly” this time of year as we are going through the core of our primary severe weather season. Odds are we will have a warmer and quieter pattern as we get into the month of May.
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 and in 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!
APP ALERTS… Now is the time to set up the RedZone Weather app on your smartphone! redzoneweather.com/app is the link where you can download the iOS or Android version of the app. Once you have the app downloaded to your device, be sure to visit the Alerts tab (lower right corner of the app), then tap the large, yellow Alert Settings button to customize the alerts you would like to receive straight from me.
NEXT UPDATES… I will have many updates for you over the next few hours in the RedZone Weather app. My next video will be later this afternoon/evening when we go live to discuss the severe weather situation. As always, if and when tornado warnings are required for our local area, we will go into nonstop live video coverage mode to bring you the very latest.
Stay safe!
