SEVERE STORMS LIKELY TODAY AND TONIGHT; HAVE A WAY TO HEAR WARNINGS… Multiple rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms are likely across south Alabama and northwest Florida over the next 24 hours. Damaging wind gusts, tornadoes, large hail, and flash flooding will all be hazard concerns. Our first round of severe storms is forecast to happen this morning into the early afternoon hours. We may get a break from the storms in the late afternoon and early evening hours ahead of another round of severe weather being possible late tonight into early Tuesday morning. Please have a way to hear warnings throughout the day and into tonight.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH TILL 11AM… All local counties in south Alabama and northwest Florida are now included in a Severe Thunderstorm Watch valid until 11AM. This watch is in effect due to the first round of storms set to affect our local area.
ENHANCED, LEVEL 3 (OUT OF 5) DAMAGING WIND RISK… The Storm Prediction Center now includes the southern half of our local area in their Level 3 (out of 5), enhanced severe weather risk zone. This enhanced risk zone is driven by a higher probability of widespread, damaging wind gusts. Tornadoes will also be possible. SPC indicates there may be isolated instances of 70-80+ mph wind gusts. While the Level 3 risk zone represents the locales where SPC believes the risk is highest, please keep in mind that the risk is NOT zero farther inland in the Level 2 (out of 5) risk. No matter which color/number/zone your hometown is in, we all have a risk of severe storms today.
FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL LOCAL COUNTIES… The National Weather Service has placed all local counties in southwest Alabama and northwest Florida in a Flood Watch valid through Tuesday afternoon. Most locales will pick up 3 to 5 inches of total rainfall through Tuesday. Isolated higher amounts of 6-7″ of total rainfall will be possible. Despite the overall soil moisture level being rather dry (even after all the rain that happened on Friday), soil conditions are expected to quickly become saturated today, supporting the enhanced potential of flash flooding across the region.
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… redzoneweather.com/app is the link where you can download the free RedZone Weather app. We post brief updates throughout each day in the app, keeping you up-to-date about the latest happenings in weather across south Alabama and northwest Florida. Once you have the free app downloaded to your iOS or Android device, be sure to visit the Alerts tab (lower right corner) then tap the large Alert Settings button to customize the alerts you would like to receive straight from me.
See all the details in your Monday morning RedZone Weather forecast video. Have a great day!
