TORNADO WATCH – UPDATE… The Tornado Watch has been cancelled for several more local counties. Escambia (AL), Covington, Escambia (FL), and Santa Rosa counties have been cancelled out of the Tornado Watch.

Okaloosa County is the only local county involved at this point in the active Tornado Watch. Walton County and points southeast in the Florida Panhandle also remain involved.

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FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR PENSACOLA & GULF BREEZE… A Flash Flood Warning is now in effect until 4:45PM for much of the Pensacola metro, including areas near Downtown, Scenic Highway, Cordova Mall, Baptist Hospital, I-110, and the campus of UWF. This Flash Flood Warning also includes Gulf Breeze, Pensacola Beach, Garcon Point, Avalon Beach, Oriole Beach, Tiger Point, the Gulf Breeze Zoo, NAS Pensacola, Fort Pickens, Warrington, Brent, Ferry Pass, and Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Very heavy rain is set to move into these areas yet again as a particularly intense band of rain and storms arrives from the west.

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HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES TO SPREAD EASTWARD… Parts of Baldwin County near Daphne, Fairhope, and Spanish Fort are getting slammed with heavy rain as of 9:23AM. A Flash Flood Warning is in effect for these communities. Heavy rain is also happening across Escambia County, AL near Brewton, Atmore, and Flomaton. Elsewhere across the region, general rain and storms are happening in parts of every other local county. Rain is falling near Crestview, Niceville, Destin, Gulf Breeze, Navarre, Uriah, Evergreen, Brooklyn, Grove Hill, Bayou La Batre, and in many other local communities.

Fortunately, storms remain below severe limits with no tornado warnings noted as of now. A Tornado Watch continues until 2PM and a Flash Flood Watch continues until 6PM. Be ready for possible warnings in the hours ahead.

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FLASH FLOOD WATCH TILL THIS EVENING… A Flash Flood Watch continues for much of south Alabama and northwest Florida valid until 6PM this evening. In addition to the ongoing severe weather and tornado risk, a considerable risk of flash flooding will exist in the hours ahead due to training of thunderstorms over the same areas. If you encounter a water-covered roadway, please “turn around, don’t drown.” Far too many (totally preventable) deaths happen each year due to folks attempting to drive through a flooded area on a roadway.

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HEAVY RAIN & STORMS LIKELY TODAY; DRY CONDITIONS FRIDAY AND THIS WEEKEND… Our low-end, nagging severe weather risk continues for the next several hours, but the end of the rain and storms is finally in sight! Thunderstorms will be possible throughout the day and into the evening on this Thursday. Some of the storms may be strong or severe. The overall tornado risk today remains LOW, but not exactly zero. We encourage everyone to have a way to hear warnings throughout the day. Gusty winds and hail will be possible in the stronger storms today. Tonight, we begin our transition to drier, nicer weather for the weekend. Sunny skies return for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. A few more Thursday morning forecast notes are below.

LOW-END, LEVEL 1 (OUT OF 5) SEVERE WEATHER RISK TODAY… The entire local area in south Alabama and northwest Florida remains involved in the low-end, Level 1 (out of 5) severe weather risk zone valid for today. Thunderstorms will yet again be possible this afternoon into this evening. A Level 1 (out of 5) severe weather risk means that a few strong to severe thunderstorms may be possible, but widespread, long-lasting severe storms remain unlikely. After this final batch of storms later today, however, we will begin to dry out. Tonight is expected to be drier ahead of beautiful, warm days for the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

RAIN CLEARS OUT LATER TONIGHT… Showers and thunderstorms (some of which could be strong or severe) will be possible this afternoon into this evening. The overall coverage of rain and storms will decrease after sunset. By the time we get to 10PM, I expect most locales to be dry in south Alabama and northwest Florida. Lingering showers will be possible overnight ahead of a dry Friday.

SUNNY, NICE FRIDAY… Mostly sunny skies are likely Friday with high temperatures expected to be in the mid-80s. Friday night will be the coolest night we have had in awhile with lows likely to be in the upper-50s.

FANTASTIC WEATHER FOR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND… Mostly sunny skies are expected Saturday, Sunday, and into Memorial Day on Monday. High temperatures will be in the upper-80s each day with morning lows in the 60s. No rain is expected this weekend or Monday.

RAIN RETURNS MIDWEEK… Showers and thunderstorms will again become possible late Tuesday afternoon and again on Wednesday during the upcoming week. It is a bit too early for specifics, but I imagine most of the storms on Wednesday will probably happen in the afternoon and evening hours.

APP… If you haven’t already, be sure to download the free RedZone Weather app to keep up with all the latest information on the world of weather in south Alabama and northwest Florida. redzoneweather.com/app is the link for the free download. Once you have the app downloaded to your iOS or Android device, be sure to visit the Alerts tab (lower right corner) and tap the large, yellow Alert Settings button to customize the alerts you would like to receive straight from me.

See all the details in your Thursday morning #rzw forecast video. Have a great day!

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