Spinks Megginson

5:16PM January 19, 2019

ALL CLEAR: SEVERE WEATHER RISK ENDS… The main line of thunderstorms we’ve been tracking all day is now east of Covington and Okaloosa counties, meaning the severe weather risk for our entire local area is now over. We’re giving a big ALL CLEAR to south Alabama and northwest Florida. Much cooler air is moving in from the northwest and Sunday will be a very chilly day.

WETUMPKA TORNADO… Our thoughts and prayers are with the many people affected by the significant tornado that tore through Wetumpka, AL earlier this evening just north of Montgomery. Multiple injuries and significant structural damage happened.

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Have a great evening!

4:47PM January 19, 2019

MORE “ALL CLEAR” COUNTIES… The severe weather risk is rapidly coming to a close across south Alabama and northwest Florida. The main line of showers and thunderstorms is pushing into southeast Alabama and the Florida Panhandle region. We will be able to give a complete all clear to our entire primary coverage area within the next hour, but at this time we are adding a few counties to our ALL CLEAR list: All of Butler, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Escambia (AL), Santa Rosa, and Escambia (FL) counties are now behind the main line of storms, thus the severe weather risk has ended in all parts of those counties. We will be able to give our final two counties (Okaloosa and Covington) an “all clear” shortly.

FULL LIST OF ALL CLEAR ZONES… ALL CLEAR for all parts of Butler, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Escambia (AL), Santa Rosa, Escambia (FL), Baldwin, Monroe, Wilcox, Clarke, Choctaw, Marengo, and Mobile counties.

3:55PM January 19, 2019

STRONG STORMS ENTERING COVINGTON COUNTY… The main line of thunderstorms we’ve been tracking all day is about to move into communities in northwest Covington County like Loango, Brooks, Red Level, and River Falls. So far, these storms remain under severe limits. This line of storms will move across Covington County over the next hour or so.

CLARIFICATION ABOUT TORNADO WATCH… If it seems strange to you that Covington and Okaloosa counties are currently NOT included in a tornado watch despite being surrounded by counties that ARE included, you’re not alone. The reason why: The earlier tornado watch that was issued late this morning for counties to the east did not include Covington and Okaloosa counties. The NEW tornado watch that has been issued for southeast Alabama and northwest Florida (that is valid until 9PM CST) was issued by the local weather service office responsible for those counties (NWS Tallahassee). NWS Mobile is the office responsible for issuing watches and warnings for Covington and Okaloosa counties. NWS Mobile has decided, in their assessment, that the severe weather probability isn’t high enough to extend the tornado watch into Covington and Okaloosa counties at this time. I tend to agree with that assessment.

3:41PM January 19, 2019

MORE “ALL CLEAR” COMMUNITIES… We can now give an official “all clear” to the following communities as the severe weather risk has ended: Brewton, Atmore, Flomaton, Poarch, Evergreen, Castleberry, Belleville, Lyeffion, Repton, Lenox, Wallace, Walnut Hill, Bratt, Jay, Berrydale, Chumuckla, Ensley, Pensacola, Warrington, and Perdido Key.

FULL LIST OF ALL CLEAR ZONES… We can add the above communities to our growing list of counties where the severe weather risk has ended. ALL CLEAR for all parts of Baldwin, Monroe, Wilcox, Clarke, Choctaw, Marengo, and Mobile counties in addition to the communities listed above.