Round one of our busy weather weekend is over eastern Alabama late this morning. A line of storms extends from Roanoke to Dadeville to Clanton. This line is moving east and southeast. A large area of heavy rain covers Northeast Alabama, mainly over Calhoun, Cleburne and Cherokee Counties.
Bad accident on I-20 west of the Anniston/Oxford exit. This has I-20 at a standstill.
The thunderstorm complex has laid down a boundary across Central Alabama from Tuscaloosa County in the west to Chilton County up to Randolph County. South of the boundary, temperatures are in the 70s over West Central Alabama.
Round two is already getting organized. We are beginning to see thunderstorms intensifying quickly over Western Alabama. More development will continue here and move into Central Alabama. Some strong storms are moving in on Tuscaloosa again.
Strong storms will affect much of Tuscaloosa County, southwestern Jefferson County and northern Shelby County over the next hour and a half. They could become severe.
The NWS in Jackson has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Winston County in East Mississippi. This storm will eventually affect Pickens and Tuscaloosa Counties.
Thunderstorms are intensifying once again across southeastern Arkansas into Mississppi. They are developing where the boundary is lifting back to the north as a warm front.
This is ahead of our next weather maker, a strong upper trough that will trigger the development of a low pressure system over Mississippi. A cold front will settle into Alabama tonight and stall, waiting on the new surface low to move through. As the low moves northeast, more heavy rain and storms will occur. Some will be severe.
Damaging winds and hail will be the primary threat, although boundaries like the one over Central Alabama are notorious for spinning up a few tornadoes.
A possible tornado was reported at Chelsea in Shelby County. No significant structural damage, but trees, power lines and signs blown down. 20,000 people without power right now in Shelby County.
A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for much of Central Mississippi and Central Alabama. In Alabama, it goes roughly from Fayette to Birmingham to Clanton to Dempolis. It lasts until 3 pm.
