The NWS has issued a Tornado Watch until 1:00 a.m. CST for a large part of North and West Alabama. The Tornado Watch extends as far east as approximately the Scottsboro, Gadsden, Birmingham, Greensboro line.
In the greater Birmingham area, the Watch includes such counties as Cullman, Blount, Jefferson, Walker and Tuscaloosa Counties. It does not, at this time, include St. Clair and Shelby Counties. We still believe that the thunderstorms will weaken some before they reach the immediate Birmingham area.
The most intense thunderstorms are still over in the east edge of Mississippi. They appear to have decreased slightly in intensity during the last hour, but there will be fluctuations. Some of the stronger storms will effect places like Lamar County first.
