PDS Tornado watch for the northwestern half of Alabama until 7 p.m.
No severe storms in Central or North Alabama now, but the airmass is becoming increasingly unstable and wind shear values will go way up this afternoon. Storms are scattered over Alabama from Walker, Jefferson and Shelby Counties back to the Southwest. A big storm in Sumter County near Livingston is growing in size and intensity. We will have to watch this area.
There is a tornado warning for parts of Choctaw, Clarke and Washington Counties in Southwest Alabama. The storm containing the possible tornado will pass near Coffeeville and then north of Grove Hill.
A very dangerous storm is in central Mississippi. It is in Attalla County. It is producing a tornado. Damage was reported at Goodman with a house destroyed. This storm is about 125 miles west of Tuscaloosa. This storm will be one to watch. It could be a long lived supercell storm that could even make it into Alabama.
The main event should arrive in the western Alabama border counties between 2 and 3 p.m., but any storms that develop this afternoon will have the potential to begin rotating and could produce tornadoes.
Many schools are closing early. We urge school administrators to keep buildings open for students who might be going home to an empty house or perhaps to a mobile home. Much better to have them in a building with a tornado plan than on their own.
