Showers and thunderstorms were developing rather quickly this afternoon, although at 1:30 there were very few over the north half of the state. In West/Central Alabama, there was a narrow line of showers along with a few thunderstorms from the east edge of Tuscaloosa to near Selma. Further south other scattered storms were over South Montgomery and South Lowndes Counties.
These storms were moving very much like those yesterday, which means they were taking their time. The direction of movement was mostly toward the NW.
The Storm Prediction Center has West and South Alabama under a Slight Risk for this afternoon and this evening. Most areas from Birmingham east and NE are not included. Birmingham is on the edge. You can draw a line from Florence and Russellville to Birmingham and Troy and the area of concern is generally west of that line.
This is an arbitrary line. As you can tell from the last two days, on a hot summer day in Alabama almost any thunderstorm can become a pest.
A quick note from Iowa. Officials in Cedar Rapids, Iowa estimate that 100 city blocks are now under water. 10,000 people in the city are under mandatory evacuation orders. Only one bridge is open.
