As of 10:00 am this morning, we have some scattered light showers falling over the northeastern parts of Central Alabama, with a few more falling over the east-central and central locations. Heavier rain is falling over the southwestern portions of the area with more moving into the area from the southwest over the next several hours. No watches or warnings in effect for anyone in the area at the moment, but there is a potential for strong to severe storms throughout the day today. Here are the details…
The Storm Prediction Center has a Marginal Risk defined for south-central and southwestern parts of Central Alabama throughout the day today, including the cities of Aliceville, Moundville, Brent, Selma, Fort Deposit, Marion, and Dempolis.
The main threat from the potential severe weather will be from isolated damaging winds up to 60 MPH, but a brief spin-up tornado cannot be ruled out. The time frame for potential severe weather will be from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm in the Marginal Risk locations.
Instability values look to be low throughout the day but we will have just enough along with enough shear and forcing along the cold front that a few isolated damaging straight-line wind gusts will be possible. While the tornado threat is not great, a weaker isolated brief spin-up may be possible.
Down to our south in the NWS Mobile county warning area, much of the area has been defined in a Slight Risk, with their main window being from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. Damaging winds and a brief tornado are the potential threats for cities in the Slight Risk, including Mobile, Gulf Shores, Pensacola, Destin, Brewton, and Foley.
For the rest of Central Alabama, We’ll have general showers with a few embedded claps of thunder. No threat of strong to severe storms and rainfall amounts around 1.00-2.00 inches for the next 24 hours. Not enough rain for any major flooding concerns, but some localized ponding or flash flooding may be possible in poor drainage areas.
A Wind Advisory is in effect until 2:00 pm CST this afternoon for Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Marion, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa, Walker, and Winston counties… until 6:00 pm CST this evening for Autauga, Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chilton, Coosa, Dallas, Etowah, Jefferson, Lowndes, Marengo, Perry, Shelby, St. Clair, and Talladega counties… and until 10:00 pm CST tonight for Barbour, Bullock, Chambers, Clay, Cleburne, Elmore, Lee, Macon, Montgomery, Pike, Randolph, Russell, and Tallapoosa counties.
