Much of the northern half of Alabama has been placed under a severe thunderstorm watch for the rest of this afternoon and into the evening hours. This does include Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Anniston, Gadsden, Clanton, Alex City, Cullman, and Huntsville.
Strong and severe storms are expected to impact the area this afternoon, with damaging straight-line winds, hail, and very heavy rainfall.
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ALABAMA
EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS
WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST GEORGIA
NORTHERN AND CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI
PARTS OF WESTERN TENNESSEE
* EFFECTIVE THIS FRIDAY MORNING AND EVENING FROM 1150 AM UNTIL
700 PM CDT.
* PRIMARY THREATS INCLUDE…
SCATTERED DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH LIKELY
SCATTERED LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED VERY LARGE HAIL EVENTS TO 2
INCHES IN DIAMETER POSSIBLE
A TORNADO OR TWO POSSIBLE
THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 65
STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 50 MILES NORTH OF
GREENVILLE MISSISSIPPI TO 15 MILES SOUTH OF ATLANTA GEORGIA. FOR
A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH
OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU0).
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
REMEMBER…A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH
AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY
DO PRODUCE TORNADOES.
DISCUSSION…SHOWERS ARE DEEPENING ACROSS THE MID SOUTH FROM SERN AR
INTO NWRN GA. NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL MATURE WITHIN A VERY
UNSTABLE AIRMASS THAT APPEARS SUPPORTIVE OF ORGANIZED MULTI-CELL
CLUSTERS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.
ACTIVITY SHOULD PROPAGATE SEWD THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS
