Latest Update on the Wednesday/Thursday Severe Weather Threat

The latest update from the Storm Prediction Center has reduced the size of the Slight Risk across North/Central Alabama to include locations along and north of a line from Demopolis to Clanton to Alexander City, with the rest of the southern parts of Central Alabama included in a Marginal Risk for severe storms on Wednesday. The main threat continues to be from damaging thunderstorm wind gusts up to 60 mph, with a smaller threat of a brief tornado or two. Timing for this graphic will be from roughly 2 pm to around 10 pm for the north and northwestern parts of North/Central Alabama, from around 8 pm to around 6 am on Thursday morning for the southwest parts of the area to the northeast and eastern parts of Central Alabama, with no threat at this time for the south and southeastern parts of the area.

Also, the Storm Prediction Center continues a Marginal Risk for severe storms for the south and southeastern parts of the area from along and south of a line from roughly Demopolis to Clanton to Wedowee. There will remain the threat of isolated damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph, but the good news is that the tornado threat will be almost non-existent.

Throughout much of the event on Wednesday, the activity will mostly be scattered in nature, and we might even see a few rogue cells develop that may become severe during the late afternoon through the evening and into the late-night hours. With the amount of shear that will be present, one or two of those cells may begin to rotate and produce a brief funnel cloud or tornado, especially over the western half of the area. As a shortwave moves across the area later into the evening, cells will begin to organize and form clusters or even into a slow-moving line. That shortwave will eventually move through the area and eventually push into Georgia by as late as Thursday afternoon at 3 pm.

We are in the start of our winter stretch of our main severe weather season in Central Alabama, and we need to take each stronger system with caution. With these warmer temperatures, it would only be a matter of time before the potential for severe storms would occur. Take time to go over your severe weather safety plans and be sure your safety kits are refreshed, and your safe place is ready to go. Have multiple ways to receive warning, especially on your mobile device and weather radios.

Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS, Severe Weather