Tornadour issued for Sunday at 4.00

SATURDAY NIGHT UPDATE: A tornado watch has been issued for much of Alabama, mainly along and west of I-65, through 4 a.m. Sunday. A tornado watch is issued when conditions are favorable for severe weather, including tornadoes.

The line of severe thunderstorms will be near the AL/MS boundary around 9:00p CT. It will move east and reach the Birmingham metro and I-65 around midnight. It will then roll into East Alabama and then move into Georgia around dawn tomorrow.

The biggest threat for Alabama will come from damaging straight-line winds, but a few isolated tornadoes cannot be ruled out.

Be safe and heed all warnings tonight, including severe thunderstorm warnings. There is a probability that there is a good deal of damage to trees and power lines.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: An outbreak of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes is forecast across parts of the southern United States over the next 18 hours.

Some rain and a few storms are over west Alabama early this afternoon, but nothing serious. Frankly, that’s a good thing, as rain like this can help keep the air more stable when the main dynamics come tonight.

Not much has changed in our thinking.

*The greatest tornado threat (where a few strong, long-track tornadoes are possible) is in the Level 4/5 threat area over LA/MS. But a few isolated tornadoes cannot be ruled out over Alabama, primarily the western counties, late this afternoon and early tonight.

* The “main show” for Alabama comes late tonight and into the pre-dawn hours as a line of storms accelerate through the state. The main concern is from damaging straight-line winds, perhaps up to 70 mph in spots. But an isolated tornado or two could be embedded in the line as it moves through.

*The line should be near the AL/MS border around 9:00-10:00, then move quickly east and reach Birmingham Metro around 1-2. The storms will move out of East Alabama by dawn Sunday for most communities. They should show a weakening trend as they move into the eastern counties, but some risk of damaging winds will continue.

*The late night/pre-dawn line will have the potential to produce a good bit of damage to trees and power lines; be safe and take severe thunderstorm warnings seriously tonight.

*Ahead of the line of storms tonight, gradient winds (unrelated to thunderstorms) will increase with gusts to 40 mph in places.

*Additional rainfall amounts of 1-2 inches are expected across much of Alabama through early tomorrow morning; at the moment, no major flooding problems are expected.

CALL TO ACTION: Be sure you have a reliable way to get alerts later today and tonight; A NOAA Weather Radio is the baseline for any home or business. On your phone, be sure and have emergency alerts activated. Know the safe place in your home (small room, bottom floor, away from windows and near the center of the house) and have a helmet for everyone (including adults)

If you live in a mobile home, you need to know where the nearest shelter (or company that can serve as a shelter) is and how to get there quickly. Have transport available.

BE A HERO: If you’re reading this, be aware of the weather. Take the time to share important weather information (especially tornado warnings) with family and friends with a text or phone call. You may be the only warning they get.

REMEMBER: Having a severe weather threat in Alabama in late December is not unusual. Our tornado season runs from November to May. No need to be worried or anxious; Just heed warnings, have a plan and we’ll get through this together.