[See the updated forecast here.]
Alabama is paying the price for this week’s unseasonably warm weather in the form of rain and storms.
Strong to severe storms moved across parts of the state on Wednesday and will be possible today (Thursday), Friday and Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
Storm damage was reported in several locations in Alabama late Wednesday night. Winfield in western Alabama has been particularly hard-hit, and there are reports of damage in the Rainsville area in eastern Alabama.
A large tornado was reported on the ground in Shelby County near Calera as well but as of early Thursday morning there were no damage reports from that storm,
The weather service will have to take a look at storm damage in those areas to determine how many tornadoes touched down.
Rain and storms continued to move across the state early Thursday morning but were slowly losing steam.
A tornado watch remains in effect for parts of eastern Alabama until 4 a.m. CST:
The SPC in its latest update early Thursday morning dropped the enhanced (Level 3 of 5) risk for severe weather for part of Alabama and has a marginal or Level 1 risk across a good part of the state.
A marginal risk means isolated severe storms will be possible.
The National Weather Service in Birmingham has issued a flood watch for part of central Alabama that will run through noon today.
The weather service said that heavy rains will continue this morning. Up to 2 inches of rain has already fallen in some areas and could lead to flooding.
The threat for strong storms won’t end today. The Storm Prediction Center has also added a threat for severe weather for all of north and part of central Alabama on Friday as a warm front lifts northward across the area, according to the weather service. Here’s Friday’s severe weather outlook:
A low-end risk for severe weather has been added for the northern third of Alabama for Friday.
Another round of potentially strong storms will be possible starting on Saturday afternoon and possibly lasting into Sunday morning ahead of another cold front, according to the weather service.
Here is Saturday’s severe weather outlook:
A large part of Alabama could face another round of storms on Saturday.
Damaging winds and heavy rain will again be possible, and a tornado can’t be ruled out.
Cold air will surge southward following the weekend system, and the weather service said light rain or snow flurries could be possible in the northern part of the state early Sunday. No accumulations are expected.
The first part of next week is expected to be dry and cold.