Alabama faces enhanced risk for severe weather on Saturday: Time to get prepared

Strong to severe storms are likely in Alabama on Saturday night into Sunday morning.

The strongest storms could bring tornadoes, damaging winds and heavy rain, according to the National Weather Service.

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center is forecasting a Level 3 out of 5 — or enhanced — risk for severe weather for part of west Alabama. A Level 3 risk means that numerous severe storms will be possible, including tornadoes.

All of the rest of the state will have a Level 2 (slight) risk, which means that scattered severe storms will be possible.

This will be a nighttime severe weather event, so Alabamians are urged to make sure they have not one but several reliable ways of getting warnings that could wake them up if need be. Some options are phone apps or a NOAA weather radio.

Most of the day on Saturday will be dry, although some rain and storms could affect parts of south Alabama by Saturday afternoon.

The risk for severe storms is expected to increase later Saturday night, by 9 p.m. in west Alabama and shifting eastward through the overnight hours, according to the weather service.

Forecasters expect Saturday’s storms to organize into a squall line ahead of a cold front, which will move across the state from west to east.

Damaging winds could be present in storms along the front, as well as quick-hitting tornadoes.

Forecasters also expect it to be windy ahead of the storms, with gusts up to 30 mph possible. The weather service said that could cause some trees to fall, especially in areas that got a lot of rain this week.

Cooler and drier weather is expected to follow the cold front on Sunday, with below-average temperatures possible next week.

Forecasters will be watching in case a chance of winter precipitation evolves with the next weather system expected on Thursday.

Here’s more from the National Weather Service:

NORTH ALABAMA

CENTRAL ALABAMA

SOUTH ALABAMA