Thunderstorms Continuing Throughout North-Central Alabama

This just in at 2:40 of storm clouds moving into Limestone County by Blake Williams:

ORIGINAL POST:

Showers and thunderstorms continue forming over North-Central Alabama this afternoon. Storms are also affecting Southern Walker County and Cullman Counties, moving eastward toward Blount and northern Jefferson County. A Significant Weather Alert has been issued for Blount County.

These storms will affect northern portions of the Birmingham Metro area over the next hour with the threat of lightning, heavy rain, and gusty winds.

All across North Central Alabama, the airmass is moderately unstable with CAPE values over 3,000 joules/kg. There is a nice instability maximum from Walker County down through the Birmingham Metro where those CAPE values are over 3,500 joules. This energy will fuel the strong storms. These storms could increase to become more severe through the afternoon hours. All storms will produce deadly lightning, heavy rain and gusty winds.

The line of thunderstorms passing through Nashville extends down the Tennessee Valley and into Northern Alabama, rolling toward Decatur, Athens and Huntsville. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has just been issued for Limestone and Madison Counties.

The Severe Thunderstorm Watch continues for North Alabama through 6:00 p.m. Further south, the SPC maintains their standard slight risk severe weather forecast as far south as Vernon, Alabaster, Sylacauga and Lineville. Damaging winds is the main threat. The North Alabama storms will have some small hail.

A cluster of storms is moving through Fort Payne, Centre, and Albertville. Winds gusted to 43 mph at Albertville at 1:15 p.m.

Category: Alabama's Weather, Severe Weather