Tornado Watch for Northwest, North Central Alabama Until 10 p.m. CDT

The SPC has issued a tornado watch for northwestern and North Central Alabama. The tornado watch will be in effect until 10 p.m. CDT.

Supercells storms have formed over Northwest Alabama in a highly unstable, moderately sheared environment.

There is sufficient low-level shear for the formation of a few supercell storms across the watch area. Coverage will be very limited, but any storms that do form will have the potential to produce a couple of tornadoes. The threat of EF2 or greater tornadoes is low.

Damaging winds gusts to 60 mph are possible with widespread downdraft CAPE greater than 1,000 joules/kg. There could be hail as large as ping pong balls.

Central Alabama Counties include:
Blount, Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker, and Winston

North Alabama Counties include:
Colbert, Cullman, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, and Morgan

Storms are developing now across parts of Marion and Lamar Counties in West Alabama back into eastern Mississippi. We will be watching these storms carefully. They are forming in an area which has 4,500-5,000 joules of CAPE to work with, which is very high. The bulk shear is decent across Marion and Walker Counties and increases the further east you go across Cullman, Blount, and parts of Jefferson Counties.

The low-level helicity, key for tornadoes, is highest from Limestone, Madison, and Morgan Counties eastward across the Tennessee Valley. We will have to watch the Northwest Alabama storms as they start approaching Huntsville. To the south, from Marion and Winston counties, through Walker, Cullman, Blount, northern Jefferson, and points, east, there is sufficient shear for an isolated tornado or two.

Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS