By Jim Stefkovich, Meteorologist, Alabama Emergency Management Agency
CLANTON – Saturday, 7:30 am August 12, 2023
There is an Excessive Heat Warning Today and Sunday for much of central Alabama and for today across south Alabama. It is likely the warning will be extended into Sunday for the southern sections in later NWS forecasts.
If possible, avoid outdoor activities from the afternoon through early evening hours, take frequent rests in air-conditioned areas and drink plenty of water. The elderly, young and those with medical conditions are most susceptible to heat related issues so check on them frequently.
It now appears yet another Mesoscale Convective System (MCS) will move from northwest to southeast across the state this afternoon through this evening as either line segments or clusters of strong to severe storms. Damaging wind gusts and large hail will be the main threats.
Although the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) does not have areas south of a Tuscaloosa – Auburn line in a severe risk area, this may change in later forecasts. There is the potential for thunderstorm development from 1 pm – 8 pm in this region and with the atmosphere so unstable, severe storms with damaging wind gusts are possible.
Because the atmosphere is so unstable, these wind gusts can cause substantial damage to trees and buildings. Even if a warning is not in effect, if skies darken and lightning or thunder occurs, you should get indoors to a sturdy building until the storm passes.
On Sunday, the SPC does not have Alabama in a risk area, another MCS will be moving across the Tennessee Valley region during the afternoon and there is a low confidence/potential that areas north of I-20 may be affected.
On Monday, a frontal system may produce isolated to scattered thunderstorms in far northern Alabama during the afternoon and evening hours, and a couple may produce damaging wind gusts.