Central Alabama will be under a flood watch from noon Wednesday to midnight Thursday with the advisory predicting rainfall amounts of up to three to four inches. Some spots could see as much as six inches, depending on the track and severity of some storms.
The entire state is under the risk of severe weather, including possible tornadoes, winds up to 70 miles per hour and quarter-sized hail, the National Weather Service office in Birmingham predicts. Areas in western Alabama near the Mississippi line, including the Tuscaloosa area, and areas of southwest Alabama will see the higher threats of severe weather.
How the system develops will determine where and how much severe weather occurs, said Gary Goggins, a meteorologist with the NWS office in Birmingham.
“We could see a line of severe thunderstorms develop in the southwestern part of the state as the system moves through,” he said. “Also, the energy could move farther north of us, and the possibility of severe weather could be less.”
One thing for sure, though, is the rain.
“We are looking at overall a three to four inches of rain,” he said. “Some area could see higher amounts, up to six inches. It is those area where the risk of flash flooding is possible.”
The storms are expected to begin moving through the state at 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. in western areas, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. in central Alabama and 5 p.m. to midnight in eastern Alabama. Central Alabama is the bullseye for the heaviest rains, including the cities of Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Selma, Montgomery and Auburn. The area includes southeastern Alabama including Enterprise and Dothan.
There is a chance storms and shower will hang around into Thursday, since the cold front won’t push through the state until midday Thursday.
But once the front sweeps through, the forecast for the weekend couldn’t be better:
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Gadsden: A 50 percent chance of rain Thursday, then mostly sunny through Sunday with highs in the mid-70s and lows in the mid-40s.
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Montgomery: A 30 percent chance of rain Thursday then mostly sunny through Sunday with highs near 80 and lows in the upper 40s.
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Tuscaloosa: A 30 percent chance of rain Thursday, then mostly sunny through Sunday with highs in the upper 70s and lows in the upper 40s.
Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at mroney@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Wednesday storms bring risk of tornadoes and flooding to Alabama