Keeping You Safe: Nonstop West, Central Alabama Severe Weather Updates
Our objective is to keep you informed and safe during Alabama’s severe weather threat. This is a continuous weather update of pertinent details. This will be updated with incoming weather information for Wednesday, March 30, 2022.
Current Watches and Warnings
Click here for the details on the High Winds Warning.
Click here for information about the Wind Advisory.
Click here for Damage Reports
Click here for Power Outage Updates
Tornado Watch Info
The National Weather Service in Birmingham has issued a Tornado Watch that is going on now until 1:00 am.
This tornado watch impacts the following counties:
Bibb
Perry
Walker - Tuscaloosa Hale - Cancelled at 11:04 pm
Tuscaloosa Hale - Cancelled at 11:04 pm
Hale - Cancelled at 11:04 pm
Fayette - Cancelled at 10:07 am
Greene - Cancelled at 10:07 am
Lamar - Cancelled at 10:07 am
Pickens - Cancelled at 10:07 am
Sumter - Cancelled at 10:07 am
Full County List:
Autauga, Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore, Etowah, Jefferson, Lowndes, Montgomery, Perry, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega
I want you to remember the phrase BE ALERT when you hear WATCH associated with any severe weather. The National Weather Service notes that a “Tornado Watch is issued when a severe thunderstorm and tornadoes are possible in and near the watch area. It does not mean that they will occur. It only means they are possible.” Severe Thunderstorms are defined as having “winds of 58 miles per hour or higher and/or hail one inch in diameter or larger.”
(Source) Information is from the National Weather Service.
Click here for Damage Reports
Click here for Power Outage Updates
Click here for the details on the High Winds Warning.
Click here for information about the Wind Advisory.
Afternoon Weather Update
James Spann, ABC 33/40, and Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa Chief Meteorologist that “the main concern for the northern half of Alabama tonight is damaging winds; higher tornado potential is over the southern half of the state. This has the potential to be a high-impact event; pay attention to all warnings tonight… both tornado AND severe thunderstorms!"
Just to keep you ahead of the storm there is a Tornado Watch in effect for parts of MS/TN/AR/LA.
FYI – The National Weather Service in Birmingham reports that the DEMOPOLIS NOAA WEATHER RADIO IS OFF THE AIR.
From the National Weather Service: THE DEMOPOLIS NOAA WEATHER RADIO TRANSMITTER, BROADCASTING ON A FREQUENCY OF 162.475 MHZ, IS OFF THE AIR.
WE ARE WORKING WITH TECHNICIANS TO GET IT BACK UP AND RUNNING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IN THE MEANTIME, PLEASE REFER TO LOCAL MEDIA AND COMMERCIAL RADIO FOR THE LATEST SEVERE WEATHER INFORMATION.
BACKUP NOAA WEATHER RADIO TRANSMITTERS ARE:
SELMA, BROADCASTING ON A FREQUENCY OF 162.450 MHZ, AND TUSCALOOSA, BROADCASTING ON A FREQUENCY OF 162.400 MHZ.
KEEP IN MIND THAT NOT ALL BACKUP TRANSMITTERS WILL TONE FOR YOUR SPECIFIC COUNTY, SO PLEASE STAY WEATHER AWARE DURING THE OUTAGE.
Current Watches and Warnings
As severe weather approaches Alabama, there are high wind warnings and wind advisories in place for many of our Townsquare Media Coverage areas.
Click here for the details on the High Winds Warning.
Click here for information about the Wind Advisory.
Be On Alert Today
Highlights from the National Weather Service in Birmingham
Where:
All of Central Alabama
When:
Non-Thunderstorm Winds: 9 am this morning through 4 am Thursday morning
Severe Storms and Flooding: 5 pm this evening through 6 am Thursday
Threats:
Damaging winds up to 80 mph
Tornadoes
Hail up to Quarter Size
Non-Thunderstorm Winds to 50 mph with locally higher gusts
Localized Flooding
Risk Levels
Please don’t get too caught up in what risk area you are located in. Central and West Alabama are split between a "moderate risk" (level 4/5) and an "enhanced risk" (level 3/5) according to the Storm Prediction Center.
Threats
James Spann, ABC 33/40, and Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa Chief Meteorologist said that the “main concern tonight will come from damaging straight-line winds. Stronger storms in the line will be capable of producing wind gusts in the 60-80 mph range, and this could bring down many trees. Also, a few tornadoes are possible... a strong tornado (EF-2 or higher) can't be ruled out. The higher tornado probabilities are over the southern half of the state. Some hail is possible as well.”
Timing
As always be sure you are checking back often because as weather conditions shift as this system tracks towards Alabama that could shift weather potential and timing for our area as well. Spann noted that a “line of severe storms will push into the northwest corner of the state around 6:00 this evening, then moving quickly eastward. The line should be around I-59 (Tuscaloosa/Birmingham/Gadsden) by 10:00 p.m and then into East Alabama after midnight.”
Our policy at Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa is that when any of our coverage areas go under a tornado warning, we will provide nonstop severe weather coverage. Also, we are on alert for the damaging wind potential and will keep you informed on that area as well.
My suggestion to everyone is to stay weather aware and keep informed. As the evening hours approach, it is my recommendation is to be sure not to silence your phones. You might need to be alerted during times when you would be asleep.
Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa Coverage Area Counties
Bibb
Fayette
Greene
Hale
Lamar
Perry
Pickens
Sumter
Tuscaloosa
Walker
Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa Radio Stations
Praise 93.3
92.9 WTUG
95.3 The Bear
METV 97.5
Catfish 100.1
Tide 100.9
ALT 101.7
105.1 The Block
(Source) Click here to follow the Facebook Page for James Spann. For more from the National Weather Service Birmingham, click here.
Severe Weather Terminology You Should Know
KEEP READING: What to do after a tornado strikes
Ways to Receive Severe Weather Information
TIPS: Here's how you can prepare for power outages
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