DANGEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM/TORNADO OUTBREAK AHEAD: A dangerous outbreak of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes is forecast across a large area beginning early Saturday morning.
6AM UPDATE: Rain and thunderstorms are over North Alabama this morning with small hail in spots, but they are under severe limits and we have managed to go through “round one” with few problems. We have heard of no damage; hail has been the only real issue.
Storms will continue to fade over the next hour or so, and the weather should be quiet through late morning.
Key messages for later today and tonight…
*The greatest concern is “round two”, which comes from roughly 11:00 a.m. until a little after midnight. During this time a few violent, long track tornadoes will be possible anywhere in Alabama. A high risk (level 5/5) has been defined for much of the state.
*It is critical that you hear warnings. An outdoor siren is never, ever a primary way of hearing warnings. The “siren mentality” has killed more people than anything else during tornado events in Alabama. The baseline for every home and business is a NOAA Weather Radio; unfortunately many retailers have sold out of them due to the high demand this week. On your phone, be sure emergency alerts are enabled in notification settings… this is the tone you hear for tornado warnings and amber alerts. Have the free ABC 33/40 weather app installed. Turn the sleep/do not disturb modes OFF for the weekend so you will receive notifications at night.
*In your safe place, have helmets for everyone, including adults. Use a car seat for infants. Most serious injuries in tornadoes involve blunt force trauma above the shoulders. Wearing hard shoes is also a good idea. Have a portable air horn for everyone; they can alert first responders to your location if you are injured.
*If you live in a mobile home, know the location of the nearest shelter, or business open 24/7 that can serve as a shelter. Have transportation arranged so you can get there quickly. You cannot stay in a mobile home if you are in a tornado warning polygon.
*A car is a death trap during a tornado. If you are driving and get a tornado warning notification, pull off as quickly as possible and go into a gas station, fast food restaurant, or any other business that can serve as a shelter. Do not drive into a tornado warning polygon.
*You can be a hero. If you are reading this, you pay attention to weather. Let friends and family members today know this is a dangerous threat. During the event, if you have a friend or loved one in a tornado warning polygon, call or text them to let them know of the immediate danger. You can play a huge role in saving lives.
*Subscribe to the James Spann and ABC 33/40 YouTube channels so you can watch our live coverage. During the event itself all of my attention is focused on the live coverage. I simply am not able to respond to the hundreds of requests for individual briefings during a severe weather outbreak.
*Get the warnings, have a good plan, and we get through this together.
