Storm Watch for Alabama: What to Expect This Weekend

A few strong storms might pop up in northern Alabama starting Saturday afternoon, with winds up to 60 mph possible in the strongest ones. Tornadoes aren’t on the radar, so that’s a relief. The heaviest activity should arrive between 3 p. m. Saturday and 4 a. m. Sunday, according to weather experts. They’ve labeled the risk as low—just a Level 1 out of 5—but that still means isolated storms could bring heavy rain and gusty winds.Central Alabama, especially near Interstate 59 and 20, is also on alert. The storms may start stronger in the western part of the state but weaken as they drift east. By the time they reach Alabama, they’ll likely lose some energy as cooler night temperatures slow them down. Still, these storms will bring much-needed rain to most of the state by Sunday morning. The good news? Severe weather isn’t expected beyond this timeframe for at least seven days. While most of Alabama gets a drink, the southeast corner might miss out. Drought conditions there are bad—Level 3 out of 4—and the rain won’t be enough to help. This isn’t surprising, though, since droughts in that region have been building for months. The rain should clear out by Sunday night, giving way to calm, dry weather for the start of the week.