Severe Weather Possible This Week For Birmingham Metro

BIRMINGHAM, AL — After a weekend that saw record-high temperatures in central Alabama, the National Weather Service in Birmingham says the area should brace for some possibly severe weather by mid-week.

The NWS also shows a possibility for strong storms for this coming weekend after a cold front moves through the area.

"A cold front will be approaching the state on Wednesday, and Alabama will be in a very moist, warm sector ahead of the front," meteorologist Scott Martin said Monday. "We’ll have a decent amount of instability and shear in place and a few stronger to severe storms will be possible, with damaging winds being the main threat. A brief tornado is possible, but the better dynamics will be a little too far to the north for this to be a large tornado threat."

For now, the Storm Prediction Center has a slight risk up for locations along and west of a line from Selma to Montgomery to Heflin, with the rest of Alabama in a marginal risk.

"Timing at this point for the threat of severe storms will be from Wednesday afternoon through Wednesday night," Martin said. "Most of the activity looks to be scattered out ahead of the front, as the front does not move in until Thursday morning. Wednesday’s highs will be in the 70s."

The front will move through Alabama on Thursday, keeping showers and thunderstorms likely until it passes by, Martin said.

"There are no severe weather threats at this time, but I couldn’t rule out a strong storm or two," he said. "Highs will be in the upper 60s to the upper 70s. Moisture does stick around, and we could see the front move back northward as a warm front on Friday, which will keep a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the forecast. Highs will be in the lower to mid-70s."

As for next weekend, storms cannot be ruled out, Martin said.

"Another system will get its act together on Saturday and will begin to move into the state," Martin said. "Signals are already pointing to the potential for strong to severe storms late Saturday through early Sunday morning. The SPC already has the equivalent of a slight risk issued for the northern half of the state."

Martin added, "We’ll have to get through Wednesday’s event before we can focus on the weekend and what the main risks will be. Stronger storms may continue through the day Sunday, as a surface low will form and move through the state during the afternoon and evening. Saturday’s highs will be in the 70s, while we’ll see much cooler air start to move in on Sunday, with highs reaching the mid-50s to the lower 70s from northwest to southeast."