The SPC has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for a stripe of counties in Northwest Alabama.

The watch goes until 8 p.m. CDT.

It includes Colbert... Lauderdale... Franklin... Marion... Lamar and Fayette Counties.

An outflow boundary is moving across Tennessee and Mississippi. Thunderstorms are increasing ahead of it and supercell development is possible.

The NWS Birmingham has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Dallas and Perry Counties...storms extend from southwest of Marion to west of Selma. The storm southwest of Marion is indicating large hail.

Up in North Alabama...Huntsville has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Jackson County. The Jackson County storm is west of Stevenson.

The storm approaching the Birmingham metro area from the southwest is not very organized at this time.

Not much to report at 2 o'clock...

No watches or warnings are in effect for any part of Alabama.

The airmass over Alabama is warm, moist and unstable. Wind shear is minimal today across much of Central Alabama and generally low over North Alabama. The btes shear is well to the north in Tennessee, where some significant tornadoes are possible this afternoon. Much of the southeastern half of Arkansas is primed for tornadoes also.

Storms are forming and moving quickly to the northeast in the strong flow ahead of the trough and cold front that is headed our way.

Skies were partly cloudy across the region. Temperatures were in the upper 80s generally. Tuscaloosa had reached 90.

Radar indicates scattered storms across North and Central Alabama. The Walker County storms have weakened a bit as they moved into Cullman County, but still contain lightning and very heavy rains.

The storm passing through NE Tuscaloosa County will move along the Jefferson/Walker County line.

The new storm south of Vance may affect the Birmingham area later.

A larger complex of storms has formed over Southwest Alabama and is moving up into Hale, Perry and Dallas Counties.

Be alert to rapidly changing weather conditions through tonight as these storms feed off the heating of the day.

The airmass across Alabama is becoming more and more unstable this afternoon. Showers and thunderstorms will continue to develop and become stronger.

At 1 p.m., surface based CAPEs were in the 2000-3000 j/kg range across much of Alabama. Lifted Index values are negative across much of North and Central Alabama, with values generally between -2 and -6. Ever stronger Lifted Index values are found over Southwest Alabama.

0-3 km shear values are low to marginal across Central Alabama, but a little better over Northwest Alabama, where some helicities in the 200 m2/s3 range are found. Much stronger helicity values are over Tennessee.

A new tornado watch has been issued over much of Middle Tennessee, extending back into Kentucky. It was contemplated for Alabama, especially NW Alabama, but the forecasters did not pull the trigger, yet.

The SPC has everything north of I-20 in a Slight Risk Outlook for severe weather.

Temperatures are in the middle to upper 80s with dewpoints quite on the muggy side in the lower to middle 70s.

Quite a cumulus field is present across Alabama, but sunshine was breaking through at most locations.

Showers and storms were increasing on radar. The strongest was over Walker County extending from Kansas down to west of Oakman. This activity is moving NE.

The activity over Blount and extreme NE Cullman County is getting to be of interest. It is generally east of Holly Pond moving NE toward Guntersville.

You can now find a growing shower or storm in nearly every county across the northern half of Alabama. Some of these storms will become severe this afternoon into this evening.

Tornado watches continued through the night. One is in effect until 11 a.m. CDT for parts of Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, including Fayetteville, Arkansas where Alabama and the Razorbacks will tangle this afternoon. Another watch overs the Missouri Bootheel, parts of Tennessee, southern Kentucky and northeastern Arkansas. This watch goes until midmorning.

The Storm Prediction Center has the northwestern corner of Alabama in its Slight Risk area for severe weather today.

The SPC is calling for an enhanced chance of tornadoes today for the area from northeastern Arkansas through southern Illiinois and Indiana...into southwestern Ohio, then southward through Kentucky and much of western and Middle Tennessee. Oh, and dont forget southeastern Missouri. Funny that they issued a Public Severe Weather Outlook for those areas without a Moderate Risk. Haven't seen that before.

The main activity associated with the front will stay to our north and west today. But, with the warm, moist and conditionally unstable airmass in place across Alabama, thunderstorms will develop once again with the heating of the day. Again, some wind shear will be present, and we could once again see organized storms later today. Some of them will become severe. Although we do not expect the widespread nature of severe activity that we saw on Friday, you will want to monitor your favorite source of weather information through this evening. The best chances for severe weather appear to be along and north of the I-20 corridor today.

If you are heading to Auburn, expect a chance of a thunderstorm. A slightly better chance at Lagion Field this evening as UAB plays Mississippi State, along with the thought that severe weather could be possible.

The radar shows a few lines of mostly light showers across Alabama. Skies are mostly cloudy. Temperatures are warm and muggy with readings in the middle to upper 70s as we approach daybreak. Dew points are in the 70s also, giving us the muggies.

A strong thunderstorm developed over northern Jefferson County around 5 p.m. yesterday. The powerful storm was very visible from downtown Birmingham, looking a bit like a nuclear explosion. A wall cloud was visible on the back side of the storm from buildings downtown.

The storm developed strong signs of rotation near the Jefferson/Blount County line and a tornado was reported on the ground near mile marker 280 on I-65. Several reports of funnel clouds were received from southern Blount County.

Reports began to flow in of damage in the Locust Fork area just after 6:30 p.m. The National Weather Service dropped the tornado warning for Blount County at 6:45 p.m. but warned that a tornado could develop from the storm.

Just five minutes later, the warning was upgraded again to a tornado warning for Blount County. Serious rotation was noted near Allgood or southwest of Oneonta.

Just after 7 p.m., the first damage reports began to come in from near Oneonta. The trickle of reports became a flow, and then a torrent. The Oneonta Fire Department asked for mutual aid from other Blount County fire departments. Dramatic reports indicated that the tornado had passed over the EOC in Oneonta and that there were multiple structures damaged or destroyed. Trees and power lines were reported down across the city and power was out. Initial reports indicated that two people were injured when a tree crushed a car.

Severe damage was reported at the football stadium in Blount County with reports that the press box was destroyed. Miraculously, Blount County was playing an away game.

The ABC3340 Skywatcher network became a Godsend as active scanner reports from fire, police and amateur radio were instantly available to us. This is the partnership that delivers lifesaving weather information. The National Weather Service, the media, emergency management and the public working together to provide ground truth and warnings.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the fine folks in Blount County tonight.

Significant damage in Oneonta from a likely tornado...

Tree down on car...person trapped...Adams Avenue in Oneonta...

Storm continues to look dangerous...is centered just west of Altoona, passing near Walnut Grove and Douglas, moving into western Etowah County, very close to the Marshall County line.

Tornado warning for western Etowah County until 8 p.m.

Tornado warning continues until 8 p.m. for extreme northeastern Blount County as storm passes out of County.

Storm passing Highway 278 near Snead and Walnut Grove. It will pass into extreme western Etowah County. It will pass near Douglas and eventually near Arab in Marshall County.

Rescue units are having trouble reaching damaged areas in Blount County because of trees being down.

New tornado warning for far western Etowah County...not City of Gadsden. Tornado warning extended for Blount County until 8 p.m.

Multiple reports of injuries from Oneonta. Damage is heavy in Oneonta.

This is a classically dangerous looking storm. It is very near Altoona at 7:20. Take cover immediately as this storm approaches.

Adams Avenue: damage reported. Possible tornado damage on Washington Avenue.

Church across from main fire department damaged.

Oneonta FD has reported aid from neighboring fire departments.

The most dangerous part of the storm is passing near Altoona and Walnut Grove...take cover now if you are in the path of this dangerous storm.

Damage reports are coming in tonight from Blount County from a possible tornado....

EOC reports multiple structures damaged or destroyed in Oneonta. Tornado passed over EOC.

Damage was reported at the Shell Station just east of the school in Oneonta. One fortunate thing is that the football game was not at home tonight.

The oneonta NOAA Weather Radio has been knocked off the air.

Viewers are reporting debris. Unconfirmed reports of damage to a couple of area churches.

This is a very dangerous storm. It is now approaching the Altoona area. A tornado warning remains in effect for Blount County until 7:30 p.m.

Take cover now...