ALABAMA — Alabama’s weather pattern remains largely unchanged Friday, with partly sunny skies, highs in the low 90s, and a 30 to 35 percent chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and early tonight, but the risk escalates Saturday as the Storm Prediction Center introduces a Level 2 of 5 severe thunderstorm risk for the northern third of the state.
Saturday’s Severe Weather Outlook
The Level 2 risk covers northern Alabama, including Florence, Huntsville, Decatur, and Gadsden, where forecasters say Saturday afternoon and evening storms carry an elevated chance of turning severe. A Level 1 marginal risk extends farther south, covering Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, and Wedowee.
While no tornado risk is expected with Saturday’s storms, forecasters note the usual summer hazards remain possible, including strong, gusty winds, hail, heavy rain, and very frequent lightning. Anyone with outdoor plans across northern and central Alabama Saturday is advised to keep a close eye on radar trends.
Weekend Pattern Shift
Over the weekend, a surface boundary will drift southward across Alabama and the Deep South, driving a general increase in shower and storm coverage. While the weekend won’t be a total washout, the odds of any single location seeing rain will climb into the 50 to 60 percent range, with most activity expected between noon and midnight.
Highest Coverage Monday and Tuesday
Looking into next week, the highest coverage of showers and storms across Alabama is expected Monday and Tuesday, before activity thins out during the latter half of the week. Highs will be limited to the mid-to-upper 80s for most of the state early next week, as increased cloud cover and shower activity keep temperatures in check compared to Friday’s low 90s…