BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — An unsettled and potentially dangerous week is taking shape across Alabama, with multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms expected to push through the state from Monday night through at least Thursday. The northern half of Alabama carries the heaviest rainfall burden — 2 to 3 inches total through Sunday May 3 — while South Alabama sees 1 to 2 inches. The storms are not just a rain event. Strong winds are the primary concern in the first round, with a brief isolated tornado possible, and a second, potentially more significant severe weather round arrives Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
Monday Night — The First Round Arrives After Midnight
The initial severe weather round is a late-night system. Storms are expected to develop mostly after midnight Monday night, meaning the threat window is centered in the overnight hours when most residents are asleep and reaction time to warnings is reduced. The Severe Weather Outlook for Monday April 27 shows the northwestern corner of Alabama — including Florence, Huntsville and Decatur — sitting inside a Level 2 Slight Risk zone, with a Level 1 Marginal Risk covering Birmingham, Tuscaloosa and Gadsden southward.
What this round brings:
- Primary threat: Strong damaging winds — the most likely severe weather hazard with this system
- Secondary threat: Brief isolated tornado — cannot be ruled out, particularly across the Slight Risk zone in northern Alabama
- Timing: Mostly after midnight — overnight tornado warnings require advance shelter planning before bedtime Monday
Residents across Florence, Huntsville, Decatur and the Tennessee Valley face the highest exposure in this first round and should identify a safe interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy structure before going to sleep Monday night.
Tuesday Night Into Wednesday — The More Uncertain and Potentially Larger Threat…