LIVE UPDATES: Severe weather threatens Alabama

Strong winds from the west are expected to move across Alabama midday Thursday until early Friday morning, bringing the threat of tornadoes, winds up to 70 mph and large hail.

What areas are at risk?

The National Weather Service's Birmingham office puts the western and some of the central parts of the state — including Birmingham and as far east as Anniston and Selma — at an "enhanced risk" of storms, the third highest threat rating. That area could see strong tornadoes, winds up to 70 mph and golf ball-sized hail.

NWS puts another sliver of the state including Montgomery and Alexander City at the second-lowest threat rating of "slight risk," with the possibility of tornadoes, winds up to 60 mph and quarter-sized hail. Areas east of that, including Eufaula, are at "marginal risk," the lowest threat rating.

When is the threat worst?

NWS says the most western part of the state, including Tuscaloosa, is at risk until 8 p.m. The strip of the state from Birmingham to Selma is at risk from 2-11 p.m.

Alexander City to Gadsden is at risk from 4 p.m.-1 a.m., and Montgomery, Auburn and Troy are at risk from 6 p.m.-2 a.m.

Follow along below for live updates.

2:58 p.m.: City of Montgomery offices closing early

City of Montgomery offices will close at 3 p.m., spokesperson Griffith Waller announced in an email. All public safety and emergency response agencies will remain in operation.

2:25 p.m.: Montgomery County offices closing early

All Montgomery County offices are closing at 3 p.m. due to the threat of severe weather, county spokesperson Ken Ward announced in an email.

The Montgomery City-County Emergency Management Agency will open the Montgomery Safer Places Shelter located at 3446 LeBron Road if Montgomery County gets placed under a tornado watch.

1:55 p.m.: Tornado watch issued for 21 counties

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm prediction center has issued a tornado watch until 8 p.m. for the following west and central Alabama counties: Autauga, Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Cullman, Dallas, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Jefferson, Lamar, Marengo, Marion, Perry, Pickens, Shelby, St. Clair, Sumter, Tuscaloosa, Walker and Winston.

11:47 a.m.: NWS says "severe storm ingredients continue to increase"

The National Weather Service is monitoring storms in to the northwest and southwest as they move toward Alabama.

"We'll be watching VERY closely off to our southwest as these storms develop and track into southwest AL. Severe storm ingredients continue to increase," NWS said in a Tweet.

9:30 a.m.: Several area school systems closing early

Montgomery Public Schools and Autauga County Schools are closing at 1 p.m. Thursday in anticipation of inclement weather. Gadsden City, Etowah County and Attalla City schools also confirmed early Thursday that they will close at 1:30 p.m. Tuscaloosa city and county schools plan to close around noon. The University of Alabama will suspend operations at 12:30 p.m., while Shelton State Community College closed at 10 a.m.

MPS will offer lunch at an earlier time and buses will take students home at 1 p.m., according to an email from Jade Jones, the senior communication officer for the school system.

"Please be safe and continue to monitor your email, website and our official social media channels," Jones wrote in the email.

Autauga County Schools personnel also confirmed early Thursday that schools will close at 1 p.m.

The Elmore County School District is canceling all activities that occur after 4 p.m.

Alex Gladden is the Montgomery Advertiser's public safety reporter. She can be reached at agladden@gannett.com or 479-926-9570.

Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for the Montgomery Advertiser. Contact him at emealins@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanMealins.

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This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Live updates: Severe weather threatens central Alabama, Montgomery