Tuscaloosa weather forecast, warnings: Track severe storms headed for Alabama this week

With the potential for severe storms ongoing throughout Wednesday night, the city of Tuscaloosa opened five storm shelters across the city.

As of 7:40 p.m. the following shelters were made available:

• Tuscaloosa Magnet School, 315 McFarland Blvd. E.

• Tuscaloosa Career and Technology Academy, 2800 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

• University Place Elementary, 2000 First Ave.

• Alberta School of Performing Arts, 2700 University Blvd. E.; and

• McDonald Hughes Community Center, 3101 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

This move came less than an hour before the National Weather Service issued tornado warnings for Tuscaloosa, Bibb and Hale counties. Issued at about 8:30 p.m., this warning was to remain in effect until 9:15 p.m.

It ultimately was canceled early, at 9:07 p.m., and the NWS released Walker, Fayette, and Lamar counties from the tornado watch approximately six minutes later.

Previously, the National Weather Service had added Tuscaloosa County to an ongoing tornado watch that remained in effect until it was canceled just before 10 p.m.

The NWS also issued a tornado warning for three other West Alabama counties -- Fayette, Lamar, Marion -- through 7:15 p.m. Wednesday. These alerts then transitioned a severe thunderstorm watches for Walker and Winston counties through 7:45 p.m. and Greene, Pickens and Sumter counties until 8:15 p.m.

"We currently have several Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in effect along the eastward moving line of storms," the NWS said. "Primary threats with these storms are winds to 60 mph and nickel to locally quarter sized hail."

For the tornado watch, Tuscaloosa County joined Sumter, Pickens, Greene and Hale in now coming under the alert that was issued just before 4 p.m. Wednesday.

"Storms are moving into northwest Alabama early this evening," the Birmingham office of the NWS said via Twitter. "Storms may intensify quickly as they move east so remain weather aware."

West Alabama is bracing for potential severe weather from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning.

Just before 4 p.m. Wednesday, the National Weather service issued a tornado watch effective until 10 p.m. for Etowah, Blount, Cherokee, Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker, and Winston counties.

Tuscaloosa and the additional four West Alabama counties were added at about 6 p.m.

A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms or tornadoes in an area.

Straight-line winds of up to 60 miles per hour and isolated tornadoes are possible, said Jason Holmes, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Office in Birmingham.

North and west Alabama will see the best possibility for severe weather, with a line from Anniston to Clanton to Selma under a "slight" risk. The area south and east from about Alexander City to Montgomery is under a "marginal" risk, which is a notch lower in risk.

Power: Check power outages near you with heavy storms expected through Alabama ahead of New Year's

Shelter information: Alabama on guard: Severe weather possible Wednesday afternoon, evening

More: What James Spann said about possible severe weather, tornados in Alabama this week

Stay abreast of the latest storm coverage by following the radar.

Track storm's path: Weather radar

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Active watches and warnings

For example: The NWS of Mobile issued a tornado warning for the following counties until xx p.m.: county 1, 2, 3, etc.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Tuscaloosa forecast: Track severe weather, warnings in Alabama