Tornado Watch Extended to 9 PM

We'll have to watch things at least another hour. 

8:04 PM - However, a few counties have been cleared now: Walker, Winston, Marion, Fayette, and Lamar have been removed from the Tornado Watch. 

8:07 - This event is winding down for us, but over the years I've learned, you don't jump the gun in saying it's over. You wait for any last minute surprises. Because they do happen. 

Really nasty weather going on in South Central Alabama, including a confirmed tornado. But this blog is really for North Alabama and Southern Middle Tennessee, with a focus on Cullman, Walker, and Winston Counties but noticing our neighbors up in places like Huntsville, the Shoals, and the bordering counties of Tennessee. 

So when the threat completely ends for North Alabama, I'm going to call it a night. 

8:15 - Not liking some of what broadcast media is reporting, trailer park hit in Calera. NWS Birmingham is having to stay in their shelter a little while to be on the safe side. All the offices have a break room that's built about as strong as a bank vault or one of those FEMA safe rooms. So they should be okay. But you know, you never like to hear that a tornado is coming close to some people and their office. 

8:17 - And by the time I got that posted, they are back in their operations center. No damage to the office, but the Wal-Mart in Calera was damaged along with some other stuff. 

8:24 - Oh wow, if you check out ABC 33/40's live stream, now their staff is going into shelter. This will be riveting television. But seriously, hope everybody is okay. They have a good strong stairwell. 

What a nerve-wracking day for a lot of people. And I don't like that report of a trailer park getting hit down there. Usually that means serious injuries or deaths, as much as I hate to say it. Can always hope people got out before that tornado hit. It's South of our area, but it's serious business. 

8:26 - Here's where that tornado is going, although again, it's far South of here. 

And as far as the 33/40 studio, I think they just sent the news staff into shelter since it was a close call. They are still broadcasting on the weather side. I really liked how Spann was covering a lot of the North Alabama stuff earlier today even though it's not in their market. I've been bouncing around live streams today, but ever since that tornado aimed at Calera I've been on his. 

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8:30 - And that yellow polygon is a large severe thunderstorm warning for potential of damaging winds. The weather is really ugly in that whole zone right now. Got that other tornado warning that includes Talladega. 

 351 

8:30pm Receiving reports of gusts up to 48 mph on the back edge of the showers/storms.
Flooding and Flash Flooding continues to be a concern and we are still watching for strong/severe storm potential as this slides eastward.#HUNwx pic.twitter.com/sdkI3PKkrs

— NWS Huntsville (@NWSHuntsville) March 16, 2025

WWUS64 KHUN 160059

8:42 - And the graphics seem to have become a mess above. Was trying to pass along a tweet from the NWS Huntsville. I guess I'll just show the radar and say it in my own words. 

8:44 - There is some serious severe weather ongoing down in South Central Alabama, but you can tune into Birmingham TV stations and bloggers for that. You can see the tornado warning polygons in red on the radar anyway. The green polygons that you see in our area in North Alabama/Southern Mid Tennessee, are all Flash Flood Warnings. So I know it's Saturday night, but I'd stay off the roads if you're not already out. Definitely don't cross any water that covers the road. 

NWS Huntsville was saying they were getting reports of 48 mph wind gusts on the back side of the line of showers/storms. 

While it's quiet here, what the heck . . . I'll note that a confirmed tornado is headed for Talladega. Hope those folks stay safe. 

8:48 - And that is a nasty looking debris signature. So my advice for anybody who happens to read from there is: If you're in the polygon, get to a storm shelter or basement if you can. 

But it's fine to shelter in a site-built house too. Just go to a small central room on the lowest floor, away from any windows. And cover your body in case of falling or flying debris. Especially protect your head - wearing a helmet is best. 

Can't stay in a mobile home. I've said that a lot today, but on a day like today, come on, we've already had a trailer park hit in Calera. Please do not risk staying in one of those. You'd be better off lying in an unflooded ditch, but hopefully you can get to a nearby substantial structure, even if it's only something like a gas station. 

8:52 - This could be doing significant damage as we speak. And that's why I'm bothering with it. Anywhere in that polygon, get to shelter and stay there. Don't get caught driving through this storm either. Pull over to the nearest building that you can get in. 

8:54 - Back up here at the ranch - Lauderdale, Colbert, and Franklin have been cleared from the Tornado Watch. They had so many warnings today up that way, and are still having flooding issues. But the threat for severe thunderstorms is over for them, finally. 

8:57 - That tornado warning for Chilton, Autauga, and Dallas Counties is also a confirmed tornado. These are rural areas that I'm not familiar with, and way South of here, but noting in passing. Because today really has been rough. And we've still got issues going on down there while I'm waiting for us to get the all-clear (or have a last-minute surprise) here in North Alabama.

9 PM - A lot of counties were just cleared from the Tornado Watch including Cullman. Will double-check to see if any of "our" counties up here will remain under it longer while the showers and storms finish moving through mainly Northeast Alabama. Not going to give the all clear until it's a sure thing. 

9:02 - And yes - all the counties I typically cover on this blog are now cleared from the Tornado Watch. 

If you want to watch coverage of those tornadoes in Central/South Central Alabama, here's James Spann, Wes Wyatt, and Taylor Sarallo . . . er I mean Jason Simpson. Nah, they make a good team. She really is good though, and I hope some day she's chief meteorologist at a major station if she wants to be. 

Going to post a quick forecast just hitting the high points of what to expect after this. But up here, our severe weather threat is finally over. 

ALL CLEAR. 

WCNHUN

WATCH COUNTY NOTIFICATION FOR WATCHES 46/47

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL

759 PM CDT SAT MAR 15 2025

ALC033-043-049-059-071-077-079-083-089-095-103-160200-

/O.EXT.KHUN.TO.A.0046.000000T0000Z-250316T0200Z/

TORNADO WATCH 46, PREVIOUSLY IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS

EVENING, IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR THE

FOLLOWING AREAS

IN ALABAMA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 11 COUNTIES

IN NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA

CULLMAN               LIMESTONE             MADISON              

MORGAN                

IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA

DEKALB                JACKSON               MARSHALL             

IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA

COLBERT               FRANKLIN AL           LAUDERDALE           

LAWRENCE              

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ALBERTVILLE, ARAB, ATHENS, BOAZ, 

CULLMAN, DECATUR, FLORENCE, FORT PAYNE, GUNTERSVILLE, HUNTSVILLE,

MOULTON, MUSCLE SHOALS, RAINSVILLE, RED BAY, RUSSELLVILLE, 

SCOTTSBORO, SHEFFIELD, TOWN CREEK, AND TUSCUMBIA.

$$

TNC051-103-127-160200-

/O.CON.KHUN.TO.A.0047.000000T0000Z-250316T0200Z/

TORNADO WATCH 47 REMAINS VALID UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR

THE FOLLOWING AREAS

IN TENNESSEE THIS WATCH INCLUDES 3 COUNTIES

IN SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE

FRANKLIN TN           LINCOLN               MOORE                

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF COWAN, DECHERD, ESTILL SPRINGS, 

FAYETTEVILLE, LYNCHBURG, SEWANEE, AND WINCHESTER.

$$