An outbreak of severe weather is still in the forecast for Easter across Alabama.
The National Weather Service is expecting not just one but several rounds of severe weather on Sunday.
Some of it could be significant, including strong, long-track tornadoes, winds of nearly hurricane force, large hail and flooding rain.
Forecasters urged Alabamians to get prepared now for Sunday’s weather. Know where you will go if a tornado or severe storm threatens and have several reliable ways to get warnings -- including one that will work if the power goes out.
Sunday will feature rain and storms on and off all day. Rain and storms will be possible after midnight and later into Sunday morning, and a few of those could be strong.
The possibility for severe weather ramps up on Sunday afternoon and will last into the overnight hours.
The Storm Prediction Center updated its forecast on Saturday afternoon, and it’s not good news for Alabama. Forecasters extended a moderate risk, which is Level 4 of 5, eastward a bit to include more of central and north Alabama.
A moderate risk means “widespread” severe weather will be likely.
Nearly all of the rest of Alabama will have an enhanced risk, level 3 of 5. An enhanced risk means “numerous” severe storms will be possible.
The weather service said severe weather will be possible statewide no matter the risk area.
The setup is expected to be something like this: A warm front along the Gulf Coast is expected to begin to move northward over Alabama on Sunday.
South of that front will be an atmosphere more favorable for severe weather with higher levels of moisture and instability.
The weather service said rain and storms could develop along the warm front as it moves northward on Sunday afternoon — and those storms have the potential to become severe.
Conditions are expected to become even more favorable for severe weather as the afternoon wears on.
Any storms that develop during the afternoon hours could become severe quickly and could be some of the most intense of the day, with tornadoes and large hail possible.
Those storms are expected to be followed by an intense squall line later into the evening and through the overnight hours, according to forecasters.
Those will also have the potential to produce tornadoes, damaging winds and hail.
Heavy rain will also be a possibility, especially in north Alabama. The Weather Prediction Center has a moderate risk of flash flooding in place across north Alabama on Sunday, and the weather service said 2-3 inches of rain will be possible across the region in a relatively short period of time.
Severe weather will be likely statewide. However forecasters Alabama will be closely watching how far north the warm front travels, and how quickly the atmosphere can recover and become unstable again after rain and storms expected earlier in the day on Sunday.
Cooler and drier conditions will follow Sunday’s severe weather into Monday. However rain chances will begin to increase some again on Tuesday, though no severe weather is expected.