Tagged: Alabama severe weather

An unconfirmed tornado has knocked down trees, flipped Dumpsters and damaged the roof of the nearby WalMart in Athens.

A forecaster at the National Weather Service in Huntsville said the suspected tornado started about a mile south-southeast of Athens and moved in a line toward southwest Ardmore Friday.

The unsettled weather system continued to concern forecasters as it moved north toward Tennessee.

Athens Police Chief Floyd Johnson says he saw the backside of a wall cloud that had a tail. Police followed as it moved up Route 31 to Interstate 65.

Wind damage was reported after a severe weather system moved across Alabama Friday morning.

However, forecasters said the chances for tornadoes appeared to be diminishing.

A hazardous weather advisory said the storms could produce isolated damaging winds as the system moved from Alabama to Georgia Friday afternoon, and there was "a very small chance" for an isolated tornado.

Forecasters say there's a chance of severe weather across Alabama, and many areas already are taking precautions.

The weather service says there's a medium risk of tornadoes, flooding and damaging winds across central Alabama on Thursday, although chances are lower in the northern and southern ends of the state.

Dozens of school systems in central counties are dismissing students early as a precaution, and emergency managers are monitoring conditions in case the weather turns violent.

Forecasters say severe storms will be possible in coming days over Alabama, bringing the threat of damaging straight-line winds and isolated tornadoes.

The National Weather Service in Birmingham says powerful storms will be possible during the overnight hours of Wednesday night and into Thursday.

Forecasters say a strong low pressure system will approach the region from the west on Wednesday, touching off the storms Wednesday night and Thursday.

Nearly 100,000 customers were without power across Alabama early Tuesday after storms with the force of hurricane winds toppled trees and utility lines.

Alabama Power said early Tuesday morning that 98,200 customers were without power as of 6 a.m., down from more than 222,000 customers after the Monday storms.

Most of the customers who remained without power -- about 50,000 -- were east of Birmingham in communities such as Gadsden, Oneonta, Anniston and Pell City. Dozens of communities around the state experienced significant damage, authorities said.

Strong storms that moved across much of Alabama on Monday plunged thousands in the dark and also pummeled the state with hail, high winds and heavy rainfall.

The National Weather Service said the strongest of the storms had wind gusts nearing 60 mph and there also was hail the size of quarters.

Strong storms are expected across much of Alabama, bringing the potential for hail and high winds as a cold front passes through the state.

The National Weather Service warns that the strongest storms will capable of producing wind gusts up to 60 mph and hail the size of quarters.

More than a dozen counties on Monday were covered by a severe thunderstorm watch, which is scheduled to be in effect until 3 p.m. Monday. It includes the cities of Athens, Huntsville, Florence, Hamilton and Jasper.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.