By Haley Mitchell Godwin

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Mobile has heightened its expectations regarding the potential for severe weather this afternoon into early Thursday morning. The forecast includes the potential for tornadoes, some of which could be strong (EF-2+), as well as the possibility of heavy rainfall and localized flash flooding. Crenshaw County Emergency Management Director Elliott Jones urges residents to prepare and to always be weather aware.

According to Jones, the storm’s changing trends suggest a more substantial severe weather outbreak than originally anticipated, prompting the NWS to elevate the risk for Crenshaw County to “enhanced,” a level 3 out of 5. 

Jones confirmed that the EMA office will remain staffed throughout the night, carefully monitoring the situation and issuing Code Red alerts as necessary. 

“We are closely monitoring the weather system that is currently to the west of us,” said Jones. “The severity of the storms we see will depend on what unfolds over the next few hours. Green County, Mississippi, was recently under a tornado warning, which is concerning.”

Jones also emphasized the importance of being prepared and staying vigilant as weather conditions evolve.

“We can’t stress enough how vital it is to be prepared for this kind of weather,” Jones said. “I strongly encourage everyone to have multiple ways to receive weather alerts and to sign up for Code Red for location-specific warnings.From now until about mid June is when we see the strongest tornadoes. So, be sure and have a designated location to take shelter, and make sure your family knows what to do if a tornado warning is issued.”

To register for Code Red, visit https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/BF88EE5FB8D0.