A Level 3 out of 5 risk for severe weather remains in the forecast for Alabama today (Monday).

Damaging winds, tornadoes and heavy rain will all be possible with the strongest storms.

A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of north and central Alabama. It will be in effect until noon:

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center said damaging wind gusts to 70 mph will be likely as well as isolated large hail and a tornado or two in the watch area, which also includes a few counties in Mississippi and Georgia.

Forecasters said “multiple lines and clusters of thunderstorms are expected to spread eastward this morning across much of northern/central Alabama and into far northwest Georgia. Scattered severe/damaging winds should be the main threat with this activity, although isolated hail and perhaps a tornado or two may also occur.”

The Alabama counties in the watch are Autauga, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Cullman, Dallas, DeKalb, Elmore, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Lowndes, Macon, Madison, Marengo, Marion, Marshall, Montgomery, Morgan, Perry, Pickens, Randolph, Russell, Shelby, St. Clair, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker and Winston.

The National Weather Service in Mobile said another severe thunderstorm watch will likely be issued for part of southwest Alabama later this morning with a line of storms approaching from the west:

The Storm Prediction Center continues to forecast a Level 3 out of 5 (enhanced) risk for severe weather today across a large part of Alabama.

A Level 3 risk means that numerous severe storms will be possible.

A broken line of storms was impacting parts of northern Alabama early Monday morning and moving to the south and east.

The severe thunderstorm watch replaces a tornado watch that was in effect overnight for parts of north and central Alabama.

The National Weather Service issued multiple severe thunderstorm warnings overnight for areas in north Alabama, but no tornado warnings as of 5 a.m.

Forecasters expect a broken line or clusters of storms to drop to the south and east through the morning and into the afternoon hours.

Storms should be out of the state by tonight, and calmer weather is expected on Tuesday.

However, another risk for severe weather is in the forecast for the northern half of the state on Wednesday and Thursday.

Wednesday’s severe outlook:

Here’s the outlook for Thursday:

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