Scattered severe thunderstorms will be possible across a wide area in Alabama on Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

The storms could come in several rounds from this morning through tonight. The strongest storms could have wind gusts up to 60 mph, hail and heavy rain.

Heavy rain was affecting part of north Alabama on Friday morning, and a flash flood warning was in effect until 9 a.m. for northeastern Limestone and northwestern Madison counties, including the Huntsville area.

The National Weather Service has gotten multiple reports of flooding in those areas, where an estimated 2 to 5 inches of rain have fallen so far today. An additional 1 to 2 inches will be possible.

The weather service said local emergency management has gotten reports of water entering homes and road closures in those areas.

More severe storms will be possible on Saturday across the southern half of the state.

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has most of north and central Alabama in a Level 2 out of 5 risk for severe weather for today (Friday). A Level 2 risk means that scattered severe storms are possible.

Areas south of that, into southern Alabama, will have a Level 1 risk — both today and on Saturday.

Here’s the severe weather outlook for Saturday:

The weather service said scattered storms will be the most likely this afternoon. They are expected to develop ahead of a front that’s headed this way.

The front is expected to move slowly south overnight and could touch off more storms on Saturday over south Alabama.

Places that don’t see storms today are also expected to get really hot, and heat advisories will be in effect for the southern half of the state today.

Some counties in south-central Alabama have even been upgraded to an excessive heat warning, which means that the heat index could reach as high as 112 this afternoon.

Lower temperatures are expected behind the front, reaching north and north-central Alabama on Saturday and southern Alabama later in the weekend.

Instead of highs in the mid- to upper 90s they will be more seasonable upper 80s and low 90s, according to weather service forecasts.

No organized severe weather is in the forecast for Alabama after Saturday.