Moundville Man Injured, Responders Ready For Storms

Sustained winds of 20 to 25 mph with gusts upwards to 40mph took down tree limbs across West Alabama this afternoon. Around 3:00pm today a falling tree limb fell on a man in Moundville, injuring him. Hale County EMA Director Russell Weedon confirms the man has been transported the UAB in Birmingham with undetermined injuries.

The high winds today are a prelude to what is expected to be a stormy overnight in West Alabama. The growing concern at the National Storm Prediction Center (SPC) and with meteorologists with the National Weather Service in Birmingham over tonight's severe weather threat has emergency managers gearing up for a potential activation.

The SPC raised the threat level to an Enhanced (3 in 5) Risk. An Enhanced Risk means there is high confidence that several storms will contain damaging winds, severe hail and/or tornados.

Get our free mobile app

The state and area county EMAs are monitoring the situation closely. Alabama EMA conducted a State Coordinating Group (SCG) call this afternoon to receive briefings from all three Alabama National Weather Service Field Offices and to determine if there are any shortfalls with any state agency that could create response issues should there be significant damage.

The State Emergency Operations Center (AEOC) activated to a "Level 3" partial activation at 7:00 this evening. That involves only certain Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) with the remainder the staff on standby for a full-scale activation if needed.

County EMAs are monitoring the storm system's approach too.

"Tonight we are worried about the strong winds taking down trees and powerlines, leaving widespread damage and power outages," Weedon said from Greensboro. "The one good thing is schools are out for spring break so there will not be an issue there."

There is one school system in the area not on spring break. Fayette County Schools will operate Monday on a two-hour delay for safety.

Storm shelters are on standby across West Alabama to be opened as needed and first responders are prepared should there be damage.

Alabama EMA Division C Coordinator Chris Baker points out that nighttime storms are the most concerning, especially after most people have retired for the evening. Baker advises that since this will mainly be a nighttime event, make sure you have at least two methods to receive severe weather warnings, one of which is NOT an outdoor warning siren.

Severe weather that occurs overnight can increase personal vulnerability and have significant potential impact on the public. This is due to:

•  The public is less likely to receive warnings overnight as many people are asleep.
•  Tornadoes are much more difficult to spot at night.
•  People who are inside vulnerable housing/building structures such as mobile homes do not seek safer shelter.
•  Nighttime tornadoes are more likely to cause fatalities than daytime tornadoes.
• Nighttime Severe Weather Safety from the Weather Channel.

"The possibilities from this storm have me extremely concerned," Pickens County EMA Director Lakitha Bell stated, "Moreso than the last couple of severe weather events.

Severe Weather Safety

WEST ALABAMA STORM SHELTERS LISTED BY COUNTY:

Tuscaloosa County

• The University of Alabama 
  • 2700 University Blvd. E Tuscaloosa, AL. 35404
  • (On/Off Campus Storm Shelters here)
• McDonald Hughes Center
  • 3101 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401
  • Pet friendly
• Salvation Army Shelter Safe Room
  • 2902 Greensboro Ave. Tuscaloosa, AL. 35403
• Coaling Fire Department
  • 15150 Highway 11 N. Coaling, AL. 35453
• Northside Park
  • 13003 Northside Rd. Berry, AL. 35546
• Wallace Tingle Park Shelter
  • 17058 Tingle Tangle Rd. Vance, AL. 35490
• Myrtlewood Elementary
  • 14661 Gainsville Rd. Fosters, AL. 35463

Jefferson County

• Adamsville
  • 419 Spring St. Adamsville, AL. 35005 (near the Senior Citizens Center)
• Adger
  • 7276 Johns Rd. Adger, AL. 35006
• Bagley Fire Department
  • 7175 Bankhead Hwy. Dora, AL. 35062
  • This shelter is for residents around the fire department only
• Bessemer
  • 657 9th Ave. Bessemer, AL. 35022
• Jimmie Hudson Park
  • 305 Pratt Highway, Birmingham, AL. 35214
• Pratt City Park
  • 1331 3rd St. Birmingham, AL. 35214

For more information about storm shelters located in Jefferson County, click here.

Perry

• West Perry/East Hale Fire Department
  • Perry County Highway 48 Newbern, AL. 36765
• Parnell Community Shelter
  • Off County Road 6

For more information about the new storm shelters located in Perry County, click here.

Fayette

Pickens County 

• Aliceville 
  • 751 5th St. NW, Aliceville, AL. 35442
  • Near Joyful News Head Start
• Forest
  • 112 Bains Rd. Ethelsville, AL. 35461
• Carrollton
  • 41 Elliott St. Carrollton, AL. 35447
  • Next to the Post Office
• Reform
  • 104 3rd Ave. SW (Old Fire Dept.) Reform, AL. 35481
• Pickensville
  • 11 Jackson-Ferry Rd. (Hwy 14 before St. John Baptist Church) Pickensville, AL. 35447
• Gordo
  • 1st Ave. W Gordo, AL. 35446
  • Next to Gordo Flea Market

For more information on storm shelters in Pickens County, click here.

Greene County

• Greene County High School
  • 14221 US HWY 11 (just outside of Eutaw)

For more information on Greene County storm shelters, click here.

Bibb County (List courtesy of WBRC FOX6)

• Brent/Centreville Senior Center & Emergency Storm Shelter
  • 10445 Highway 5 Brent, AL. 35034
• Eoline
  • 6480 Hwy. 82, Eoline, AL. 35042
• Randolph
  • 7259 Hwy. 36, Randolph, AL. 36792
• West Blocton
  • 828 Cahaba River Dr. West Blocton, AL. 35184
• Woodstock
  • 19456 Eastern Valley Rd. Woodstock, AL. 35188

Follow the Tuscaloosa Thread for future weather updates and local coverage.

Stay Tuned to Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa radio stations for Operation Storm Watch for later updates and possible warnings.