Tuscaloosa Storm Shelters Opening for “Round 1″ After Midnight

The city of Tuscaloosa will open two storm shelters after midnight Friday at 1 a.m. on Saturday as the first round of severe storms impacts west Alabama.

This first threat is separate from a round of dangerous storms forecast for Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning. The NWS still warns that we could "certainly see the potential for tornadoes tonight, some strong. So it's important that this first wave doesn't sneak up on people."

Get our free mobile app

The city of Tuscaloosa decides when to open the shelters it operates, and said they will open at 1 a.m. Saturday morning, ahead of the worst of Round One.

Their two large shelters are at the Alberta School of Performing Arts and the McDonald Hughes Community Center.

The Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority will also open three of its shelters in addition to the McDonald Hughes Center.

The Tuscaloosa County EMA has provided an interactive map showing the locations of shelters in the area.

After severe storms overnight Friday into Saturday morning, forecasts expect a very brief lull of a few hours before the "Main Event" second round arrives.

Saturday from 11 a.m. until after the early hours Sunday morning, there will be prime conditions for strong tornadoes across most of Alabama, along with the threat of damaging straight-line winds and very large hail, as well as the risk of flash-flooding across the northwest part of the state.

As other parts of our coverage area announce shelter openings, we will share those locations here.

For that information and more as it comes in, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.