By the time you’re reading this (hopefully indoors), it might be tough to concentrate as gusts of wind go whistling past your window. In what’s shaping up to be a week of wild southeastern winter weather, all of north Alabama — including Cullman and Limestone counties — are firmly in the grip of an all-day wind advisory that’s expected to last until midnight.
The Huntsville office of the National Weather Service (NWS) issued its wind advisory over the weekend, later expanding its duration to encompass the entire day and evening hours on Tuesday. Expiring at 12 a.m. Wednesday, the advisory covers all of north Alabama and southern middle Tennessee, and calls for continuous straight-line winds ranging from 20-35 mph, with occasional higher-speed gusts of up to 50 mph.
Rain is part of the windy forecast, too, with NWS expecting precipitation totals from 2’’-3’’ for Cullman, Limestone, and neighboring counties through 6 p.m. Tuesday. Aside from potential local spot flooding (“We won’t really know until it’s here,” Cullman’s EMA director Tim Sartin advised on Monday), there’s no expected threat of area-wide flooding or severe stormy weather that could spawn damaging tornadoes.
The same can’t be said for areas farther south, where portions of central Alabama are bracing for storms that do carry severe potential. “You may see some threat of severe weather south of the Montgomery area,” said Sartin, “But, as of now, I don’t think there’s going to be any type of real tornado threat in north Alabama at all.”
With or without tornadoes, hours of driving wind bring the potential to topple trees and cause power outages, as well as to deposit your outdoor possessions somewhere other than where you last left them. “If you have stuff on the porch or anywhere outside that needs to be brought inside or tied down, you need to do it as soon as possible,” said Sartin.
A full Tuesday of steady straight-line winds and heavy rain also will make for sketchy conditions along area roads. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) is urging caution as travelers and commuters get behind the wheel, highlighting the following tips for safe driving in wet and windy weather:
Avoid distractions — Give your full attention to the road and the surrounding weather and traffic conditions rather than to cell phones, pets, and food.Don’t slam the brakes — If your vehicle starts hydroplaning, slamming on the brakes can lock your wheels and make you further lose control. Also avoid the use of cruise control when the road conditions are hazardous: If you start to hydroplane, using cruise control, says ALEA, “can cause you to lose control.”Use your lights — Always switch on your low-beam headlights when rain is falling, even in the daytime.Don’t tailgate — It can take as much as 3 times the normal dry-weather distance to stop a vehicle when roads are wet and slippery.Give responders room — Remember always to move over for first responders, whether they’re overtaking you from behind on the road or stopped along the shoulder.