Schools are closing early in north Alabama because of the possibility of severe weather.
The National Weather Service says numerous severe storms are possible beginning Thursday afternoon in the Tennessee Valley region and as far south as the northern Birmingham area.
Forecasters say winds up to 60 mph are possible along with isolated tornadoes and hail.
They raised the chances of severe weather in the latest forecasts. More than 15 school systems closed early as a precaution.
The threat will extend to early Friday in central Alabama.
The state is on the southern end of a storm system that pummeled the central United States.
The weather service says storms should not be dangerous in parts of east Alabama that are still recovering from killer tornado outbreak earlier this month.
(Associated Press, copyright 2018)
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