Governor Kay Ivey and the Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) are urging Yellowhammer State residents to prepare for potential severe weather moving through the state Saturday night into Sunday.

Per a state press release, the National Weather Service (NWS) is forecasting a significant threat of severe weather to include destructive, long-track tornadoes and damaging straight-line winds for Alabama counties. The NWS predicts this weather event could be extremely dangerous because it will begin during the night hours.

“With the looming threat of severe weather, I urge citizens across the state to stay weather-aware and to adhere to warnings from local officials,” Ivey stated. “Alabamians know how unpredictable our weather systems can be; so, it’s important for all of us to be vigilant. Our team on the state level will continue closely monitoring the situation.”

The governor ordered the State Emergency Operations Center in Clanton to activate to level three effective at 7:00 p.m. Saturday. This level of activation will allow AEMA staff to monitor the impact of the severe weather as it crosses the state.

“The time for Alabama residents to prepare is now. While we never know exactly what Mother Nature will deliver, it is important for citizens to know a potential threat exits,” AEMA Director Brian Hastings advised. “As residents review their emergency kits and plans, it is important for everyone to ensure they received the latest forecast and can receive weather alerts, especially while sleeping, so families have time to make critical decisions.”

The governor’s office added that citizens are encouraged to download an app to receive updates and weather alerts. Another recommended resource is the Alabama EMA website.

Detailed NWS information for northern Alabama is available here; central Alabama here; southwest Alabama here; and southeast Alabama here.

Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn