Tornado threat could increase overnight for south Alabama

Francine continued to move inland late Wednesday after making landfall late this afternoon in Louisiana.

Francine moved onshore as a Category 2 hurricane with 100 mph winds and has been causing damage and flooding across southeast Louisiana.

A tropical storm warning remained in effect for Alabama’s coastal areas late Wednesday. Wind advisories will also go into effect for most of the rest of the state overnight and into Thursday.

Rain, wind and storms from Francine are expected to track into Alabama overnight, and there will be a threat for tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service.

Southwest Alabama has a Level 2 out of 5 (slight) risk for severe weather overnight, but things have been on the quiet side as of 9 p.m., with no severe weather warnings issued so far.

The weather service in Mobile is concerned that could change overnight. Those across south Alabama are urged to make sure they have reliable ways to get severe weather warnings overnight if they are issued.

Rain bands were tracking toward the state off the Gulf of Mexico late Wednesday:

The weather service said conditions will become more favorable for tornadoes from late Wednesday through early Thursday morning:

The risk for a few tornadoes will continue into Thursday and will include more of the state. Here’s the severe weather outlook for Thursday:

It will also continue to be windy across the state, with gusts up to 40 mph possible. Winds could cause scattered power outages.

Just over 2,000 power outages were reported as of 9 p.m., and they were mostly in Choctaw County on the Mississippi state line.