By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

Chilton County Schools will dismiss at 12:30 p.m. today, March 19 due to concerns about severe weather in the area.

Field trips scheduled for today have been canceled, according to a Facebook post by Chilton County Schools Superintendent Tommy Glasscock.

Glasscock met with local Emergency Management Agency personnel before announcing the early dismissal for the school system.

The National Weather Service Birmingham has Chilton County in the enhanced risk zone for severe weather.

Meteorologist Meredith Wyatt said there are two waves of storms expected. The first is projected to hit Chilton County at 3 or 4 p.m. Thunderstorms and hail are possibilities with this first wave. Wyatt said “we are not as concerned with … this first wave”  as they are about the second waves of storms expected to bring thunderstorms, hail and possibly tornadoes to the area.

The storms are expected to be isolated with some areas impacted more than others.

“Everyone needs to be weather aware and have a safe place, if we do issue a (tornado) watch or a warning,” Wyatt said.

She said this would be the most interior room of a building away from windows.

Staying off the roads is advised during a tornado watch or warning.

Updates to the current weather forecasts can be found at weather.gov/bmx.