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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

The National Weather Service has now upped the risk level to a five out of five for the potential of severe weather on Saturday, March 15, that includes a high risk for tornadoes, damaging winds and massive hail for the entirety of Chilton County. The National Weather Storm Prediction Center issued a new update to the outlook for March 15 at 12:30 p.m. on March 14 that moved the risk level from four out of five to five out of five which puts Chilton County at a greater than 60% chance to experience severe weather on Saturday.

The NWS first issued the warning for the potential of severe weather on March 9, almost a week before the weather event is expected to happen. There are two explicit timeframes for the severe weather from March 14-15.

The first is from Friday, March 14 at 10 p.m. until Saturday, March 15 at 8 a.m. The risk for the first timeframe is a two out of five for Chilton County and central Alabama. While the risk level is lower than later in the day Saturday, the threat of tornadoes, damaging winds up to 60 mph and up to quarter-sized hail still looms.

The second timeframe on Saturday, March 15 is from noon until 3 a.m. on March 16. The entirety of Chilton County and a large portion of western and central Alabama is included in the five out of five risk levels after the new update to the outlook on March 14. The timing for the greatest threat in Chilton County is from 2-10 p.m., according to the NWS models. Large hail, damaging winds up to 100 mph and the enhanced possibility for a few long track tornadoes are possible.

The NWS recommends having a plan in place well before severe weather is imminent, such as having multiple ways to get alerts, know where a safe place is and check for updates throughout the duration of the severe weather. Visit www.weather.gov for more updates on severe weather in the area.