Severe storms could impact the Auburn area throughout the day Wednesday, possibly producing hail, tornadoes and strong winds. Auburn is included in a "moderate" severe weather threat area, the National Weather Service's second-highest threat level.
Classes will be canceled and normal operations suspended on Wednesday:
Local schools have canceled classes for the day on Wednesday, including Auburn City Schools, Opelika City Schools and Lee County Schools. The University will suspend all operations and cancel classes on Wednesday from 1 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Tiger Transit will also be suspended on Wednesday. Limited campus dining operations will be available for on-campus students. The University Medical Clinic and Student Pharmacies will also be closed tomorrow. Emergencies should be directed to the emergency room at East Alabama Medical Center.
The University will open storm shelters when a tornado watch is issued in the Auburn area. Greene Hall and RBD Library are the designated storm shelters.
Changes to SGA's Tim Cook event:
Tickets for the SGA's Exclusive Discussion with Tim Cook will not be distributed on Wednesday morning as previously planned, according to SGA President Jacqueline Keck. Instead, they will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis on Thursday morning at the Telfair Peet Theatre. Doors open at 8:30 a.m.
Students will still need two forms of ID, including their Tiger Card, to verify that they are a student. The event is not open to the public.
Severe weather threat:
Severe thunderstorms may develop as early as 4 a.m. Wednesday and could affect all of Central Alabama. Tornadoes, damaging
Depending on the severity of the early morning storms and whether instability and heat are reduced, two or three other rounds of severe storms could impact southeast Alabama and west Georgia, including the Auburn area, later in the day and into Wednesday night.
These storms could produce long-lived supercell thunderstorms capable of producing long-track, destructive tornadoes through 9 p.m. Hail up to the size of baseballs and damaging straight-line winds are also possible. The greatest threat area is along and east of a line from Selma north to Birmingham.
Storms could last from 4 a.m. until 9 p.m. Wednesday, but the strongest chances for strong tornadoes will come in the early morning hours and then the mid-afternoon to evening hours when heating is most intense.
A line of storms producing the severe weather churned out several strong tornadoes to our west earlier this week, including one in Louisiana Sunday morning that killed a mother and her 3-year-old daughter. Their mobile home was ripped off its foundation and flipped.
The National Weather Service has advised residents to stay aware of severe weather conditions throughout the day Wednesday.
State of Emergency:
Gov. Robert Bentley on Tuesday declared a State of Emergency ahead of Wednesday's storms. Bentley's decision will allow for more emergency response resources to be deployed at faster rates if the storms cause damage.
“Alabama is no stranger to the impact severe weather can have on communities and the devastation that can occur when the weather takes a turn for the worse,” Bentley said. “I have issued a State of Emergency as a precautionary measure to ensure state resources are on standby and are ready to assist impacted communities should the need arise. I also want to encourage individuals to stay weather aware and have a method to receive the latest weather alerts.”
The State of Emergency became effective at 6 p.m. Bentley ordered the State Emergency Operations Center in Clanton activated to level three. With this level of activation, Emergency Management Agency staff can monitor the impact of the severe weather as it crosses the state. Fifty National Guard soldiers will also be activated for preparation and response operations.
“Based on the forecast and prediction of the National Weather Service Offices for Alabama, individuals should prepare for the potential of multiple rounds of severe weather tomorrow,” said Art Faulkner, Alabama Emergency Management Agency director. “The Governor’s State of Emergency will enable all state agencies to be ready to carry out the State Emergency Operations Plan, if and when required.
Update: Auburn City Schools will be closed tomorrow due to inclement weather, according to the school system's Twitter. Opelika City Schools and Lee County Schools will also be closed. The University has yet to announce any closures.
Update 4 p.m.: Auburn University plans to make a decision about closing at about 8 p.m on Tuesday. The Plainsman will keep you updated on the latest information when it becomes available.
Update 6 p.m. : The Governor has declared a State of Emergency ahead of Wednesday's predicted severe weather.
Update 8:15 p.m.: The University will suspend all normal operations on Wednesday from 1 a.m. to 11 p.m., Tiger Transit and Campus Dining included. A few on-campus restaurants will be open for on-campus students.
Update 8:30 p.m.: Tickets for the SGA's Exclusive Discussion with Tim Cook will not be distributed on Wednesday morning as previously planned. Instead, they will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis on Thursday morning at the Telfair Peet Theatre.
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