RADAR CHECK: We have a few thunderstorms on opposite ends of the state this afternoon; one cluster is near Muscle Shoals, the other over the southeast tip of the state near Dothan. Some small hail is possible with these storms; the rest of the state is dry with a mix of sun and clouds and temperatures in the 70s.

Showers and storms will fade early tonight.

HIGH-END SEVERE WEATHER THREAT: Alabamians will need to pay very close attention to the weather Friday night through Saturday night as a dynamic storm system will bring two rounds of severe thunderstorms to the state.

Round one

• This comes in the window from 10 p.m. Friday through 8 a.m. Saturday.
• The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has defined an enhanced risk (level 3 of 5) for much of west Alabama for this event, with a slight risk (level 2) as far east and south as Scottsboro, Prattville and Jackson.
• The highest risk of severe storms with round one will be over the western half of the state, mainly along and west of I-65.

• Where storms develop, they will be capable of producing hail and damaging winds. A few tornadoes are possible as well.

Round two

• This is the main show; the window is from noon Saturday through 3 a.m. Sunday.
• A moderate risk (level 4 of 5) has been expanded in the latest SPC update to include most of Alabama.

• Storms will be capable of producing large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes. A few violent, long-track tornadoes are possible.

Key messages

• Our goal for any severe weather event in Alabama is no loss of life and no serious injuries. It takes us all working together to make that happen. Everyone must have a reliable way of hearing warnings — never, ever an outdoor siren. Never. A NOAA Weather Radio should be in every Alabama home and business. On your phone, have Wireless Emergency Alerts enabled (look under notifications and be sure “emergency alerts” are active), and have the 33/40 weather app installed.
• In your safe place, have helmets for everyone, including adults. Most serious injuries in tornadoes involve blunt-force trauma above the shoulders. Wearing hard shoes is also a good idea. Have a portable air horn for everyone; they can alert first responders to your location if you are injured.
• If you live in a mobile home, know the location of the nearest shelter, or a business open 24/7 that can serve as a shelter. Have transportation arranged so you can get there quickly. You cannot stay in a mobile home if you are in a tornado warning polygon.
• If you are reading this, you pay attention to weather. Many people don’t keep up with the weather, so you can be a hero during the severe weather event. Let them know this is a high-end threat. During the event, if you have a friend or loved one in a tornado warning polygon, call or text them to let them know of the immediate danger. You can play a huge role in saving lives.
• Subscribe to the James Spann and ABC 33/40 YouTube channels so you can watch our live coverage. We are thankful for the out-of-state YouTubers who do long-form severe weather coverage, but to be truly successful in reaching people and communicating warnings in high-end severe weather events like this, you have to understand the people, culture, geography and microclimate of the region affected.
• We don’t share any of this to scare people. But strong wording is necessary on occasion, and this is one of those times. Get the warnings, have a good plan and we get through this together.

Dry air returns to the state Sunday.

NEXT WEEK: Most of the week will be dry, although a front will bring showers and a few storms to the Deep South Wednesday. For now, it doesn’t look like a severe weather threat.

LUNAR ECLIPSE TONIGHT: The moon will pass into Earth’s shadow and appear to turn red late tonight. In a total lunar eclipse, the entire moon falls within the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, called the umbra. When the moon is within the umbra, it appears red-orange. Lunar eclipses are sometimes called “blood moons” because of this phenomenon.

You don’t need any special equipment to observe a lunar eclipse, although binoculars or a telescope will enhance the view. A dark environment away from city lights makes for the best viewing conditions. At Birmingham (and for most of Alabama), totality will begin at 1:26 a.m., ending at 2:31 a.m.

The latest runs of high-resolution models are giving some hope that there will be breaks in the cloud cover over Alabama.

ON THIS DATE IN 1953: An F4 tornado cut an 18-mile path through Haskell and Knox counties in Texas. Seventeen people were killed, and an eight-block area of Knox City was leveled.

For more weather news and information from James Spann and his team, visit AlabamaWx.