Another round of strong storms is scheduled for Alabama on Thursday, according to forecasters.

Straight-line winds, tornadoes, hail and heavy rain will all be possible as storms track across the state ahead of a cold front.  The main concern with this system will be damaging winds. However, a tornado can’t be ruled out, according to the National Weather Service.

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has much of Alabama in a Level 2 out of 5 risk for severe weather on Thursday. A Level 2 risk means scattered severe storms will be possible.  The rest of the state will have a Level 1 risk, which means that isolated severe storms will be possible.  Storms could enter western Alabama as soon as late Wednesday night or Thursday morning and push eastward through the evening hours, according to the National Weather Service. The latest computer models have slowed the system’s arrival down a bit.

The weather service in Huntsville believes the most likely time for storms for north Alabama will be from late Wednesday night into Thursday.  The weather service in Birmingham said the most likely time for storms in central Alabama will begin around 11 a.m. in the west and last as late as 9 p.m. in east Alabama.  The weather service in Mobile said storms will be possible in south Alabama starting in the early afternoon on Thursday. The weather service added that it could be windy on Thursday even before storms arrive thanks to a tightening pressure gradient from the approaching storm system.  Winds could be sustained up to 20 mph with gusts as high as 40 mph, forecasters said.

Drier and cooler weather is expected to follow Thursday’s system. The next chance for rain could enter the forecast by the first of next week, according to the weather service.