West Alabama Tuesday Briefing

Good morning West Alabama! It is Tuesday, March 4, 2025. It is Election Day in the city of Tuscaloosa on the 63rd day of the year. There are 302 days remaining.

Tuesday Morning Observations:

Today is one of those days you should pay close attention to potentially changing weather conditions. Wind will be the major threat today into tomorrow afternoon. That has led the National Weather Service in Birmingham to issue a Wind Advisory beginning at noon today and running until 3:00pm Wednesday. Sustained winds15 to 25mph could gust upwards to 40mph. This could further exacerbate already widespread wildfires across West Alabama and statewide.

The windy weather will become a bit more hostile as a line of strong to severe thunderstorms rake across West Alabama beginning around 5:00pm before exiting the area around 10:00pm. Onset is two hours earlier than forecasted yesterday. A Slight (2 in 5) Risk for strong to severe thunderstorms with a low-end possibility of a tornado exists from Bibb, Tuscaloosa and Pickens counties northward.

There is a higher Enhanced (3 in 5) Risk for more numerous severe thunderstorms and tornadoes for most of Greene, Hale and Perry counties and all of Marengo and Sumter counties through 6:00 tomorrow morning.

Rain amounts of 1/2 to 1 inch for most parts of the area should help firefighters in their ongoing battle with 19 West Alabama wildfires and some 175 statewide.

There will be another chance for rain and possible thunderstorm activity on Saturday.

Stay tuned to Operation Storm Watch on all Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa radio stations. If you don’t already have it, download the TuscaloosaThread.com com app to keep up with later updates.

(Opinions expressed in Morning Observations are those of the author and are not necessarily those of the ownership, management or staff of Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa.)

Weather:

West Alabama weather is expected to go downhill as the afternoon progresses today. High winds and strong to severe thunderstorms could result in power outages across the area. The tornado threat is not zero, but it is low.

The Forecast:

Today

A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 77. Breezy, with a south wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly before midnight. Low around 50. Breezy, with a south wind 20 to 25 mph becoming southwest 10 to 15 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Wednesday

Increasing clouds, with a high near 58. West wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Wednesday Night

Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 35. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Thursday

Sunny, with a high near 57. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Thursday Night

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Friday

Partly sunny, with a high near 71.

Friday Night

A 20 percent chance of showers after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53.

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Topping the News:

The City of Tuscaloosa Votes Today

Voting is underway the Tuscaloosa Municipal Elections for Mayor, City Council and Board of Education.

While there are four contested council seats and one board of education seat, the key race is incumbent Walt Maddox’s bid for a sixth term. He told news partner ABC3340 one of the strengths of the city during his tenure has been a strong economy and attracting new jobs. Maddox’s Challenger, political novice, Denson Ferrell, Jr. disagrees, claiming there are too many youths walking the streets.

There is one polling place in each district. In District 1 it is TDOT, in District 2 you vote at McDonald Hughes, District 3 voting is at Church of the Highlands, District 4 at Calvary Baptist, District 5 is located at Alberta Baptist, District 6 at the Belk Activity Center and District 7 voting is at East McFarland Baptist.

Polls close at 7 tonight. You can click on TuscaloosaThread.com for all the returns.

Read More: VOTER’S GUIDE: Polls Open for Tuscaloosa’s 2025 Municipal Election

Wind Hampers Fight Against Wildfires

The Alabama Forestry Commission has suspended all burn permits due to the high winds forecasted for this afternoon through tomorrow afternoon. Firefighters are currently battling 175 active wildfires across the state, including 19 in West Alabama.

The commission hopes the forecast of a half to one inch of rainfall will help douse some of the fires. Much of West Alabama continues to be listed as abnormally dry by the National Climate Prediction Center.

Tuberville's Bill to Block Men From Women's Sports Fails in U.S. Senate

The bill to keep transgendered males from competing against females in sports led by Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville failed to receive the 60 votes it needed to get through the procedural vote. Republicans needed 60 votes but only received 51. No Democrats sided with Republicans on the bill. Two Democrats were absent from the vote, as were two Republicans. The bill failed, 51-45.

Swimmer Riley Gaines had this response on X (formally known as twitter), "45 Democratic Senators voted NO on Protecting Women & Girls in Sports. Never, ever let them gaslight you into thinking Democrats care about 'women's rights'"

Rep. England's Bill to Get Committee Hearing

A bill by Tuscaloosa Democrat Rep. Chris England allowing criminal defendants to pay partial cash payments to courts as bond will be considered in committee. But it is getting pushback from the Alabama Bail Bond Association that claim such an action would lead to increased failure to appear rates and recidivism. England calls that claim a “red herring” because it does not eliminate bond. He says the opposition is because bondsmen fear they will lose business.

West Alabama Works Does Work

The Chamber of Commerce's West Alabama Works program is one of the most effective and important programs in the area. They continue to equip people in need of work with the skills needed to get a job. They then connect the job seeker with companies seeking skilled employees.

The organization's Alabama Career Essentials, or ACE, is just such a program. It offers help for people who want training for career essentials.

Participants must also complete 40 hours of ACE coursework at home before receiving a certification that could help in their job hunt.

Topping Sports News:

Slive's Daughter Reacts to Word of AU Coach High Freeze's Cancer Diagnosis

Anna Slive Harwood, daughter of former SEC Commissioner Mike Slive who died from complications of prostate cancer, is reacting to news that Tiger Football Coach has the disease.

Harwood says her dad advocated early detection of prostate cancer and she believes he would be happy to know that is exactly how doctors caught Freeze in the early stage.

She says that is exactly why her dad set up the Mike Slive Foundation for Prostate Cancer Research.

Bama Baseball Breaks Into Top 25

The undefeated Crimson Tide Baseball Team is ranked 23rd in this week's D1Baseball's Top 25 rankings. Baseball America has ranked the Tide slightly higher at #20.

Weather permitting, the 12-0 Crimson Tide takes on Jacksonville State at 3:30 this afternoon at Sewell-Thomas. Tomorrow, they face another nationally ranked team in No. 19 Troy at "The Joe". First pitch is set for 4:00pm.

Bama Softball to Travel up the Road

Weather permitting, the 15-6 Alabama Softball team takes its nine-game winning streak to Birmingham to take on 13-6 Samford at 3:30 this afternoon. The game had originally been scheduled for an evening first pitch but due to the forecast for strong to severe thunderstorms the contest was moved to earlier in the afternoon.

Click TuscaloosaThread.com for the latest West Alabama news, sports and weather. Better yet, download the app.

Have a safe Tuesday! ROLL TIDE!