By Michelle Key
Publisher
Emergency Management Specialist and Public Information Officer Rita Smith concluded a meeting Friday morning to discuss the potential for a severe weather event with the words “let’s be as prepared as we can be; It’s what Lee County does and we do it well.”
LCEMA are preparing for the possibility of the severe weather event on Saturday. The National Weather Service is predicting a line of strong thunderstorms to enter the west side of the state midday. “The most likely scenario right now, is that a few cells will develop just right ahead of the line… just right ahead of the line there may be a few dangerous cells that get sorta swept up as the line moves from west to east,” said National Weather Service Meteorologist Kevin Law. “Any of those (cells) are going to have to be watched for tornadoes. Some of those could be on the stronger side (Ef2 or greater.) Tomorrow’s good advice is that if we have a severe thunderstorm warning that is put out, you should probably will want to go ahead and take precautions like you would for a tornado warning. This (could) be one of those kind of events.”
Smith and other LCEMA officials and staff will continue to monitor the situation and are prepared to do an full activation of services if needed tomorrow.
Follow LCEMA’s Facebook page and the Opelika Observer for updates as they become available.