Another powerful storm is forecast to bring very windy weather to the WEAR News area on Friday, posing a potential risk of severe weather. The South could be hit twice in one week with severe weather, this time during daylight hours, according to meteorologist Allen Strum.

The Storm Prediction Center has outlined a slight risk, level 2 out of 5, of severe weather for Thursday in areas to the west including parts of Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas. However, the severe weather outlook is expected to shift east on Friday, encompassing the WEAR News area in Northwest Florida and Southwest Alabama.

While the morning hours are expected to see the highest chance of rain on Friday, showers could linger into the early afternoon as a warm front moves through. Some of these storms have the potential to reach severe limits, bringing with them damaging winds, large hail, and the possibility of tornadoes.

This system is following a similar path to the storm earlier in the week and is also expected to bring incredibly high winds. Along the Gulf Coast, winds will be out of the south at 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.

Following the passage of the front, cold air will move in, bringing chilly conditions throughout the weekend. However, even colder air is expected to arrive after Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

In addition to the severe weather, beachgoers along the Gulf Coast should be aware of a high risk of rip currents. When red beach flags are flown, the Gulf waters are closed to swimming, indicating dangerous conditions.

Residents of the WEAR News area are advised to stay alert and take necessary precautions in light of the potential for severe weather on Friday.