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The Covington County Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service have issued an update on the potential for severe weather beginning on Saturday.

The potential for severe storms beginning Saturday afternoon and continuing into Saturday night trended higher over the 24-hour period from Thursday to Friday mornings. The agencies are reporting an “Enhanced Risk” in effect for much of southeast Mississippi and interior southwest Alabama, along with a Slight Risk for much of the remainder of the area. The northwest corner of Covington County was in the Slight Risk zone while the City of Andalusia is just slightly outside that zone, labeled as “Marginal.”

The storm system is expected to include isolated or scattered severe storms capable of damaging wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour, quarter-size hail, and tornadoes. The weather event could make its way into the area as early as 4 p.m. and continue through early Sunday morning, possibly as late as 7 a.m.

“While we continue to focus on the Saturday and Saturday night event, a small possibility for some strong to severe storms exists today into the evening hours, and the Storm Prediction Center has a Marginal Risk in place for most of the area,” said Covington County EMA Director Susan Harris.

Officials said residents should prepare themselves for severe weather by establishing ahead of time a safe place to go if needed, have multiple ways to receive warnings, including one that will wake you up if sleeping at night, and to help others by passing along important weather information.