Hold on to those umbrellas: Rain and wind to affect Alabama through Friday

Rain, wind and general dreariness is in store for Alabama through Friday.

Much of the state is covered by flash flood watches in anticipation of several rounds of rain through Friday. And more is expected over the weekend. The National Weather Service has raised projected rainfall totals and now think some areas could get up to 8 inches by the beginning of next week.

And then there's the wind. Gusty winds are expected to continue through tonight, and parts of north and central Alabama have wind advisories in effect, according to the National Weather Service.

The rain could combine with the wind to bring down a few trees later on this afternoon and into tonight, forecasters said. That could mean power outages and hazardous driving conditions.

This is the first of several rounds of rain that could affect the state through the beginning of next week.

A few strong storms will be possible today as well, especially in parts of west Alabama, where there is a marginal risk of severe weather.

A marginal risk means isolated severe storms will be possible.

More heavy rain will be possible later this weekend and lasting into next week.

In fact, the weather service said it could be middle to the end of next week before things start to dry out.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.