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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

A new year is here, but the same Alabama weather is upon is with warm temperatures and the threat of severe weather on the horizon.

Amid a warm stretch, a front expected to make its way through Alabama on Tuesday, Jan. 2 will bring the threat of severe weather to the Shelby County area during the afternoon and evening hours.

The National Weather Service out of Birmingham has issued an enhanced risk for the majority of the county, which is a level three out of five on the threat meter. The enhanced risk includes all but the northeast corner of the county, which is under a slight (2/5) risk.

With the enhanced risk, there is a threat of tornadoes and damaging winds of up to 70 mph, while there is also the risk of quarter-size hail.

For those in the slight risk area, there is still the risk of a possible tornado with damaging winds up to 60 miles per hour and quarter-size hail.

In the enhanced risk area, there is the possibility of a strong EF2 tornado or greater.

Current forecasts show the possibility of rain throughout the morning, but the main threat for severe thunderstorms will come from noon-8 p.m. according to the NWS in Birmingham.

In addition to the storms, rainfall could possibly surpass 1 inch across the county.

Following the storms, the weather will cool off slightly in the coming week with highs in the 50s and low 60s and lows in the 30s and 40s.

The National Weather Service encourages everyone to be weather aware and to have plans in place should severe weather arise on Tuesday.

You can sign up for ShelbyALerts, which will send out a text and email should there be any tornado warnings, by visiting Shelbyal.com/252/Emergency-Management-Agency-EMA.