Dozens of Alabama schools are opening late because of the threat of damaging winds and other severe weather, which struck western parts of the state during the pre-dawn hours Wednesday.
The National Weather Service said the storms would post a threat through mid-day Wednesday.
A county emergency manager reported that numerous trees were down just northwest of Fayette in western Alabama early Wednesday morning.
Numerous school systems throughout central Alabama were delaying opening as a precaution. Those include county systems like Bibb and Walker and city schools in Hoover.
Forecasters say winds up to 60 mph are possible in south Alabama as a cold front collides with warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico.
Forecasters say there's a high chance of damaging winds in central Alabama and a medium risk of tornadoes.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.