"We’re absolutely going to see some kind of impactful weather, it’s just a matter of how widespread," NWS warns.

It marks only the third time since at least 2006 that the highest risk level has been issued the day before an expected outbreak.

Much of central Alabama for Saturday has been placed under a level four out of five threat for severe weather, an almost unprecedented listing, on a scale where five is considered to be the highest chances for severe weather. The rating occurs about once a year, said Jason Davis, meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Birmingham.