Wednesday could be the unofficial start of Alabama’s spring tornado season, with “all modes of severe weather” possible from 5 a.m. until after midnight, according to the National Weather Service.

NWS Meteorologist Laurel McCoy said the first round of thunderstorms is due between 5 and 9 a.m. Wednesday, and more rounds are expected in the afternoon and evening hours.

“For Athens, it’s probably 3 or 4 p.m. through midnight,” McCoy said. “We could see a couple rounds of severe weather.”

The largest threats with the system include damaging winds, large hail — “up to golfball-size,” McCoy said — locally heavy rainfall, flash flooding and tornadoes. The rainfall alone could be around 2 inches overall and more than 2 inches in some spots.

McCoy said on Monday that meteorologists would have a better idea of when the storm will arrive and how long it will last today and as the storm grows closer. However, people shouldn’t wait to prepare.

“We’d like to make sure people know where to go and have multiple ways to get warnings,” McCoy said. “Think about if something knocks out one of our weather transmitters. Do you have a backup plan? If your phone dies, do you have a backup plan?”

She encouraged everyone to stay weather aware during the storm and have a “go bag” with extra food, water, medication, flashlights and other emergency supplies in case they have to evacuate their home. Storm shelters in Limestone County will open if a tornado watch is issued. Watches are issued by the Storm Prediction Center if conditions are favorable for a tornado.

A tornado warning is not issued until after a tornado is occurring or will soon at a specific location. In that case, it may be too late or dangerous to leave one’s current location for a shelter. The NWS provides the following tips for those in a location under a tornado warning:

• Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building;

• Avoid windows; and

• If in a mobile home, a vehicle or outdoors, move to the closest substantial shelter and seek protection from flying debris.

Storm shelters

The following are storm shelter locations for Limestone County. With the exception of registered service animals, no pets are allowed in shelters.

• Ardmore City Hall, 25844 Main St., Ardmore, Tennessee;

• Ardmore Community Shelter, 29910 Park Avenue, Ardmore, Alabama;

• Ark of Promise Community Shelter (Ark of Promise Church), 15159 Brownsferry Road, Athens;

• Clements Community Shelter (Clements Volunteer Fire Department), 9158 U.S. 72 West, Athens;

• Cowford Community Shelter (corner of Cowford Road and Grover Drive), 14008 Grover Drive, Athens;

• Elkmont Community Shelter (Elkmont VFD), 19663 Sandlin Road, Elkmont;

• Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 1418 Old Railroad Bed Road, Madison;

• Goodsprings Community Shelter (Goodsprings VFD), 33634 Alabama 99, Anderson;

• Lester Community Shelter (Lester Post Office), 30306 Lester Road, Lester;

• Owens Community Shelter (Owens VFD), 17196 Glaze Road, Athens;

• Owens Shelter (former Owens Elementary School), 21465 Alabama 99, Athens;

• Pine Ridge Community Shelter, 10078 Settle Road, Athens;

• Pisgah Community Shelter (Oak Grove-Thach VFD), 27718 McKee Road, Toney;

• Pleasant Grove Community Shelter (Pleasant Grove VFD), 9080 Upper Snake Road, Athens;

• West Limestone High School Shelter (open after school hours only), 10945 School House Road, Lester; and

• Wooley Springs Community Shelter (Wooley Springs Baptist Church), 26069 Alabama 251, Elkmont.