City and county department heads gathered Friday to discuss what weather forecasters were predicting would be an unprecedented storm.

Forecasters issued a tornado watch for the northwest third of Alabama, and the weather service said powerful thunderstorms and twisters were possible throughout the night. Wind gusts as strong as 35 mph were predicted in the Tennessee Valley.

Athens Mayor Dan Williams and Limestone County Commission Chairman David Seibert said emergency preparations were made, including notifying crews and putting gas in emergency vehicles.

Williams said he met with heads of Police, Fire, Public Works, and Electric departments.

“We went over the fact that everything looks bad and who we need to call in to react to whatever happens,” the mayor said.

Williams said the storm service the Electric Department subscribes to sent a notice Thursday.

“They sent a 24-hour warning Thursday. They said it’s the first time they’ve ever done that,” Williams said. “We’ve made some preparations to react to whatever happens, but you’re not ever totally prepared.”

Seibert said he told county employees to be ready.

“We told each employee in each district to stay close to the phone,” he said. “They’re all prepared. They’re gassed up and everything.”

At the Athens-Limestone Emergency Management office, Daphne Ellis was fielding phone calls from concerned residents asking where to go in the event of a tornado.

She said all storm shelters were opening Friday afternoon.

“We’re calling in storm spotters and volunteers,” she said.

Local schools dismissed students early Friday as severe storms were expected in the Tennessee Valley,

Athens City Schools dismissed students at 1 p.m., while most Limestone County Schools were closed by 12:30 p.m.

All after-school events were cancelled.

Athens State University cancelled classes after 4 p.m. Friday but planned to hold classes today.

More than three-dozen school systems closed early Friday in North Alabama, postponing athletic events and at least one prom, according to an Associated Press report.

Schools as far south as metro Birmingham began dismissing students as early as noon, although the National Weather Service said the greatest threat of bad weather was hours later in most areas. Baseball games were called off, and Hillcrest High School near Tuscaloosa delayed its junior-senior prom from Friday until Saturday night.