Huntsville residents face a "48 FIRST ALERT DAY" with severe storms bringing damaging winds, heavy rain, and a sharp temperature drop through Monday, while local college basketball teams, Auburn and Alabama, gear up for their respective national tournaments.

First Alert Day for Damaging Winds and Storms

Huntsville's under a 48 FIRST ALERT DAY through Monday. Expect strong thunderstorms, damaging winds, and heavy rain. Temperatures will plummet after the storms pass.

Authorities issued a Wind Advisory that began Sunday and runs through 7 AM Monday. Wind gusts hit 45 to 50 mph, but peak storms could push past 60 mph—enough to snap trees and knock out power.

Storms peak between 9 PM Sunday and 4 AM Monday. One or two tornadoes could spin up during the worst of it.

Once the storms clear, Monday turns cold and windy. Flurries are possible in the morning, with snow most likely east of I-65. It'll be in the 30s to 40s, but wind chill makes it feel like 30, with gusts to 35 mph.

Monday night freezes hard—lows drop to the low 20s. Tuesday's partly cloudy and less windy, but still cold. But warmth returns by late week—60s and sunshine by the weekend.

Auburn Tigers Host NIT Opener as Top Seed

The Auburn men’s basketball team, designated as the No. 1 overall seed in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), will kick off its postseason run at home. They host South Alabama Tuesday night at Neville Arena.

Tip-off's at 9 p.m. CT on ESPN2. The winner plays either Seattle or St. Thomas. If Auburn wins, round two's also at home.

Auburn's 17-16 heading into the NIT. They were the second team out of the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers boasted the nation’s No. 3 strength of schedule, a testament to the challenging opponents they faced throughout the year.

They beat seven NCAA Tournament teams. These wins included top-ranked Florida, No. 4 Arkansas, No. 5 St. John’s, No. 7 Kentucky, No. 11 Texas, No. 11 NC State, and No. 15 Queens. Auburn can beat anybody.

This marks Auburn’s seventh appearance in the NIT, and their first since 2009. That year, the Tigers advanced to the third round, which remains their furthest reach in the tournament’s history. Auburn's 4-6 all-time in the NIT. Auburn leads the all-time series 8-4 and has won five straight. South Alabama's 21-11 overall, 11-7 in the Sun Belt.

Alabama Crimson Tide Earns NCAA Tournament Bid

Meanwhile, the Alabama Men’s Basketball team has secured a coveted spot in the 2026 NCAA Bracket. They're a 4-seed in the Midwest.

Alabama opens against 13-seed Hofstra. The 4-seed shows they had a solid regular season.

Keep checking back for weather updates through Monday.