A round of fast-moving storms this afternoon may batter Cullman County with damaging straight-line winds or even tornadoes.

Or, it could just leave the area soaked with rain — but none the worse for wear.

In the face of such uncertainty, local emergency management officials aren’t taking any chances with their preparations.

“Our office is supposed to prepare for the worst, and that’s what we’re doing,” said Cullman Emergency Management Agency Director Phyllis Little.

“It very well could get pretty nasty, but it could also be like the last few systems we’ve had, where we get some heavy rain and then that’s the end of it. Of course that’s what we’re hoping will happen.”

Meteorologists with the National Weather Service (NWS) anticipate a squall line will move through Cullman County after noon today, bring the possibility of wind gusts of 60 miles per hour.

Cullman County Schools, already set to let out at noon today, have pushed back that time by half an hour, with all schools releasing students at 11:30 a.m. All after-school activities at all county schools for today have been canceled.

“We’re looking at a band [of storms] that should move through anywhere between noon and 3 p.m., and they are expecting severe storms, and won’t rule out the possibility of a tornado,” said Little. “There will be a cold front that comes in behind that, and then the temperatures should be much cooler after everything’s moved through.”

Predicting the severity of stormy weather in early March is difficult but typical, said Little.

“It’s been too warm for February, and we’ve got a strong cold front moving in behind this system, which should get our temperatures closer to normal,” she said. “That’s just springtime in Alabama.”

Benjamin Bullard can be reached by phone at 256-734-2131 ext. 145.