Residents along Alabama Highway 219 near the Sportsplex should not depend on the EMA siren to warn of hazardous weather.

Rhonda Abbott, deputy director of the Dallas County EMA, said the siren was struck by lightning and might not have enough battery support to operate.

“Do not depend on that siren as your only source of receiving weather warnings in the event they are needed Wednesday,” she said. “Please stay tuned to local media.”

The National Weather Service in Birmingham has issued a statement saying severe thunderstorms will be possible across all of central Alabama on Wednesday, generally from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.

The main threat will be damaging winds.

The storms are expected to affect areas west of Interstate 65 from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. and move toward the east later in the afternoon.