Let’s Talk Traffic

After last night’s winter storm, we have a bright sunny, but very cold day. The high will be around 30 degrees for most. The weather forecast is the easy part.

But, due to horrible icy/snowy conditions traffic was a nightmare in the Birmingham metro this morning, and I am being inundated with traffic questions. Unfortunately, meteorologists are not highway engineers, and forecasting road conditions is not our greatest skill. We can give you some general ideas, however.

BIRMINGHAM: With a strong January sun and very low dewpoints (dry air), road conditions continue to improve across the metro, and many main roads are dry with only some patchy ice. However, some major issues remain. The Interstate system, with elevated bridges, is still a challenge early this afternoon. Some trouble spots…

I-65 at Alford Avenue atop Shades Mountain
I-459 near Liberty Park
I-20 near Leeds and Pell City
US 280 at Double Oak Mountain

Due to earlier multiple car crashes and lingering ice, travel is difficult. In these spots.

See the maps below for traffic conditions early this afternoon across the Birmingham metro and the state:

The aerial show below is U.S. 280 near County Road 41 between Chelsea and Double Oak Mountain about 10:30 this morning….

Through the morning, I told people DON’T DRIVE until 12:00 noon. Now that we are past noon, there are some important points…

*Yes, many roads are in much better shape
*Patchy ice lingers, especially on bridges
*Multiple car crashes from earlier today are still bring cleared up.
*If you do drive this afternoon, watch for icy spots and be VERY careful.
*All roads north of Birmingham are mostly dry with only a few icy patches.
*Seeing some isolated ice issues lingering in Tuscaloosa and Anniston
*Gadsden roads seem to be dry.

Travel in the Birmingham metro should be mostly dry tonight, BUT ICY SPOTS WILL LINGER!!!

Let’s take it easy out there…

Tags: traffic

Category: Hodgepodge