Evening Update
A winter storm warning remains in effect for much of North Alabama tomorrow. The warning is from Aliceville, Tuscaloosa, Brent, Calera, Sylacauga, Ashland, Roanoke, and points north. To the south, tomorrow will be just a cold, rainy day.
Our forecast….
TIMING: The HRRR model suggests rain or snow could move into far West Alabama as early as 7:00 a.m., but for most the event begins between 8:00 and 11:00. The heaviest snow will fall from 12:00 noon until 6:00 p.m., and the event winds down tomorrow night.
PLACEMENT: As stated here many times, the most difficult part of the forecast is defining the rain-snow line tomorrow. It will be somewhere a little south of I-20; and with a large percentage of the population in our market living along that highway, it makes for quite a forecast problem. I get the idea that rain-snow line will about 15-30 miles south of Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, and Anniston. The new 18Z GFS supports that idea…
ACCUMULATION: The big numbers will be near the US 278 corridor… 3 to 6 inches are likely there, with isolated amounts to 8 inches. Some places near the bullseye are Hamilton, Cullman, Gadsden, Oneonta, and Haleyville. Down toward Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, and Anniston amounts will be lighter, in the 1-3 inch range.
IMPACT: With very heavy, wet snow falling, a few scattered power outages are possible in the US 278 corridor. Travel will be severely impacted tomorrow afternoon, tomorrow night, and into Thursday morning. Temperatures will rise above freezing at mid-morning Thursday, and roads will begin to improve.
REMEMBER: Tomorrow, some snow lovers will be delighted with what they get, while others will be severely disappointed. That is just the way it is.
And, of course, this forecast can, and will change later tonight and early tomorrow. Check back often for updates.
ALABAMA POWER IS READY, ARE YOU? Our friends at Alabama Power are monitoring the forecast closely, ready to deploy people and assets to quickly address any outages that might occur. Read a special message from Ike Pigott about their commitment to their customers.
Category: Alabama's Weather
About the Author (Author Profile)
James Spann is one of the most recognized and trusted television meteorologists in the industry. He holds the AMS CCM designation and television seals from the AMS and NWA. He is a past winner of the Broadcast Meteorologist of the Year from both professional organizations.Subscribe
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