First Winter Storm Warning in Alabama

The National Weather Service in Huntsville has issued the first winter storm warning for Alabama. The text of the warning is below and here is a graphic showing the area impacted.

As Bill noted earlier today, the warnings have begun to be issued off to the west. The current watch/warning map from the Storm Prediction Center looks like this right now:

I’m confident that there will be more issued with the regular forecast issuances first thing Sunday morning.

-Brian-

URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
817 PM CST SAT JAN 8 2011

…SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE AREA SUNDAY
AFTERNOON AND INTO MONDAY…

A STORM SYSTEM MOVING ALONG THE GULF COAST SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND
MONDAY WILL COMBINE WITH ABUNDANT MOISTURE AND COLD AIR TO PRODUCE
HEAVY SNOW ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY.

ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-091100-
/O.UPG.KHUN.WS.A.0001.110109T2100Z-110111T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KHUN.WS.W.0001.110110T0000Z-110111T0000Z/
LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN-
MARSHALL-JACKSON-DEKALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…FLORENCE…MUSCLE SHOALS…
RUSSELLVILLE…MOULTON…ATHENS…HUNTSVILLE…DECATUR…
GUNTERSVILLE…SCOTTSBORO…FORT PAYNE…CULLMAN…LYNCHBURG…
FAYETTEVILLE…WINCHESTER
817 PM CST SAT JAN 8 2011

…WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM SUNDAY TO 6 PM CST
MONDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A WINTER
STORM WARNING FOR SNOW…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM SUNDAY TO 6 PM
CST MONDAY. THIS REPLACES THE WINTER STORM WATCH…WHICH IS NO
LONGER IN EFFECT.

* TIMING AND AREAS AFFECTED: SNOW WILL BEGIN AROUND 6 PM SUNDAY
ACROSS NORTHWEST ALABAMA AND CULLMAN COUNTY…AND QUICKLY SPREAD
OVER THE REST OF THE AREA BY MIDNIGHT. HEAVY SNOW WILL CONTINUE
INTO MONDAY MORNING BEFORE TAPING OFF MONDAY AFTERNOON. THE SNOW
MAY CHANGE TO LIGHT SLEET OR FREEZING RAIN MONDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING.

* ACCUMULATIONS: SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 7 INCHES ARE EXPECTED.

* OTHER HAZARDS: THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY SNOWFALL
MAY REDUCE VISIBILITY…MAKING DRIVING CONDITIONS HAZARDOUS. A
PERIOD OF FREEZING RAIN OR DRIZZLE IS POSSIBLE MONDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING…WHICH COULD CREATE A THIN LAYER OF ICE ATOP ANY EXISTING
SNOWFALL.

* IMPACTS: TRAVEL WILL DETERIORATE QUICKLY SUNDAY EVENING…WITH MANY
ROADWAYS LIKELY BECOMING SNOW COVERED OVERNIGHT. TRAVEL ON MONDAY
WILL LIKELY BE DIFFICULT AT BEST.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW
ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN
EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL…KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT…FOOD…AND
WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

&&

$$

Category: Alabama's Weather, Winter Weather