Snow Arrives In NW Alabama

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HERE WE GO: Not much change…. no need to worry about models or anything else really at this point… the map below is our forecast:

We have added the higher amounts back into Northwest Alabama in respect for the big snow just northwest of Alabama… the lowest confidence involves the 3″ potential over Central Alabama. I do think there is real potential there based on the potential “sweet zone”, but it might take longer for the snow to accumulate and for the lower column to cool.

Here are some late reports…

*Reports of snow within the last few minutes from Tuscumbia and Town Creek in Northwest Alabama.
*Snow in Starkville and West Point, MS
*Moderate snow showing up on our SKYCAM in Pontotoc, MS
*Snow in Columbus, MS

Here are the FAQ on this storm…

WHEN? Snow is falling now over the northwest corner of Alabama, and will begin within the hour in places like Hamilton, Vernon, and Haleyville. A rain/snow mix will begin in Tuscaloosa by 5:00, with snow into the Birmingham area by 6:30 or so. The snow reaches Anniston/Gadsden by 7:30-8:00. But remember, this is a very fast moving storm, and most places won’t have more than four hours of the really good, steady snow. For most places around here, it will be over by midnight.

HOW MUCH? Scroll up and see our snow accumulation projection map.

TRAVEL: The snow will initially fall with temperatures above freezing, and the roads will be just wet. But, slick spots could develop over Northwest Alabama by 5:00. For Tuscaloosa/Birmingham/Anniston/Gadsden, generally speaking we don’t expect the temperature to go below freezing until 9:00 p.m. or so. When it comes to church closings, I would imagine most church services up across Northwest Alabama will be cancelled tonight, but unless the services run past 9:00, there won’t be any serious travel issues for the larger cities in our market. But, keep in mind the snow will begin during those services, and some people might be uncomfortable with that.

Slick spots and icy travel is likely from about 9:00 tonight through 9:00 a.m. tomorrow. The bridges, as usual, will be the big problem, but some black top roads could be slick as well from the snow. The temperature should be above freezing by 9:00 tomorrow morning, and roads will improve greatly by mid-morning. The sun will be back tomorrow as well, and a pretty good bit of the snow will melt away.

NO ICE: Again, no freezing rain this time, so no power outages or ice accumulation to worry about.

FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: Where snow is on the ground, lows will be in the teens early Friday… with no snow, lows will be in the low 20s. After that afternoons will trend warmer, with upper 40s Friday, low 50s Saturday, and low 60s Sunday. Lots of sunshine all three days with a very dry airmass in place.

NEXT WEEK: The GFS is trending warmer, showing mid 60s every day. No rain Monday through Wednesday, maybe a shower or two on Thursday, but it sure doesn’t look like a big deal. And, no sign of any Arctic air for the rest of the month at this point.

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Tags: snow

Category: Alabama's Weather