A State of Emergency and a Winter Storm Warning have been issued as Alabama prepares for winter weather.
Alert Days are issued when widespread severe weather or winter weather poses a life-threatening risk. Please prepare for the upcoming winter storm. It is important you stay up to date with the latest forecast details.
Who will be affected?
A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for North-Central Alabama beginning late Thursday night through Saturday morning.
Counties included in the Winter Storm Warning are Cullman, Marion, Lamar, Fayette, Winston, Walker, Blount, Etowah, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, St. Clair, Jefferson, Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin, AL, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan, Marshall, Jackson and DeKalb.
Heavy snow mixed with periods of sleet and freezing rain will move in late Thursday night through Friday. Total snow and sleet accumulations between 1 and 3 inches and ice accumulations up to one-tenth of an inch are forecast for areas under a Winter Storm Warning. Counties closer to Huntsville and the Tennessee border could see snow accumulations of 2 and 4 inches.
A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for areas south of I-20. Counties included are Autauga, Greene, Hale, Perry, Sumter ,Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Greene, Hale, Sumter, Tallapoosa, Chambers, Elmore, Lee, Clay, Randolph, Shelby and Talladega.
Areas included in the Winter Weather Advisory can expect a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain with accumulations up to an inch and ice accumulations up to one-tenth of an inch.
Timing
The Winter Storm Warning begins Friday morning at midnight and continues through Saturday morning at 6 a.m. The Winter Weather Advisory begins Friday morning at midnight and continues through 3 p.m. on Friday.
The type of winter weather (sleet, snow, freezing rain etc.) will heavily depend on how fast warmer air filters into Alabama from the south. The winter storm will begin in southwest Alabama and stretch to northeast Alabama.
- Midnight – 10 AM: Lamar, Marion, Fayette, Bibb, Chilton, Perry, Dallas, Hale, and Greene counties.
- 2 AM – 12 PM: Franklin, Winston, Cullman, Blount, St. Clair, Talladega, Shelby, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Clay, and Jefferson counties.
- 3 AM – 3 PM: Limestone, Madison, Jackson, Dekalb, Marshall, Morgan, Lawrence, Etowah, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Randolph
Impacts
Roads, bridges and overpasses are likely to become slick and hazardous, making travel very difficult or impossible (mainly along and north of Highway 278). You should avoid all travel if possible.
