MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Gov. Kay Ivey has declared a state of emergency for 19 northern Alabama counties as people across the state brace for winter weather.
This weekend will bring blustery, potentially icy conditions to parts of north Alabama and rain and storm conditions to central Alabama.
State agencies are preparing for a massive weather system that will bring below freezing temperatures Monday and Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.
On Alabama Weather Network, meteorologist James Spann said for most of Alabama the system will “simply be a big rain event.”
“(The) greatest risk of ice accumulation from freezing rain will be over the northwest and northeast corners of the state,” Spann said. “But, black ice could be an issue for the entire northern half of the state Sunday night and Monday as temperatures fall rapidly into the teens after the rain. Odds of any accumulating snow over the Tennessee Valley are very low, but a few flakes are possible Sunday afternoon.”
Leadership of the Alabama Legislature, based on information from the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, has already moved Monday budget hearings to keep lawmakers off of the potentially dangerous roads, Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, announced Thursday morning.
Ledbetter said he and Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, are monitoring the weather alongside AEMA officials and will make a decision about Tuesday’s meetings by Sunday afternoon.
The expected precipitation mixed with freezing temperatures can create the potential for dangerous driving conditions.
“Black ice is one of the most dangerous hazards drivers face because it’s often invisible,” said Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Secretary Hal Taylor in a press release. “Roads may look wet but can be slick in an instant, especially overnight and during early morning hours. Preparing now and adjusting travel plans, in addition to practicing safe driving behaviors, can prevent serious crashes.”
The Alabama Department of Transportation and ALEA recommend that people stay off the roads if possible and slow down if travel cannot be avoided.
Ivey’s declared emergency includes Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Jackson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Walker and Winston Counties.
The good news for central Alabama, including Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, is that weekend temperatures will be warmer than initially predicted and freezing rain is a lesser concern for the region, Jason Holmes, a meteorologist for the NWS in Birmingham, said Thursday morning.
The system, part of a massive front stretching from Texas to New England, will move into Alabama late Friday.
North Alabama should prepare for periods of freezing rain Saturday, Holmes said, and rainy conditions will continue into Sunday morning.
“For (the Montgomery area) our concern will be rain with some thunderstorm activity,” Holmes said. Some of those storms could be strong.
“It’s a favorable environment for some active weather,” Holmes said.
The best chances of rain are early Sunday through midday when skies will start to clear.
Then comes the cold. An air mass from Canada is expected Monday.
“That may be the story (for the Montgomery area)” Holmes said. Highs on Sunday will be in the 60s, then dropping Monday morning to the low 20s. Tuesday is even colder, as low as 18, Holmes said.
“Highs do inch back into the 40s on Tuesday,” Holmes said. “I think the main story is about having safe ways to stay warm.”
Ivey encouraged Alabamians to tune into their local meteorologists for the most updated weather information.
Alabama Daily News’ Mary Sell contributed to this report.