As many of you know, a winter storm is expected on Tuesday with impacts across much of central Alabama likely from snow as well as extreme cold. The NWS has increased the level of impact risk to “significant” along and south of a line from near Selma to north of Montgomery to Auburn, including Troy and Eufaula. North of there, for places like Demopolis, Clanton, Brent, and Alexander City, there is an elevated risk of winter storm impacts. And for the Tuscaloosa/Birmingham metros over to Anniston and Gadsden, a limited risk exits.
We expect a winter storm watch to be issued for much of central Alabama later tonight or early tomorrow morning once we get a bit closer to the onset time of wintry precipitation. Remember, a winter storm watch means that impactful winter weather conditions are possible starting within 48 hours, and that you should begin to prepare for hazardous travel conditions. These will either be upgraded to winter storm warnings, or replaced with winter weather advisories depending on forecast trends over the following 24 hours or so. Regardless, accumulating snow is likely to result in hazardous travel due to cold ground and air temperatures…