Weather forecasters along the Tennessee Valley are warning residents of northern and central Alabama to be on guard for icy roads this morning.
The overall threat of snow and sleet has eased over much of Alabama. But temperatures are expected to hover right around the freezing mark, and in some cases below freezing, as residents recover from a nasty ice storm.
In Lauderdale County, emergency personnel report ice has coated trees and power lines after freezing rain fell in the Lexington area yesterday. That's one of several reports of ice on trees, roads and buildings across northern Alabama.
In Colbert County, an emergency worker told the National Weather Service that trees had fallen across an intersection under the weight of accumulating ice.
Tim Troutman is the lead forecaster for the National Weather Service in Huntsville. He says Alabama's two most northwestern counties aren't out of the woods just yet.
"They can expect freezing rain throughout much of the day and temperatures are going to remain at or around the 32 degree mark. And expect freezing rain accumulations with ice up to 0.3". And there could be some sleet that may occur at times but that should only result in minor accumulations."
Troutman suggests people stay at home during the inclement weather; those that do get out should be aware that roads and bridges may be very slick.
Today marks the final day of Mardi Gras festivities and a number of events are scheduled along the Gulf Coast.
French settlers in Mobile established the first organized Mardi Gras celebration in what would become the United States back in 1703.
Scotty Kirkland is the curator at the History Museum of Mobile. He says there are two sides to the Fat Tuesday celebration.
“There is the public side that is quite open and elaborate then there is a side that is equally as elaborate that ties back into the some of the original ideas of societies and the different orders that they had.”
Four parades are scheduled for Mobile throughout the day. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are also planning parades of their own.
A fiberglass firm is getting ready to open a new plant in Anniston, Alabama, which is expected to create 75 new jobs.
Carlson Engineered Composites USA will be opening the fiberglass component manufacturing plant in Anniston.
Those plans were announced yesterday by the Calhoun County Economic Development Council.
Carlson, a Canadian firm based in Winnipeg, is expected to invest around three million dollars in the project.
The new Anniston location will be similar to an existing production facility in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield said in a statement that the Anniston plant will allow Carlson to pursue new business in Alabama’s thriving automotive manufacturing sector.
The race for mayor of Montgomery is heating up now that a third candidate has entered the fray.
Current Montgomery County Commissioner Dan Harris announced yesterday that he will be running for mayor this year. He'll be running against incumbent mayor Todd Strange as well as former Alabama congressman Artur Davis.
Harris says that if elected he'll focus on issues such as economic development, recruiting new businesses to the Montgomery area. Harris also says he opposes breaking up the Montgomery County School System to create a separate school system, pointing to a recent improvement in graduation rates as an indication that the system is improving.
Harris also plans to focus on community development, mass transit and a reduction in violent crime.
Although the mayor's office is a nonpartisan position, Harris is the only Democrat on the ballot. Todd Strange is a Republican, and Artur Davis switched from the Democratic to the Republican party in 2012.