Snowfall is looking more likely for Alabama this week. The National Weather Service said conditions continue to be favorable for the probability of winter precipitation affecting the northern half of the state. This is the prediction for Thursday into Friday.
Alabama’s Emergency Management Agency (EMA) warns that, “Impacts will likely begin almost immediately on roadways once the winter precipitation starts due to how cold the pavement will become this week.”
The EMA reports high temperatures Tuesday through Thursday will range from the 30's north to 40's south with low temperatures from the teens north to 20's south.
Temperatures south of I-20 are forecast to rise above freezing between 6 am and 12 pm Friday. North of I-20 temperatures rising above freezing are more in question and significant impacts to roadways and elevated surfaces are more likely, reports the agency.
The City of Huntsville is closely monitoring road conditions. Public Works Director Chris McNeese said the city is prepared to treat bridges and elevated roadways if precipitation affects road conditions.
Huntsville Police (HPD) is monitoring roads and will alert Public Works when problem spots are detected. If road conditions warrant, HPD will place barricades to block roads that are closed.
“We would like to remind everyone that if you see barricades, there is a reason that it’s there,” HPD Capt. Stephen Anderson said in a press release. “Driving around barricades is against the law and can create dangerous situations. We also urge drivers not to abandon their vehicles in the middle of roadways because those vehicles can create hazards and block first responders. Guide your vehicle to the right of way to keep travel lanes open.”
Huntsville Public Works primarily handles the treatment of roads and streets within the city limits, while the Alabama Department of Transportation manages major arterials such as Governors Drive, Memorial Parkway, U.S. 72 and I-565. Roads and streets outside the city limits fall under the jurisdiction of Madison County.
In other parts of the country, a blast of snow, ice, wind and plunging temperatures stirred up dangerous travel conditions in the central U.S. on Sunday.
The disruptive winter storm brought the possibility of the “heaviest snowfall in a decade” to some areas.
Road conditions are beginning to deteriorate in the central part of the country, with forecasts calling for harsh winter conditions to spread eastward in the coming days.
Blizzard conditions are being reported in parts of Kansas and Missouri. In Indiana, the National Guard has been activated to help motorists. The storm will reach the Mid-Atlantic states on Sunday into Monday.
Read more about the possibility of the “heaviest snowfall in a decade” here.
