Seventeen Alabama counties remain under a state of emergency because of Tuesday’s historic winter storm across south Alabama, the Alabama Emergency Management Agency said.

Gov. Kay Ivey’s emergency order, issued Monday, initially applied to 39 counties.

Counties with emergency operations centers still activated are Baldwin, Mobile, Clarke, Monroe, Conecuh, Lee, Russell, Geneva, Montgomery, Shelby, Elmore, and Houston, Coffee, Jackson, Barbour, Crenshaw, and Talladega.

The other counties on the initial list have moved to alert status.

Jaleesa Diggins, senior communications specialist for the AEMA, said approximately 32 city school systems and 28 county school systems are closed. Six school systems are operating virtually. Nine universities are closed.

Warming centers across the state will remain open until temperatures reach above freezing. For more information about warming centers, call 211 or check the AEMA website.

The AEMA said that as of 5 a.m., these counties had declared all county roads impassable: Butler, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Elmore, Escambia, Henry, Lee, Lowndes, Mobile, Montgomery, Bullock, Barbour, Washington, Russell, and Tallapoosa counties.

Coffee, Dale, Geneva, Houston, Butler, Pike, and Lee counties have also reported widespread road closures because of snow, ice, and vehicles, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

The Alabama National Guard was helping to clear vehicles blocking I-85 in Opelika early this morning.

The Alabama Department of Transportation is urging drivers to exercise “extreme caution” Wednesday morning with dangerous black ice possible on state roadways.

Black ice is a thin, invisible layer of ice that can make driving conditions extremely treacherous, increasing the risk of crashes.

ALDOT said its crews will be working to clear snow and apply de-icing agents to bridges and roadways, but icy patches may remain on seemingly passable surfaces.

More information on travel conditions.