It’s happening! Snow, sleet in Alabama: Winter weather creates dangerous road conditions

Winter storm conditions have turned parts of north and central Alabama into winter wonderlands as of early Friday.

The northern half of Alabama was covered with reports of snow, sleet, a wintry mix and icy roads, according to reports to the National Weather Service.

As of early Friday morning one of the higher reports was 2.5 inches of snow and sleet from north Alabama, with amounts of 1-2 inches common in other areas and in central Alabama. Snow and sleet was expected to continue across the region through the morning.

Forecasters cautioned early Friday that “difficult to impossible driving conditions, with major impacts to roadways, will continue through at least midday today.”

Winter storm warnings continued for all of north Alabama and were expanded for parts of central Alabama, where more and more roads were reportedly becoming iced over and impassable.

Two to 4 inches of snow or snow and sleet will be possible in northern Alabama in the winter storm warning area, according to the National Weather Service in Huntsville.

Farther south, in central Alabama, the weather service in Birmingham said heavy mixed precipitation is expected, with an additional 1 to 2 inches of snow and sleet and ice accumulations up to 0.2 of an inch.

Various agencies were reporting worsening road conditions and very hazardous travel from the Birmingham metro area northward.

The weather service said “significant impacts are expected due to accumulating sleet and snow, followed by freezing rain this afternoon. The morning commute will be heavily impacted, and driving conditions may be dangerous or impossible.”

Precipitation was falling as all snow, a mixture of snow and sleet or just sleet early Friday. That could continue through the morning hours.

The weather service said snow this morning is expected to change over to a wintry mix, followed by a potential for freezing rain before temperatures rise above freezing this afternoon, with all rain expected by that time.

However, areas in north Alabama will stay cooler, keeping at least some potential for wintry precipitation continuing through this afternoon and evening, forecasters said.

The weather service said slick and hazardous road conditions are expected to continue through Saturday morning as temperatures fall below freezing once again Friday night. Any lingering ground moisture is expected to refreeze.

There have been some reports of sleet in south Alabama, but temperatures are warm enough there that little to no impact is expected in that region, according to the National Weather Service in Mobile

“While it’s possible that we see a few more pockets of sleet mix in with rain north of U.S. 84, the likelihood is very low, thus our shot at wintry precipitation has all but ended,” the weather service said in its Friday morning forecast discussion.

Forecasters expect south Alabama to see widespread rain through the day.

Here’s more on the winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories:

NORTH ALABAMA

North Alabama winter storm

A winter storm warning continues for all of north Alabama.NWS

CENTRAL ALABAMA

Central Alabama warnings

A winter storm warning has been expanded southward for more of central Alabama as of Friday morning.NWS

A winter storm warning has been expanded for central Alabama.

A winter storm warning will be in effect until 6 a.m. Saturday for Marion, Lamar, Fayette, Winston, Walker, Blount, Etowah, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Jefferson and St. Clair counties. The weather service said to expect additional snow and sleet accumulations of 1 to 2 inches and ice accumulations up to 0.20 of an inch.

A winter storm warning will now also be in effect for Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Shelby, Talladega, Clay, Randolph and Bibb counties until 3 p.m. today. The weather service said additional snow and sleet accumulations of 1 to 2 inches and ice accumulations around 0.10 of an inch.

A winter weather advisory includes Sumter, Greene, Hale, Perry, Autauga, Chilton, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Chambers, Elmore and Lee counties. It will be in effect until 3 p.m. today.

The weather service said mixed precipitation is expected with additional snow and sleet accumulations up to 1 inch and a light glaze of ice will be possible.