From The Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM — The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for parts of Central Alabama from around midnight to 9 a.m. Saturday, March 12.
(Photo courtesy of https://www.weather.gov/bmx/)
According to the National Weather Service, the cities impacted include Sulligent, Vernon, Fayette, Jasper, Oneonta, Gadsden, Centre, Carrollton, Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Hoover, Pell City, and Moody. Impacted counties include Lamar, Fayette, Walker, Blount, Etowah, Cherokee, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Jefferson, and St. Clair.
Snow is expected, with accumulations of one inch to one and a half inches, with locally higher totals, and winds gusting as high as 40 mph. The National Weather Service said to plan on slippery conditions, slow down, and use caution while traveling.
A hazardous weather outlook includes the counties of Marion, Lamar, Fayette, Winston, Walker, Blount, Etowah, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega, Clay, Randolph, Sumter, Greene, Hale, Perry, Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Chambers, Marengo, Dallas, Autauga, Lowndes, Elmore, Montgomery, Macon, Bullock, Lee, Russell, Pike, and Barbour.
Tonight people should expect strong to severe thunderstorms that are possible from 7 p.m. tonight through 3 a.m. Saturday, March 12, generally along and south of the Interstate 85 corridor.
The National Weather Service stated that the primary threat will be damaging winds up to 60 mph, but a tornado is also possible. Rain will likely become mixed with or change over to snow tonight into Saturday morning. Light accumulations on grassy or elevated surfaces are possible, mainly north of Interstate 20. Higher totals, up to two inches, are possible across far northwest portions of Central Alabama.
Breezy conditions are expected tonight and Saturday. Northwest winds of 15 to 25 mph, with gusts up to 40 mph, will be possible across all of Central Alabama. Temperatures are forecast to drop below freezing across portions of Central Alabama tonight. The National Weather Service stated that precautions should be taken to protect vulnerable populations, outdoor pets, and sensitive vegetation.
Temperatures will continue to drop through the day on Saturday, decreasing into the 20s by the morning of Sunday, March 13.
The National Weather Service has also issued a Wind Advisory, which will be in effect from midnight tonight until 6 p.m. Saturday, March 12. In addition, a Freeze Warning will be in effect from midnight tonight until 10 a.m. Sunday, March 13, for the cities of Hamilton, Sulligent, Vernon, Fayette, Double Springs, Jasper, Oneonta, Gadsden, Anniston, Centre, Heflin, Carrollton, Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Hoover, Columbiana, Pelham, Alabaster, Pell City, Moody, Talladega, Sylacauga, Ashland, Roanoke, Livingston, Eutaw, Greensboro, Moundville, Marion, Centreville, Clanton, Rockford, Alexander City, Dadeville, Valley, Lanett, Lafayette, Demopolis, Linden, Selma, Prattville, Wetumpka, and Tallassee.
Including the counties of Marion, Lamar, Fayette, Winston, Walker, Blount, Etowah, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega, Clay, Randolph, Sumter, Greene, Hale, Perry, Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Chambers, Marengo, Dallas, Autauga, and Elmore.
Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down, and a few power outages may result. In addition, frost and freeze conditions will kill crops other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing. For the Wind Advisory, northwest winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph are expected. For the Freeze Warning, sub-freezing temperatures as low as 23 on Saturday morning and 19 on Sunday morning are expected. Some areas in the northern portions of central Alabama may not go above freezing all day on Saturday.
