Snow to fall on parts of Alabama and Mississippi on Friday
By Leigh Morgan on January 21, 2016 at 6:45 AM, updated January 21, 2016 at 7:06 AM
A powerful storm system expected to bring severe weather to areas in south Alabama on Thursday is also going to leave some snow behind in north and central Alabama on Friday.
But who gets snow and how much will fall was still fairly uncertain as of Thursday morning.
Snow in Alabama is notoriously challenging to forecast, and the National Weather Service said that snowfall amounts will depend on two things: the exact track of the storm system and how quickly temperatures fall below freezing.
Computer models as of Thursday were offering different scenarios of how that would unfold -- so the timing and details could change -- but here's what forecasters were thinking as of Thursday morning.
A strong storm system is expected to move through Alabama later today and overnight. The storm could generate severe weather in the warm sector over south Alabama and bring up to an inch of rain to the rest of the state on Thursday.
Another dose of cold air is expected to rush in behind the system — with many in Alabama seeing their high temperatures at midnight Friday and the thermometer falling during the rest of the day.
Computer models predict that there will be enough moisture wrapping around the back side of the low pressure area to generate snow across north and parts of central Alabama starting as early as Friday morning.
North Alabama will have the best shot at accumulating snow. The National Weather Service in Huntsville said Thursday that rain could begin to change over to snow by Friday afternoon.
Forecasters said there was a possibility that the rain-snow mix will begin sooner, but the greatest chance for accumulating snow will be from 6 p.m. through midnight on Friday.
Between 1 and 1.5 inches is likely in northwest Alabama and the higher terrain of northeast Alabama, the weather service said. Up to 1 inch will be more likely for the rest of north Alabama.
Light snow or flurries are expected to keep falling through Saturday morning.
The weather service cautioned that the combination of snow and freezing water on roadways could make travel hazardous through Saturday morning.
The transition from rain to snow could happen earlier in central Alabama, according to the National Weather Service in Birmingham.
Forecasters there said that the snow could begin in western Alabama as early as late Friday morning.
Accumulations across north-central Alabama are expected to be on the light side — likely under 1 inch, according to the weather service.
There is a but, though. The weather service said that 2-inch amounts in isolated areas can't be ruled out with the heavier snow showers.
A rain-snow mix will be possible all the way to the Intestate 85 corridor, the weather service said.
The main window for accumulating snow in central Alabama will be from 3 p.m. Friday until midnight, the weather service said. Flurries could hang around through Saturday morning.
Don't think this is the last shot at winter precipitation for a while — the weather service will be watching for the potential of another storm system to track toward the state around mid-week that could bring another chance for snow.
Here's more from the National Weather Service in Birmingham:
See link below for video and more information:
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US National Weather Service Memphis Tennessee via Facebook
*MAJOR WINTER STORM TO IMPACT THE MID-SOUTH ON FRIDAY*
A Winter Storm Warning will go into effect for highlighted areas on the map at the times indicated. Heavy snow and significant snow accumulations are likely with this storm. This will make travel difficult to impossible on Friday at many locations.
TODAY is the time to prepare. Check out the National Weather Service's Winter Storm Safety Homepage (http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/winter/index.shtml) for ways you can best prepare for this winter storm.
Our confidence is high for this storm; we will see significant snowfall with strong winds and potential thunder snow Friday in the Mid-South.
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