On this date in 1982, Birmingham and much of Alabama was in the deep freeze as an Arctic blast was engulfing much of the eastern half of the nation. As temperatures were tumbling across Alabama, a surprise dropped from the sky on to Highway 31 in Fultondale. As temperatures fell steadily during the day through the twenties and teens into the single digits, a single engine Cessna had to execute an emergency landing on the roadway. The plane’s engine failed because of carburetor ice. Several tractor trailer trucks had to brake suddenly to avoid the plane. The mercury fell to 2F just before midnight to establish a new record or the date. The temperature eventually fell to –1F during the early morning hours on the 11th to break the record for that date also.
The record cold set the stage for one of the Magic City’s worst winter storms. It would occur between the 12th and 14th as a low pressure system spread moisture up and over the dome of cold air, producing snow that changed over to freezing rain during the late morning hours. The storm system arrived earlier than expected, catching many local residents off guard. As a result, thousands of motorists were stranded in local shelters as they tried to get home on highways that became ice skating rinks. Many Alabama residents awakened on the 13th to no electricity and the sound of tree limbs breaking and crashing to the ground. A second disturbance spread a four inch snow across Central Alabama on the evening of the 13th, putting a beautiful post script on a bad situation. Up to 750,000 Alabamians were without power at the height of the storm. A total of twenty Alabamians died and three hundred were injured.
The airmass was one of the coldest observed in the United States during the twentieth century. According to an index used by NOAA, January 10-11 were the most uncomfortable days recorded east of the Rockies in the last century. Forty one cities established new records lows for the date. Chicago fell to minus –26F at O’Hare (all time record) with 20 mph winds that made the wind chill factor drop as low as –77F (old system.) Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Rockford, Illinois recorded their all-time record cold temperatures with readings of -25F. Bimidji, Minnesota was the cold spot in the country with -37 degrees.
The record cold set the stage for one of the Magic City’s worst winter storms. It would occur between the 12th and 14th as a low pressure system spread moisture up and over the dome of cold air, producing snow that changed over to freezing rain during the late morning hours. The storm system arrived earlier than expected, catching many local residents off guard. As a result, thousands of motorists were stranded in local shelters as they tried to get home on highways that became ice skating rinks. Many Alabama residents awakened on the 13th to no electricity and the sound of tree limbs breaking and crashing to the ground. A second disturbance spread a four inch snow across Central Alabama on the evening of the 13th, putting a beautiful post script on a bad situation. Up to 750,000 Alabamians were without power at the height of the storm. A total of twenty Alabamians died and three hundred were injured.
The airmass was one of the coldest observed in the United States during the twentieth century. According to an index used by NOAA, January 10-11 were the most uncomfortable days recorded east of the Rockies in the last century. Forty one cities established new records lows for the date. Chicago fell to minus –26F at O’Hare (all time record) with 20 mph winds that made the wind chill factor drop as low as –77F (old system.) Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Rockford, Illinois recorded their all-time record cold temperatures with readings of -25F. Bimidji, Minnesota was the cold spot in the country with -37 degrees.