UPDATE AT 10:25 PM--A WINTRY JANUARY NIGHT

January 28, 2005, 10:50 pm
Posted by J.B. Elliott in Winter Weather
Rating: 5/5   Votes : 9
SOME LATE REPORTS AS OF 10:25PM CST

We now have our first known highway closing. It is Dekalb County Route 89 which has been closed north of Fort Payne due to automobile accidents on the ice. This is the road that leads from highway 35 north along the bow of Lookout Mountain heading toward DeSoto State Park. Reported by Dekalb County EMA.

Major icing occuting in Etowah County on exposed surfaces. Power lines, cars, and trees have a good coat on them and icicles are forming on houses and power lines.

Blount County EMA reports icy bridge on Highway 160 between Cleveland and Nectar.

Ramps closed at Abernathy exit on Interstate 20. That's the first exit inside Alabama from Georgia.

Highway 35 closed due to ice at the Little River Bridge in Dekalb County.

WINTER STORM WARNING
For Blount....Calhoun...Chambers...Cherokee...Clay...Cleburne...Etowa
h...Lee...Randolph...St. Clair...Talladega....Tallapoosa...Colbert...Cullman...DeKalb...Fr
anklin...Jackson...Lauderdale...Lawrence...Limestone...Madison...
Morgan...Marshall.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
For Chilton...Coosa...Elmore...Jefferson...Macon...Russell...Shelby..
.Walker...Winston.

In those latter counties, bridges, overpasses, trees and power lines will become icy. In the Winter Storm Warning counties, ice may accumulate to a thickness of 1/4 inch or more including some 1/2 inch amounts at higher elevations. You are advised to pay close attention because of developing travel problems.

If you are traveling east on I-20, look for bridge icing even in lower elevations. In the Atlanta area, ice may accumulate to 1/4 inch late tonight and Saturday. Further east in Northwestern South Carolina, in the Greenville-Spartanburg area, snow will be mixed with sleet Saturday morning with freezing rain, sleet and snow in the afternoon with snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches. Freezing rain Saturday night may cause damaging ice accumulations.

LATE 10 pm SPOT REPORTS:
Cullman...32 degrees, mixed precipitation, wind SE gusts to 20
Decatur...33 freezing rain
Fort payne...32 mixed precipitation
Huntsville...34, freezing rain
Anniston...32, freezing rain
Anniston...26 at a private weather station at an elevation of 1201 feet
Birmingham...33, light rain
Tuscaloosa...35, light rain
Mt. Cheaha...24, wind calm (Oh yeah??? That's the report but we feel sure the wind instruments have iced up and stalled)

Be sure and scan down to the comments section and read those reports from our readers. Some excellent reports and we appreciate them all.
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Posted by Margie  
on January 28, 2005, 2:24 pm
We have firewood and Diet Dr Pepper...we are ready:)!! Everyone be careful on those bridges!!

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 2:42 pm
Hello J.B. I now have the NWS on listening to the forecast for the weekend. Brings back a lot of memories when I used to listen before joining the USAF Jan 78. Winter 77-78 and guess who was giving the reports then. If I'm correct it was you. Take care and keep up the great work. Garry p.s. Tell Ms Molly hello.

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Posted by Mike Wilhelm  
on January 28, 2005, 3:32 pm
The temp at my location just off 6th Ave. here in Decatur has dropped from 46 at 1pm to 40 at 3pm, as virga, then drizzle passed over the area and provided some evaporational cooling. Looks like wet bulb temps are at or below 32 from a line from Decatur to Birmingham and points east.

Thanks, J.B. and James for keeping us updated. I'm thinking higher elevations in NE Alabama may get it pretty bad.

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 3:48 pm
36 degree reading at Cordova, AL in Walker County

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 4:01 pm
Gary...
Yep, that was me often on WeatherRadio during those times. I still miss working weather radio...I justhugged Little Miss Molly for you...I do that every chance I get...

Stay warm!

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 4:01 pm
What no one seems to be picking up on is the rain is already about to end in Jackson MS and points westward meaning that in my opinion the rain will have exited most of Alabama before the temps fall to freezing or below.

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 4:10 pm
36 degrees above noccalula falls. temp dropped 4 degrees after a light rain/sleet shower.

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 4:11 pm
Your site is awesome-spent eight years navigating ice and snow in Nebraska-we would have really been helped by a site like this one during our snow and ice "events" (one has events in the midwest-not storms!)

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 4:40 pm
J. B. what about that analysis by Chris at 4:01 p.m.?

P.S. I love your Miss Molly stories! They brighten my day everytime I read one!


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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 5:08 pm
Lisa and Chris...
I think there will be a slow-down in the eastward progression of precipitation--running up against more and more resistance from the high along the Eastern Seaboard...even if that does not happen...it should be Saturday morning before all the precipitation clears East Alabama.(in my estimation)

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 8:28 pm
Temperature is approximately 31 degrees and icing has begun in the Hokes Bluff area of Etowah County.

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 8:29 pm
It has been below freezing here in Irondale since 7PM. All of our cars and outside surfaces have about 1/8 inch of ice already accumulated.

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 8:41 pm
It's currently 31 degrees now on the east side of Pell City, Alabama where I am. We're starting to see small icicles on the side of the roof, tree limbs, mailbox, and what may be little "iciclets" starting on the electrical lines out front.

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Posted by charlie  
on January 28, 2005, 8:48 pm
32 degrees light sleet on b'ham 5 points south area.


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Posted by red  
on January 28, 2005, 8:49 pm
30 degrees freezing rain in warrior/corner/bagley area

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Posted by Survivor  
on January 28, 2005, 8:51 pm
My wife just drove from Anniston to Ashland via US 431 & Al 9. When she arrived her car was completely covered with ice. Temp dropped from 37 to 30 on the way in.

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 8:54 pm
Well weather team , I am here on simmons mountain in Springville with the temerature at 30 degrees and I have ice formomg already on the small vegitation in the yard, and the stairs down from my back deck already have a thin layer of ice on it. I believe that we are in for a suprise come early tomorrow morning. I have just looked over the 18z run of the Gfs, and I am really interested in seeing the outcome. My question is..." Looking at some of the 4-panel chart of 200mb Wind, Ht, 500mb Vort, Ht, MSLP 1000 - 500mb, 850mb Temp, from the NCEP , it seems to be pushing most of the moisture to the north , and the heaviest rainfall looks to be going to take place over the morthwest side of the state... But I am not an expert, just an interested weather Junkie....... maybe I can get an expert opinion to these models .....

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 8:55 pm
Centerpoint (northeast B'ham area) 31, light rain and what could best be described as sleet. 9:06 pm

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Posted by lane  
on January 28, 2005, 9:11 pm
Grayson Valley (east) - 9:10 PM - good ice glaze and 2 inch icicles hanging from fender flares of my jeep. Temperature 30. Driveway still O.K.....

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 9:18 pm
Inverness-9:15 PM 34.5 degrees with sleet and rain falling, no ice observed.

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 9:19 pm
Ice everywhere but not too bad right now in Roanoke Alabama. I see that Roanoke was already listed at 30 with ice so I won't go in any details just yet.

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Posted by Mike Wilhelm  
on January 28, 2005, 9:20 pm
Here at the foot of Monte Sano in NE Huntsville, at 9PM we have a thin coat of ice on cars, mailboxes, and exposed surfaces. The 9pm temp is 33 with light snow!

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Posted by John B  
on January 28, 2005, 9:50 pm
9:45 in Clanton, thin layer of ice on surfaces such as vehicles, deck railings, etc. Sleet and rain currently.

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Posted by Josh  
on January 28, 2005, 9:59 pm
31.5 degrees on top of Shades Mtn in Vestavia. Freezing rain...ice on surfaces since around 8 pm.

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 10:18 pm
Well my temperature here in Alabaster was 33.3 @ 9 P.M. now it's 33.8 I don't know if it will fall more but it might be going up a little.

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Posted by   www
on January 28, 2005, 10:36 pm
Icing in Gadsden is occuring! I walked outside to see my vehicles covered in ice, and my flag is not able to move, because it is covered in ice.

~<>< Joey

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 10:53 pm
Great job folks. We really appreciate all of your reports--very useful. I have forwarded many of them to the National Weather Service and to many of the broadcast outlets.

Stay warm!

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 11:25 pm
Roanoke Alabama...11:22pm...light snow mixed with some sleet. A good coating of ice on everything. Update later.

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 11:36 pm
I live up on Shades Mt. in Bluff Park (Hoover) and we have ice all over everything. A medium sized tree has actually fallen across my driveway from the weight of the ice and the wind. I think was a little weak anyway. Not sure of the exact temp, but the thermometer in my car says 31. Stay warm everyone and keep off the roads.

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 11:36 pm
Here in West Point, it is currently around 29 to 30, with a windchill of about 24 at times. I have ice cicles on the mail box, a good half inch on the cars, my deck and concrete stairway are also covered in ice, I fell when I stepped onto the stairway outside.
I think that we might see a light coating of ice on the roads up here in cullman county if trends continue as they are. Well keep up the good work in the weather office. I wonder what Jason is experiencing right now?

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Posted by   www
on January 28, 2005, 11:43 pm
Please anyone that sees powerlines down DO NOT TOUCH THEM!!!!!! This is what I do for a living so do not play with this stuff. If its on the ground that doesnt mean the line is dead. If one falls on your car with you in it STAY IN IT. Keep the kids away and let the crews do the work. Powerlines will kill anyone, it discriminates against NOBODY. Be safe and stay warm;)

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Posted by  
on January 28, 2005, 11:52 pm
I just drove from Bagley to Fultondale at 11:30pm. Light to moderate rain falling with the temperature on my SUV hanging in at a warm 33 degrees for the duration of the drive. Light ice accumulations when I arrived in Fultondale on the mail box and on the deck. I did not notice any major issues driving on Mt. Olive Road and on I-65. Looks like this event is not going to amount to much in North Jefferson County.

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Posted by mike  
on January 28, 2005, 11:59 pm
We are on top of Shades Crest in Bluff Park and everything is covered in ice. Power lines, tree limbs, deck.
Looks to be about 32 and it is raining steadily.
Wonder if we will wake up to power outages tomorrow morn.
Thankful for the woodburning stove!

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Posted by Bob  
on January 29, 2005, 12:31 am
It's 31 degrees at 12:15 in Holly Pond. Haven't had any really heavr precip yet, just a few longer periods of moderate freezing rain. Ice on exposed surfaces but roads are still just wet. Just came back in from a 15 minute drive and roads were wet but not slick. Crossed two bridges (hwy 278 between blount and cullman county, and along holly pond-brooklyn) without difficulty.

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Posted by  
on January 29, 2005, 12:33 am
12:25 in Clanton, no obvious change in light iceing over last several hours. Rain with some sleet.

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Posted by MattW  
on January 29, 2005, 12:46 am
I'm in Montgomery and about 30 minutes ago I was outside. Light freezing rain was falling at the time. There was a thin layer of ice on car windows and on metal railings around the apartment complex. No temperature to report (don't have my thermometer here yet).

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Posted by Stephan  
on January 29, 2005, 2:50 am
Layer of ice covering trees, power lines in Munford. Outside temp 32 with a dewpoint of 30.

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Posted by lane  
on January 29, 2005, 4:06 am
4:05 am and 32 degrees in Grayson Valley (east) - nice ice glaze and short icicles - driveway O.K.....

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Posted by  
on January 29, 2005, 7:30 am
Well I am very thankful that the Temperature here in Alabaster never went below 33.3. No ice here but I was worried when the Temperature fell fast but it stoped @ 33.3 now it's cloudy and 35.8. Nice job everyone on the blog I can't for some snow so we can report in stay warm.

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