Birmingham had been enjoying warm late winter weather in 1993, with well above normal temperatures in February and early March. But during the second week of March, computer models indicated changes were on the way. By Monday night, March 8th, models showed an Arctic airmass rushing south and a hurricane strength low in the Gulf of Mexico by late in the week. Friday morning the 12th dawned cloudy and cold with a chilly north wind. Temperatures warmed into the low 40s before they began a slow fall during the afternoon. Ever the forecasters were skeptical of their own forecasts. I mean, a foot of snow in March in Alabama. Yeah, right. Snow began in the Birmingham area by late afternoon. As the intense low pressure system passed well to our south, heavy snow was occasionally mixed with a little rain. As soon as the low passed to the east, temperatures began to drop and winds began to increase.
By late evening, snow was accumulating quickly. The strong winds combined with the heavy wet snow to bring down tree limbs and power lines. Sitting in the dark by 11 p.m. in Trussville, we watched out the window as the snow piled up rapidly. Then, the sky lit up brightly followed by a deafening crack of thunder. Convective snow! A rare event indeed.
When we awakened around 6 a.m., we were greeted by an unbelievable scene. Deep, deep snow. Deeper than I had ever imagined, much less seen. Drifts were several feet high in places. We had well over a foot of snow on the ground. Officially, a record seventeen inches was measured at the Birmingham Airport. The entire region was brought to a standstill.
The storm is know as the Storm of the Century, or the Superstorm. It is rated number one on the all time ranking of winter storms according to impact. It killed a total of 270 people. Damage totaled over $6 billion. An eight foot storm surge inundated the Florida Big Bend area. A rash of tornadoes raked the Sunshine State. Snowfall amounts were biblical. Sixty inches of snow fell on Mount Leconte in North Carolina.
By late evening, snow was accumulating quickly. The strong winds combined with the heavy wet snow to bring down tree limbs and power lines. Sitting in the dark by 11 p.m. in Trussville, we watched out the window as the snow piled up rapidly. Then, the sky lit up brightly followed by a deafening crack of thunder. Convective snow! A rare event indeed.
When we awakened around 6 a.m., we were greeted by an unbelievable scene. Deep, deep snow. Deeper than I had ever imagined, much less seen. Drifts were several feet high in places. We had well over a foot of snow on the ground. Officially, a record seventeen inches was measured at the Birmingham Airport. The entire region was brought to a standstill.
The storm is know as the Storm of the Century, or the Superstorm. It is rated number one on the all time ranking of winter storms according to impact. It killed a total of 270 people. Damage totaled over $6 billion. An eight foot storm surge inundated the Florida Big Bend area. A rash of tornadoes raked the Sunshine State. Snowfall amounts were biblical. Sixty inches of snow fell on Mount Leconte in North Carolina.
on March 12, 2006, 1:15 am
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