Did not get quite as cold as early as we expected in the Birmingham area. It was 40 at 5 am but still dropping. We may still level off around freezing later this morning.
Temporarily, that lessens the threat of a little light freezing rain early this morning and thus a black ice problem early this morning. However, temperatures are still falling–already below freezing over Northwest Alabama where winds were gusting to 30 mph.
We expect a very cold and raw Sunday with highs only in the 30s and winds gusting to 30 mph. There will be a few snow showers. We do not expect accumulations in the Birmingham area but there may be a dusting on the higher terrain of Northeast Alabama.
Temperatures tonight will drop into the teens with a wind chill near zero. Even with sunshine Monday, the high will only be near freezing and near zero wind chill. We used to call weather like this a “cold wave.”
This is damaging cold weather, to pipes, plants and pets just to name a few. Bring your pets indoors. They would love to be with you and don’t forget to check on the elderly. Here are some spot reports:
ALABAMA
North Fayette…30, after a high of 47 since midnight
Springville…34, after 49 around midnight
Russellville…28
Muscle Shoals…29, wind chill 17
Decatur…30, wind NW, gusts 32
Tuscaloosa…34, gusts 29, wind chill 23
Haleyville…27, gusts 28, wind chill 16
ELSEWHERE
Somerville (West Tenn.)… 28, gusts to 32, wind chill 16
Memphis…28, wind chill 15
Kansas City…10, snow flurries, gusts 38 mph, wind chill 11
Columbia, Mo.,…17 light snow, gusts 38, wind chill 1 below zero
Des Moines…6, blowing snow, wind chill 13 below
Marshalltown, Iowa…8, wind north, gusts 41, wind chill 15 below
Minneapolis…0 temperature, 17 inches of snow on the ground.
