*Freezing rain, mixed with some sleet, continues to increase over the western half of Alabama this morning. Remember, sleet (ice pellets) rarely causes travel problems, but freezing rain is the real issue (liquid precipitation that falls with surface temperatures are 32 or below)
*NWS Birmingham has issued a freezing rain advisory through noon for Bibb, Fayette, Jefferson, Lamar, Marion, Pickens, Shelby, Tuscaloosa, Walker, and Winston Counties.
*The precipitation is moving to the east/northeast, and will impact the rest of the state later today. The cold air is deeper over Northeast Alabama, where ice issues are certainly going to be a problem.
*Bridges are the main issue; the regular road surfaces will be just wet. With the cold infrastructure, ice will form on bridges and overpasses in a heartbeat.
*There is concern that ice will indeed form on the long bridges that make up the Birmingham interstate system within the hour.
Some spot reports…
*”Hey James, driving from Winfield to Tupelo this morning the bridges are starting to get icy. The large bridge that goes over the Tenn-Tom waterway in Fulton MS has ice on it. My wife said the bridge going into Hamilton before you get to the Church of Christ on old 78 is getting slick. Have a good day. Sure you have plenty of these reports to go around.”
*A traffic fatality in East Mississippi could be related to an icy bridge
*Tuscaloosa reports no travel issues, but some ice has formed on exposed surfaces.
*A light glaze on exposed objects has been reported at the NWS at the Shelby County Airport.
BOTTOM LINE: Take it easy out there… and watch for bridge icing!
