Snow Monday to be followed by single-digit temperatures
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Jan. 15—The National Weather Service forecasts 2 to 2 1/2 inches of snow accumulation in Decatur, with more in Limestone County and significantly less just south of Decatur, by Tuesday morning, with temperatures dropping Tuesday night to about 6 degrees.
The National Weather Service in Huntsville issued a winter weather warning for most of north Alabama on Sunday afternoon, including Morgan, Lawrence and Limestone counties. The warning extends through Tuesday at 6 a.m.
Also on Sunday afternoon, Gov. Kay Ivey declared a state of emergency for 25 north Alabama counties, including Morgan, Lawrence and Limestone.
"We are anticipating unusually cold temperatures in Alabama this week, so I am urging everyone to be prepared, take caution traveling and stay weather aware," Ivey said in a statement.
Meteorologist Robert Boyd said the southern edge of the expected snow band falls very near Decatur, so it's difficult to know whether the city will be severely affected or if most snow in north Alabama will fall slightly north of Decatur.
That complication, Boyd said, has caused Decatur to be under a winter storm watch, an advisory and now a warning over the course of two days.
Because of the numerous variables — including jet stream fluctuations — "it really becomes a chore to figure all this out," Boyd said.
Boyd on Sunday afternoon predicted that snow would begin Sunday night, with the heaviest snowfall being from Monday to Tuesday morning.
"For that whole time frame, it looks like it will be about 2 inches, maybe 2 1/2 inches for the Decatur area," he said. "The amounts really drop off as you go more to the southeast. In Morgan City, it's more like a few tenths of an inch."
However much snow the Decatur area gets, it will get very cold.
NWS predicts the low temperature in Decatur on Monday night will be 15 degrees with a wind chill as low as 2 degrees. The high on Tuesday is expected to be about 27, with temperatures dropping to 6 degrees Tuesday night.
The high Wednesday is expected to about 34, with a high Thursday reaching 43 degrees.
The NWS warned of icy roads, reduced visibility, fallen trees and branches during the winter storm warning.
— eric@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2435. Twitter @DD_Fleischauer.
