Accumulations of Ice and Snow are Possible
As of press time for THIS BLOG, the areas that will likely see the worst of it will be the mountains of North Alabama, the Northwest CORNER of Alabama, and into all of Southern Middle Tennessee (as well as the northern parts of Colbert, Limestone, and Madison Counties.
A storm system will be passing across the Southeast Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning. When it does, a significant stream of moisture will cross the Tennessee Valley. Unfortunately, a cold air mass will be in place, and that is where the trouble begins.
Those areas where the temperatures are below freezing in a shallow layer near the ground, the rain that falls will freeze upon contact on roads, power lines, cars, trees, and other objects. Where the cold air layer is a little deeper, rain that falls into those areas will freeze before it hits the ground into sleet.
In those areas where the sub-freezing layer reaches from the ground up, the precipitation will fall as snow. There will be indefinable lines between these weather types as the system moves across, and some areas may pass from line to line and back again, depending on the storm structure.
Whatever falls where you live or plan to travel on Friday afternoon thru Saturday, you need to be very careful since there may be areas that remained above freezing directly next to or mingled in the middle of areas that have frozen.
Whatever falls will start to melt Sunday, with slick spots remaining until temperatures rise above and stay above freezing Monday afternoon.
Follow us on Twitter @ stormforce31, and on facebook as well. Remain weather aware and check the 7-Day Forecast for details.
Brad Huffines, Chief Meteorologist / Storm Force 31
