Winter Storm — Lauderdale, Alabama

2010-01-29 · Lauderdale, Alabama

Event narrative

A mix of rain, sleet, and snow on Friday morning changed to primarily freezing rain, sleet and rain during the day on Friday. Up to 0.25 inches of ice accumulated on area trees and elevated surfaces, paritcularly in western portions of the county by the early afternoon hours. In addition, around 1 inch of snowfall also accumulated on grassy surfaces and some secondary roadways.

Tragically, two people died in a wreck between a Chevrolet HHR LT and a tractor trailer on U.S. 43 near CR 140, due to these slick conditions.

Wider weather episode

On January 29th, a cold, dry air mass was in place across northern Alabama around daybreak. At the same time, a low pressure system was developing along a quasi stationary boundary extending from southern Louisiana east through southern Georgia. As this area of low pressure pushed east into southern Georgia through the day, a wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet, and snow developed across northern Alabama. This mix of winter precipitation caused up to 0.25 inch of ice to accumulate, mainly north of the Tennessee River. In addition, between 1 and 2 inches of snowfall accumulated in some of these same locations. Elsewhere, across northern Alabama, scattered locations received less than one half of an inch of snow and sleet.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 213044. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.