James Spann: Alabama goes into the deep freeze tonight

Published On: 12.22.22 |

By: James Spann

James Spann: Alabama goes into the deep freeze tonight

James Spann forecasts brutally cold air for Alabama tonight through the weekend from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

BITTERLY COLD AIR GETTING CLOSE: Temperatures will reach the 55- to 61-degree range across Alabama this afternoon with a mostly cloudy sky; most of the day will be dry, and the sun could peek out in spots this afternoon. Enjoy these temperatures, as the long-awaited Arctic front will enter the northwest corner of the state around 6-7 p.m.

Here are important notes on the bitterly cold air that will roll into Alabama tonight:

Some light rain will develop ahead of the front tonight, but amounts will be very light, less than one-tenth of an inch for most places.
Temperatures will drop very quickly after the frontal passage. Some places will go from 45 degrees to 15 degrees in only two hours.
A brief period of light snow showers and snow flurries are likely in the cold air over the northern third of the state after the front passes. Deeper moisture will be exiting the state rapidly as the cold air arrives, and no meaningful accumulation is expected. But there might be a few spots where the grass gets white, especially across higher terrain of northeast Alabama.
Strong northwest winds of 15-30 mph will bring the wind chill index down into the minus 10- to minus 15-degree range after midnight and into Friday morning over north Alabama. The wind chill index will remain below zero through much of the day. Wind chill warnings have been issued for much of the state.

The strong winds will dry the roads quickly, and widespread travel problems are not expected. However, if there are any spots with standing water, it will turn to ice quickly, so watch for icy spots if you are driving tonight or Friday.
Air temperatures will dip into the 5- to 12-degree range over the northern half of the state early Saturday morning; lows will be in the teens down to the Gulf Coast.
It will likely be Monday of next week, Dec. 26, before temperatures rise above freezing over the northern half of Alabama, meaning many communities will experience more than 72 consecutive hours of subfreezing temperatures. This will be the coldest Christmas for most of Alabama since 1989.

PEOPLE: It will be dangerously cold, especially for those without adequate shelter and safe sources of warmth.

Wear layers and have extra blankets on hand.
Check on neighbors.
Ensure loved ones and neighbors have a safe and reliable heat source.
Arrange for emergency heat in case of power failure.
Practice home heating safety. Keep heating equipment at least 3 feet from anything that can burn; do not plug space heaters into an extension cord or power strip.
If traveling, make sure you are ready to handle any surprises that may leave you stranded. Have supplies such as water and food, warm clothes and blankets, and a charged cellphone. Don’t let your gas tank get too low so that you can periodically run the engine for heat.

PETS: Not all furry family members are equipped to handle the bitter cold. They can die if left exposed to extreme temperatures.

Bring pets indoors with a source of food and water.
Ensure pets will not be able to gain access to hazardous materials or items.

PIPES: They can burst, leaving you without water and damaging your home.

Cover/insulate or drain exposed pipes before Thursday.
Drip faucets.

NEXT WEEK: The week will be dry with a warming trend; temperatures reach the low 60s by Friday, Dec. 30.

ON THIS DATE IN 1989: Between Dec. 22 and Dec. 24, deepening low pressure pulled a frigid Arctic air mass into the southeastern United States. This sequence of events produced a historic snowstorm and a rare white Christmas across the region. At Charleston, South Carolina, the storm deposited 8 inches of snow – the greatest snowfall in modern history. At Savannah, Georgia, the storm total accumulation of 3.6 inches tied the greatest snowfall in modern history.