SNOW & ICE ACCUMULATION LIKELY ON TUESDAY INTO TUE. NIGHT; EXTREME COLD WARNING TONIGHT… Significant local impacts are likely on Tuesday into Tuesday night due to a winter storm set to move over south Alabama and northwest Florida. Accumulating snow is likely across the region with accumulating ice/freezing rain being most likely across parts of northwest Florida and coastal Alabama. The timing of this event has shifted to be a bit earlier. Scattered impacts may begin as early as Tuesday morning with the bulk of the precipitation likely in the afternoon and evening hours. In addition to the winter storm hazards, I am also concerned about extremely cold temperatures TONIGHT and over the next few days. An Extreme Cold Warning is in effect for ALL local counties in south Alabama and northwest Florida overnight into Monday morning.
TONIGHT: EXTREME COLD WARNING – BRING PETS INSIDE… Temperatures will be in the 10s inland with 20s likely closer to I-10 overnight into early Monday morning. Wind chill values will be down in the single digits by 6AM Monday. FRIGID conditions likely overnight! The ENTIRE local area is under a rare Extreme Cold Warning due to these dangerously cold temperatures and wind chill values. We strongly encourage everyone to bring in outdoor pets tonight before the brutal cold temperatures arrive overnight.
PROJECTED SNOW TOTALS AS OF 7PM SUNDAY… 2 to 4 inches of total snowfall is the prevailing thought across much of south Alabama and northwest Florida when the winter storm moves across the region Tuesday into Tuesday night. There will be a zone approximately 50 miles across where a snow band sets up. Please remember, if this band of heavier snow sets up 50 miles north of the current forecast path, there will be some communities further south that don’t get much snow. Same deal if the snow band is 50 miles south, folks further inland won’t get the amounts of snow advertised in the map above. It is ALWAYS the case when we have winter storms in the Deep South (because the rarity of the events): There will be some surprises! I would not be shocked at all if some scattered reports of 6 to 9 inches of snow happen while some spots may not get much snow at all. If the system underperforms, snow totals may be much less than advertised. Uncertainty continues but the map attached highlights the best estimate for snow totals as of 7PM Sunday. These totals likely will change somewhat ahead of the event on Tuesday. Please check back in for updates tomorrow!
SNOW LIKELY AT TIMES ACROSS THE REGION P.M. TUESDAY; FREEZING RAIN POSSIBLE NEAR COAST… Precipitation is currently expected to be all SNOW across much of Clarke, Monroe, Conecuh, Butler, Wilcox, Crenshaw, Choctaw, and Washington counties. Much of northern Mobile, northern Baldwin, Escambia (AL), and Covington counties will also have MOSTLY SNOW. The chance of mixed precipitation in the form of snow, sleet, and freezing rain is greatest across parts of southern Mobile, southern Baldwin, Escambia (FL), Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton counties along with southeast Alabama and the Florida Panhandle region east of Walton County. If we see significant ice accumulation issues, those are most likely to happen in these counties. Due to the rarity of winter storm events, I would caution in getting “fixed” on this precipitation type forecast meaning once the system starts moving through, there is a chance ALL of us get snow exclusively or MOST of us have mixed precipitation. This is simply the “greatest probability of precipitation type” as the forecast stands as of 7PM Sunday.
SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE REGION… No matter which precipitation type a specific city/town receives on Tuesday into Tuesday night, impacts are expected to be significant. Road conditions are likely to deteriorate rapidly on Tuesday once precipitation starts falling. Temperatures on Tuesday morning will be below freezing, meaning ground temperatures will be quite cold and supportive of snow/ice accumulating quickly. I am also concerned about Wednesday morning as temperatures will be well below freezing. Melting may take awhile on Wednesday and there is a chance some slick spots remain into Thursday. This has the makings of a very disruptive, potentially significant winter storm across ALL of south Alabama and northwest Florida. My advice to everyone is to get somewhere Monday night or very early Tuesday morning and plan to be there all day Tuesday, Tuesday night, and into Wednesday. Travel is STRONGLY discouraged during that time frame.
WARM UP COMING NEXT WEEKEND… This will be the coldest week of 2025, most likely. Overnight lows will consistently be below freezing through Friday, most likely. High temperatures will be in the 30s tomorrow and Tuesday with 40s for highs on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. There is hope for warmer weather on the horizon, however. High temperatures are projected to be in the mid 60s by the time we get to Sunday, one week from today. Great news and something to look forward to once we get through this very cold week!
APP… If you haven’t already, be sure to download the free RedZone Weather app to keep up with all the latest information on the world of weather in south Alabama and northwest Florida. redzoneweather.com/app is the link for the free download. Once you have the app downloaded to your iOS or Android device, be sure to visit the Alerts tab (lower right corner) and tap the Alert Settings button to customize the alerts you would like to receive straight from me.
We will probably produce a live video update a bit later this evening. Hope you’ll join us for that! Have a nice Sunday evening!