East Alabama & West Georgia Brace For High Chance for Winter Weather Impacts This Weekend

As East Alabama and West Georgia brace for the possibility of inclement winter weather, Confidence in the probability of a winter storm this weekend has increased from 40-70% to 60-90%, with the primary threat of a wintry mix of freezing rain and sleet, raising the concern about power outages and travel disruptions due to hazardous road conditions.

According to the Chambers EMA, a significant cold Arctic air mass will follow the wintry mix, bringing dangerously low temperatures through Monday. Precipitation is expected to begin in Chambers around Saturday afternoon, between 3 and 4 PM. Initially, we will experience cold rain, which will transition to freezing rain as the cold front moves southeastward.

Sunday’s temperatures are currently forecasted to reach about 36 degrees, but it remains uncertain how long this will last and if it will lead to any melting. During the webinar, experts indicated that the cold air mass would arrive so swiftly that temperatures would drop again before significant melting could occur, resulting in further issues with freezing conditions. Freezing rain is also expected early Sunday, as illustrated in the attached webinar graphics.

As of now, the best chance for local impacts is Saturday evening and continuing into Sunday morning and day, with a potential for refreezing on Sunday night. However, as we are still 5-6 days away from the event, forecast timing is likely to change.

It is much too early to determine specific types and amounts of precipitation. Still, several reliable models have suggested the possibility of a damaging icing event just north and east of Columbus, with ice accumulation ranging from 0.54 to 0.72 inches or more for areas including Randolph, Chambers, and Lee, according to a Chambers EMA press release.

This situation illustrates how a difference of just a degree or two can shift conditions from cold rain to an icy surface, a precision we cannot accurately predict until closer to the event. Meteorologists highlighted that the freezing line will fluctuate throughout the storm, causing potential transitions between rain, freezing rain, and back again.

The State EMA plans to conduct a coordinated call today or tomorrow to discuss whether a State of Emergency will be declared for Alabama. Confidence is high among meteorologists across Alabama and Georgia that this will be a significant winter event, even extending farther south than Lee County, due to the combination of freezing rain/sleet and the extreme cold temperatures that will follow. Preparations for travel impacts and power outages are crucial. Models indicate that the wintry mix should end by late Sunday afternoon, but we shouldn’t expect a thaw until Monday, around noon, when temperatures are expected to rise slightly above 40 degrees.