Special Weather Statement

Here is the NWS Special Weather Statement for the Huntsville area issued this morning Just before 5am.


SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
453 AM CST THU JAN 28 2010

ALZ001>010-016-282230-
LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN-
MARSHALL-JACKSON-DEKALB-CULLMAN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FLORENCE...MUSCLE SHOALS...RUSSELLVILLE...
MOULTON...ATHENS...HUNTSVILLE...DECATUR...GUNTERSVILLE...
SCOTTSBORO...FORT PAYNE...CULLMAN
453 AM CST THU JAN 28 2010

...WINTER STORM SYSTEM EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE TENNESSEE VALLEY
FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING...

A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL DEVELOP IN TEXAS AND MOVE ACROSS
THE GULF COASTAL PLAIN REGION ON FRIDAY INTO EARLY SATURDAY. AN
ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL SETTLE TO THE NORTH OF THE
REGION...ACTING AS A SOURCE OF COLD AIR FOR THE DEVELOPING STORM
SYSTEM. AS THE STORM TRACKS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST...COLD AIR WILL
BE DRAWN ACROSS NORTHERN ALABAMA...SETTING THE STAGE FOR A WINTRY
MIX OF PRECIPITATION BEGINNING AS EARLY AS FRIDAY MORNING AND
LASTING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING.

PRECIPITATION MAY BEGIN PRIMARILY AS FREEZING RAIN OR SLEET EARLY
FRIDAY MORNING IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA...WITH TEMPERATURES HOVERING
NEAR OR JUST BELOW FREEZING. A GRADUAL WARMUP WILL OCCUR DURING
THE MORNING HOWEVER...WITH TEMPERATURES LIKELY CLIMBING ABOVE
FREEZING BY LATE MORNING ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA. PRECIPITATION
WILL SPREAD EASTWARD ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN ALABAMA
BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON...AND SHOULD PRIMARILY BE IN THE FORM OF RAIN.
HOWEVER...PRECIPITATION MAY BEGIN AS FREEZING RAIN OR SLEET
BRIEFLY AT THE ONSET IN THESE AREAS.

TEMPERATURES WILL FALL AGAIN BY LATE IN THE DAY...AS COLD AIR
BEGINS TO WRAP AROUND THE BACKSIDE OF THE SYSTEM. A GRADUAL
CHANGEOVER TO PRIMARILY FROZEN PRECIPITATION...INCLUDING SLEET AND
SNOW IS POSSIBLE ON THE BACK EDGE OF THE SYSTEM AS IT DEPARTS THE
AREA FRIDAY NIGHT. LIGHT SNOW OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS APPEAR
POSSIBLE MAINLY IN NORTHWESTERN AND FAR NORTHERN ALABAMA AT THIS
TIME. LIGHT FREEZING RAIN AND DRIZZLE WILL THEN BE POSSIBLE LATE
FRIDAY NIGHT AS THE SYSTEM MOVES OUT OF THE SOUTHEAST...AND A COLD
AIR MASS MOVES ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA. BLACK ICE MAY ALSO BE A
CONCERN DUE TO REMAINING WATER ON ROADS...BRIDGES...AND OVERPASSES.

TEMPERATURES ON SATURDAY MAY ONLY CLIMB ABOVE FREEZING FOR A FEW
HOURS WHICH MAY NOT ALLOW FOR SIGNIFICANT MELTING OF ANY
ACCUMULATIONS OF ICE OR SNOW. THUS...HAZARDOUS TRAVEL MAY CONTINUE
INTO THE WEEKEND.

SPECIFIC PRECIPITATION TYPE AND AMOUNTS WITH THIS STORM WILL BE
DEPENDENT ON MANY FACTORS INCLUDING THE EXACT TRACK OF THIS
STORM...WHICH REMAINS UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME. THUS...KEEP ABREAST
OF THE LATEST FORECAST INFORMATION REGARDING THIS POTENTIAL WINTER
WEATHER SITUATION.