Kay Ivey issues State of Emergency ahead of winter weather
In anticipation of the severe winter weather the National Weather Service (NWS) has been forecasting, Gov. Kay Ivey has declared a State of Emergency. NWS has already issued Winter Weather Advisory for a large portion of Alabama in anticipation of snow, sleet and freezing rain in and near the areas under the advisory. “All Alabamians should take time to be prepared for the potential of winter weather. I have directed essential state agencies to be on the ready should they be needed over the next couple of days,” Ivey said. “As with any severe weather event, being prepared is of utmost importance. Everyone should take the necessary precautions now and stay informed of the latest weather forecasts for their area. This State of Emergency will ensure that all available state resources are ready if and when they are needed.” In anticipation of the winter weather, Ivey has allocated the following resources to be in place starting at 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning: Alabama Emergency Management Agency will activate the State Emergency Operations Center in Clanton The Alabama National Guard will activate soldiers to assist with mission support teams and command staff. “There are enough uncertainties in the forecast right now that the potential exists that this winter storm could be debilitating to the state for a couple of days due to icy conditions,” Ivey added. “We are strongly encouraging people to closely monitor this forecast because each portion of the state will face icy conditions at different times. It also important to factor in your commute time to ensure you are off the roads before the first flakes start falling from the sky. In addition to icy road conditions, another factor the state is dealing with is the massive flu outbreak. Now is a good time for people to plan ahead and remain weather aware.” By declaring a State of Emergency, Ivey is directing the appropriate state agencies to exercise their statutory authority to assist the communities and entities affected by the winter storm. Motorists are encouraged to use extreme caution while driving, check road conditions before departing, allow for increased travel times, and adjust arrival and departure times accordingly. Officials also urge motorists to limit travel to emergency situations only during the overnight hours of Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, as that is expected to be an especially cold and therefore dangerous period of time. For real-time road conditions, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is encouraging people to visit https://algotraffic.com. The Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) is reminding Alabamians that one of the most important preparedness steps that can taken is to put together an emergency preparedness kit with a three-day supply of food, water and other critical supplies. In addition, putting together a preparedness kit for vehicles that includes a car charger, ice scraper, jumper cables and blankets. To be prepared for winter weather, the AEMA urges resident to follow the following safety guidelines: Stay indoors during the storm. Drive only if it is absolutely necessary. If you must drive: travel in the day; don’t travel alone; keep others informed of your schedule and your route; stay on main roads and avoid back road shortcuts. Walk carefully on snowy, icy, walkways. Avoid overexertion when shoveling snow. Overexertion can bring on a heart attack—a major cause of death in the winter. Use caution, take breaks, push the snow instead of lifting it when possible, and lift lighter loads. Keep dry. Change wet clothing frequently to prevent a loss of body heat. Wet clothing loses all of its insulating value and transmits heat rapidly. If you must go outside, wear several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing rather than one layer of heavy clothing. The outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent. Wear mittens, which are warmer than gloves. Wear a hat and cover your mouth with a scarf to reduce heat loss. Ivey’s State of Emergency is effective at 6:00 p.m. Monday for all Alabama counties.
Surprising, early season snowstorm results in power outages, slick roads in Alabama
A pre-winter storm Friday dropped heavy, wet snow on a swath of north-central Alabama, causing power outages and making travel hazardous in spots. Revised forecasts projected as much as 6 inches of snow could fall on some sections of north-central Alabama before the storm tapers off later in the day. At noon, temperatures in the affected areas were hovering at or below freezing. Forecasters predicted colder temperatures later in the afternoon, leading to icy conditions overnight. At midday Friday, about 50,000 Alabama Power customers were without power, out of 1.4 million statewide. The brunt of the outages, about 26,000, were in metro Birmingham. About 17,000 customers were without power in eastern areas, including Gadsden and Anniston. About 3,800 customers were affected in western areas, including Walker and Tuscaloosa counties. In south-central Alabama, including Clanton and Alexander City, about 2,600 customers were without power. Alabama Power crews were working across the state to get the lights back on as soon as possible. The wet, heavy snow led to tree limbs falling on power lines in many areas, causing many of the widely scattered outages. Customers affected by power outages are encouraged to call the company’s automated power outage reporting line at 1-800-888-APCO (2726). It is the fastest way to report a power outage. Republished with permission from the Alabama NewsCenter.
ALDOT actively responds to winter weather statewide
The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) has crews responding across all areas of the state experiencing winter weather today due to Winter Storm Benji. Roadway and weather conditions will be monitored as long as necessary, with road and bridge treatment ongoing in affected areas. ALDOT crews will be actively working to keep State, U.S. and Interstate highways open. Currently, all highways remain open, but the public is urged to check www.algotraffic.com for alerts and road closure information, and to monitor their local news media for information about road conditions. Travel conditions could be considered hazardous in areas where there is any precipitation, whether it is snow, rain or a wintry mix. ALDOT urges everyone to avoid travel where adverse conditions are present until roadway and weather conditions improve. Reports from the National Weather Service mid-morning Friday said all city roads were closed in Talladega, and some streets in Anniston were becoming impassable, with multiple wrecks reported. For additional information, visit dot.state.al.us.
Gov. Robert Bentley declares state of emergency ahead of winter storm
Gov. Robert Bentley issued a state of emergency effective 7:00 a.m Friday in anticipation of snow, sleet and freezing rain across the state. Bentley made the announcement Thursday evening following a Winter Weather Advisory and Winter Storm Watch for several Alabama counties issued by the National Weather Service. “I am encouraging all Alabama residents to be prepared for the potential of significant winter weather and I have directed my essential state agencies to do the same,” Bentley said in a new release. “With any severe weather event there is always a measure of uncertainty; however, it is important for everyone to take the necessary precautions and stay informed of the latest weather predictions in your area. I have issued a State of Emergency to ensure all available state resources are ready to be deployed if and when it is deemed necessary.” Bentley has directed the following resources to be in place starting at 8:00 a.m. Friday morning. These orders will remain in place until the threat of severe weather diminishes. The Alabama Emergency Management Agency will activate the State Emergency Operations Center in Clanton to level three. Emergency Management Divisions C, D, F and G will be activated to help coordinate local response efforts. The Alabama National Guard will activate 300 soldiers to assist with mission support teams and command staff at the Joint Force Headquarters in Montgomery. “In Alabama, winter weather is hard to predict, three or four degrees can be the difference between cold rain, sleet, snow or ice,” explained Alabama Emergency Management Agency Director Art Faulkner. “I cannot stress enough the need for people to check their winter weather emergency supply kit, have a plan of action if conditions diminish as well as having a reliable method to receive the latest weather updates.” Real-time road conditions updated by the Alabama Department of Transportation may be found here.
