Snow lands on a hiking trail today at Cheaha State Park. (Photo by Stephen Gross/The Anniston Star)
By 8 this morning reports of snow flurries across central Alabama were appearing on social media. People also reported flurries in Jacksonville and atop Mount Cheaha, where snow began collecting on the roadside before noon.
”It’s absolutely beautiful,” said Tammy Power, the acting superintendent at Cheaha State Park. “It just looks like Christmas, even though Christmas is over.”
The National Weather Service in Birmingham received steady reports of snowfall this morning. Meteorologist Mark Linhares said light snowfall was reported in south Alabama, almost to Montgomery.
Linhares said meteorologist are expecting little to no accumulation, though trace amounts of snow are collecting atop Cheaha.
“I do see it on grasses and on the tops of buildings on Cheaha,” said Linhares, while viewing the mountain from the weather service building in Birmingham. “You certainly can see it.”
Because of its elevation, Mount Cheaha, the state’s highest point, is more likely to have snow accumulation than other locations in the stat, Linhares said.
“There are no other points close to being that high,” Linhares said.
People have been visiting the state park today to catch glimpses of the snow, Powers said, speaking by phone from Cheaha.
“Everybody is just sort of saying, ‘wow,’” Powers said.
Central Alabama residents can expect to remain under cloud cover throughout the day, with temperatures hovering around 42 and wind gusts as high as 35 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service.
Wind gusts are expected to remain strong overnight as the low dips to 30. Thursday’s high temperature is expected to be 45. Temps are not expected to go above the low 50s through the weekend.
Staff Writer Laura Johnson: 256-235-3544. On Twitter @LJohnson_Star.
