Winter weather threat closes schools Tuesday, officials urge caution

With significant winter weather anticipated for Tuesday, Vestavia Hills City Schools have elected to close for the day, according to a release from the district office.

Jefferson County schools, along with several other municipalities, also called off school for Tuesday. The special board of education meeting scheduled for 8 a.m. Tuesday was still expected to be held, according to the release.

On Monday afternoon, the National Weather Service’s Birmingham office upgraded the entire central Alabama region to a winter weather advisory.

Anywhere from 0.5 to 1.5 inches of snow is expected Tuesday, but experts’ greatest concern is not the amount of accumulation. Rather, it’s the timing and set-up of the system that will likely cause significant traffic problems and possibly even dangerous driving conditions throughout the area.

With highs around 50 degrees on Monday, the National Weather Service said in a Facebook Live broadcast that roads could absorb enough heat to cause partial melting of snow accumulations on Tuesday. Pair that with temperatures in the upper 20s and low 30s, and a hard refreezing of precipitation on roadways is highly likely.

Jim Stefkovich, a meteorologist with the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, compared the cold front’s set-up and timing to 2014, when thousands of motorists were stranded for hours or even overnight.

Those who do plan to venture out Tuesday morning should be prepared to be home or wherever they intend to be for the next 24 to 36 hours by the time the snowflakes begin to fall, Stefkovich said in his release on the Alabama EMA website.

The National Weather Service anticipates snowfall to begin between 10 a.m. and noon for the northern half of Jefferson County, and between noon and 2 p.m. for the southern half and Shelby County.

Timing, however, can change, and motorists should monitor conditions, Stefkovich said.

The weather service also expects frigid temperatures, with wind chills dipping into the low teens Tuesday night. Property owners are encouraged to cover exposed pipes and leave faucets dripping, and pet owners should bring pets inside.

For updates, follow the National Weather Service on Facebook or on Twitter at @NWSBirmingham.