The Alabama Department of Transportation announced Thursday it is preparing for a potentially high-impact winter weather event this weekend. Hazardous conditions, including snow and ice, are expected to develop, and the agency is monitoring forecasts and coordinating with partners to prepare and respond.
Forecasts continue to evolve, but the storm is expected to bring snow, freezing rain and sleet across much of the northern half of Alabama, with the heaviest snowfall currently forecast north of the Tennessee River.
What to know about preparations and how to stay safe:
ALDOT’s Winter Weather Preparations
- Monitoring Conditions: ALDOT personnel are actively tracking weather forecasts and roadway conditions, particularly in areas expected to experience the most severe winter weather impacts.
- Pretreatment Plans: Depending on conditions, crews may pretreat roads to minimize ice formation. It is important to note that this is highly dependent on whether rain precedes or accompanies the wintry precipitation, as rain can wash away pretreatment materials.
- Prioritizing Roads: ALDOT prioritizes bridges and interstate highways first, followed by U.S. and state highways based on traffic volume.
Tips for Motorists
ALDOT urges motorists to take extra precautions when driving in winter weather conditions. Here are some important safety tips:
- Avoid travel until conditions improve: Once winter precipitation begins, ALDOT urges motorists to avoid travel during adverse weather and roadway conditions.
- Slow down: If travel cannot be avoided, reduce your speed and increase your following distance, allowing extra room to stop. Plan additional travel time to reach your destination.
- Be aware of black ice: Bridges and overpasses are particularly susceptible to black ice, which is a clear layer of ice that is not visible to drivers.
- Avoid sudden braking and steering: These actions can cause your vehicle to lose control.
- Turn on your headlights: This will make your vehicle more visible to other drivers.
- Avoid using cruise control on icy roads: This can cause you to lose control of your vehicle if you hydroplane.
- Watch for workers: Be aware of emergency personnel and crews treating and clearing roadways.
- Move crashed vehicles: In the event of a minor crash, safely move vehicles off the roadway if possible to maintain access for first responders and treatment crews. Do not abandon vehicles in travel lanes.
Stay Informed
Motorists are encouraged by ALDOT to stay informed about road conditions by visiting ALDOTNews.com, ALGOTraffic.com or download the ALGO Traffic app, as well as follow ALGO Traffic on X (formerly Twitter) and ALDOT on Facebook.
Follow regional operation accounts on Facebook and X for more local information:
- ALDOT North Region Facebook, X (formerly Twitter): (Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marshall and Morgan counties)
- ALDOT West Central Region Facebook, X (formerly Twitter): (Bibb, Chilton, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Marion, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa, Walker and Winston counties)
- ALDOT East Central Region Facebook, X (formerly Twitter): (Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Jefferson, Randolph, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega and Tallapoosa counties)
- ALDOT Southeast Region Facebook, X (formerly Twitter): (Autauga, Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Dallas, Elmore, Henry, Houston, Geneva, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Montgomery, Pike and Russell counties)
- ALDOT Southwest Region Facebook, X (formerly Twitter): (Baldwin, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Marengo, Mobile, Monroe, Washington and Wilcox counties)
