A shallow arctic air mass combined with a developing low pressure system moving across the area created light rain that froze on contact with surface objects.
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The episode as NWS MOB wrote it up.
A shallow arctic air mass combined with a developing low pressure system moving across the area created light rain that froze on contact with surface objects.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Mobile, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 3, 5:01 AM CST, 37 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
501 AM CST THU FEB 3 2011
.SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT)STILL A TRICKY FORECAST FOR MAINLY
THE FIRST 12 HOURS TODAY WHERE A MIX OF LIGHT RAIN...FREEZING RAIN
AND SLEET WILL OCCUR IN THE ADVISED AREA UNTIL 10 AM THIS MORNING
THEN CHANGING OVER THE MOSTLY LIGHT RAIN AND SLEET THROUGH THIS
AFTERNOON. CONCERNING THE FREEZING RAIN STILL BELIEVE IT WILL BE
VERY MINIMAL WITH "MAYBE" A 1/10 OF AN INCH ON ELEVATED SURFACES
THROUGH 9 OR 10 AM THIS MORNING. THIS MEANS SOME AREAS MIGHT SEE
VERY LIGHT ICING .10 OF AN INCH OR LESS ON SOME BRIDGES OR
OVERPASSES UP UNTIL 10 AM THIS MORNING. FOR THE REST OF THE DAY SFC
TEMPS CLIMB ABOVE FREEZING FOR ALL AREAS WITH RAIN LIKELY MIXED WITH
SLEET AT TIMES WITH LITTLE TO NO ACCUMULATIONS EXPECTED. AS FOR NOW
WILL CONTINUE THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
THOUGH REMOVE THE WORDING OF FREEZING RAIN FOR AFTER 10 AM THIS
MORNING. AS THE PRECIP BECOMES BETTER DEVELOPED LATER TODAY AND
TONIGHT...MOSTLY IN RESPONSE TO UPPER JET TO THE WEST NOSING CLOSER
TO THE REGION COMBINED WITH A DEEPER MOISTURE COLUMN IN THE LOWER
AND MIDDLE LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE...THE THREAT FOR MORE WINTRY MIX
DECREASES AS SFC TEMPS REMAIN ABOVE FREEZING AND TEMPS IN THE MIDDLE
LAYERS WARM SLIGHTLY. AS FOR TEMPS...TODAY AND TONIGHT...WILL LEAN
TOWARDS THE COOLER MAV GUIDANCE THROUGH TONIGHT. 32/EE
FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...A FULL FLEDGED ISENTROPIC RAIN EVENT
SHOULD BE ONGOING FRIDAY...EASING UP FRIDAY NIGHT. MODELS ARE IN
GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT A CLOSED UPPER LOW WILL MOVE FROM THE EL PASO
AREA TO WEST CENTRAL TEXAS BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON...THEN OPEN UP AND
MOVE OUT TO THE NORTHEAST. THE COLD LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL CONTINUE AS
THE SURFACE HIGH MOVES FROM THE 4CRNRS AREA EAST TOWARD THE
TENNESSEE VALLEY. RAINFALL TOTALS BETWEEN 1 AND 2 INCHES IN A BAND
FROM SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI TO THE NORTHEAST...SOMEWHAT ALONG I-65
FROM MOBILE NORTHEAST WITH THE HIGHER TOTALS TO THE NORTHEAST WHERE
THE RAIN SHOULD LAST LONGER. THINK BY FRIDAY MORNING THE WET BULB
WILL HAVE CAME UP ENOUGH THAT IT SHOULD BE ALL RAIN...EXCEPT FOR
POSSIBLY SOME SNOW FLURRIES LAST FRIDAY NIGHT NORTHWEST OF A
GREENVILLE WIGGINS LINE AS THE PRECIPITATION IS ENDING. HIGH
TEMPERATURES LOW AND MID 40S FRIDAY...UPPER 40S TO MID 50S ON
SATURDAY. FRIDAY NIGH LOWS UPPER 20S OVER THE WESTERN
SECTIONS...FREEZING OR HIGHER FROM MOBILE TO CAMDEN AND EASTWARD.
/11
&&
.LONG TERM...(SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)SURFACE HIGH BY SUNDAY WILL
BE OVER GEORGIA WITH SOUTHERLY WINDS RETURNING TO THE AREA. A NEAR
NORMAL TEMPERATURES DAY SUNDAY WITH HIGHS AROUND 60 AND AMPLE
SUNSHINE. HOWEVER THE NEXT UPPER SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED SURFACE FRONT
WILL BE JUST WEST OF THE FORECAST AREA MONDAY MORNING AND WILL BE
ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA BY TUESDAY MORNING. THIS WILL BRING ANOTHER
CHANCE FOR RAIN FROM SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. THE FAST
MOVING SYSTEM SHOULD NOT PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT RAIN AS THE MOISTURE
WILL NOT HAVE MUCH OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN AHEAD OF THE FAST MOVING
SYSTEM. THE GFS IS FASTER IN MOVING THROUGH THE PRECIPITATION ACROSS
THAN THE EURO SO THERE WILL LIKELY BE CHANGES MADE IN THE TIMING AND
AMOUNT. AFTER THE BRIEF WARM UP ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY...TEMPERATURES
DROP AGAIN AFTER THE UPPER TROUGH PASSES...AGAIN SOME DIFFERENCE IN
TIMING BUT EVENTUALLY THE COLDER AIR WILL ARRIVE. FOR NOW HAVE LOW
TEMPERATURES UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S TUESDAY MORNING AND MID 20S
WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY MORNING. THE 03/00Z TEMPERATURE GUIDANCE WAS
12 TO 17 DEGREES COOLER THAN THE 02/00Z GUIDANCE. /11
&&
.MARINE...A MODERATE TO STRONG NORTHERLY WIND FLOW WILL CONTINUE
OVER THE MARINE AREA THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY IN RESPONSE TO AN AREA
OF LOW PRESSURE MOVING NORTHEAST OVER THE CENTRAL GULF...COMBINED
WITH STRONG HIGH PRESSURE OVER EAST TEXAS AND THE WESTERN GULF. SEAS
WILL RANGE FROM 5 TO 8 FEET 20 TO 60 NM OUT AND FROM 3 TO 5 FEET OUT
TO 20 NM WITH CHOPPY TO ROUGH CONDITIONS ON AREA BAYS AND SOUNDS
THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY. AREAS OF RAIN MIXED WITH SLEET AT TIMES WILL
BE LIKELY EARLY TODAY...TURNING OVER TO MOST RAIN LATE TODAY AND
TONIGHT CONTINUING INTO FRIDAY. WINDS WILL BECOME MOSTLY WEST AND
DECREASE SATURDAY THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES OVER
THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF. NORTHERLY WINDS AND SEAS WILL REBUILD SUNDAY
NIGHT INTO MONDAY IN THE WAKE OF A COLD FRONT WHICH MOVES ACROSS THE
REGION LATE SUNDAY NIGHT. 32/EE
&&
.AVIATION...VFR CONDITIONS EARLY TODAY WITH CEILINGS BETWEEN 5 AND
8K FT IN LIGHT RAIN AND SLEET...LOWERING TO IFR CONDITIONS BY MIDDAY
CONTINUING THROUGH 12 FRI WITH CEILINGS RANGING FROM 500 TO 900 FT.
MODERATE RAIN MIXED WITH SLEET THIS AFTERNOON TURNING OVER TO MOSTLY
RAIN OVERNIGHT THROUGH 12Z FRI. WINDS WILL CONTINUE FROM THE NORTH
AT AROUND 15 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 20 KNOTS AT TIMES THROUGH
12Z FRI. 32/EE
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...SURFACE HUMIDITY WILL BE INCREASING SLOWLY THROUGH
THE AFTERNOON AS DEW POINTS INCREASE WITH THE RAIN. NEXT DRY
SPELL(HUMIDITY WISE)LOOKS TO BE TUESDAY WHEN AFTERNOON HUMIDITY
SHOULD BE AROUND 30 PERCENT. /11
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MOBILE 38 34 45 33 / 70 90 100 40
PENSACOLA 43 37 48 40 / 60 90 100 70
DESTIN 47 39 50 43 / 60 80 100 70
EVERGREEN 36 36 44 35 / 70 90 100 50
WAYNESBORO 36 32 42 29 / 70 90 100 50
CAMDEN 36 35 42 33 / 70 90 100 60
CRESTVIEW 43 39 48 38 / 60 90 100 80
&&
.MOB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: BUTLER...CHOCTAW...CLARKE...CONECUH...COVINGTON...
CRENSHAW...ESCAMBIA...MONROE...UPPER BALDWIN...UPPER
MOBILE...WASHINGTON...AND WILCOX.
FL...NONE.
MS...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: GEORGE...GREENE...PERRY...STONE...AND WAYNE.
GM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: COASTAL WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL OUT 20
NM...COASTAL WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS OUT
20 NM...AND MOBILE BAY.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL FROM 20 TO 60
NM...AND WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS FROM 20
TO 60 NM.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 300 PM CST WED FEB 2 2011 ALZ051>064-FLZ001>006-GMZ630-650-655-670-675-MSZ067-075-076-078- 079-032100- CHOCTAW-WASHINGTON-CLARKE-WILCOX-MONROE-CONECUH-BUTLER-CRENSHAW- ESCAMBIA-COVINGTON-UPPER MOBILE-UPPER BALDWIN-LOWER MOBILE- LOWER BALDWIN-INLAND ESCAMBIA-COASTAL ESCAMBIA-INLAND SANTA ROSA- COASTAL SANTA ROSA-INLAND OKALOOSA-COASTAL OKALOOSA-MOBILE BAY- COASTAL WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS FROM 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM-WAYNE-PERRY- GREENE-STONE-GEORGE- 300 PM CST WED FEB 2 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF INTERIOR SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE...AND THE ADJACENT GULF COASTAL WATERS OF ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA. .DAY ONE....TONIGHT AND THURSDAY A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TONIGHT AND THURSDAY FOR INTERIOR SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND MOST OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA. CURRENTLY THIS AFTERNOON...THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN SOME REPORTS OF SLEET AROUND THE REGION. THIS SAME AREA OF PRECIPITATION WILL FURTHER EXPAND OVER OUR REGION TONIGHT. THE PRECIPITATION WILL LIKELY BEGIN AS A PERIOD OF SLEET LATE TONIGHT OVER INTERIOR SOUTHEASTERN MISSISSIPPI AND INTERIOR SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND DEVELOP NORTHEASTWARD AS THE NIGHT PROGRESSES TO BE APPROXIMATELY NORTH OF A LINE FROM PERKINSTON MISSISSIPPI TO CITRONELLE...APPLETON... ANDALUSIA AND BRANTLEY IN ALABAMA. IS IS EXPECTED THAT THE WINTRY PRECIPITATION WILL BEGIN AS SLEET AND THEN CHANGE OVER TO FREEZING RAIN AS THE NIGHT PROGRESSES. THE MOST INTENSE PRECIPITATION RATES ARE STILL EXPECTED AROUND SUNRISE AND WILL ENDURE THROUGH TOMORROW AFTERNOON. UP TO ROUGHLY FIFTEEN HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH OF LIQUID EQUIVALENT RAINFALL COULD OCCUR...AND THIS WILL CREATE A LIGHT TO MODERATE GLAZE ACCRUAL ESPECIALLY ON BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. LESS THAN A HALF INCH OF SLEET IS EXPECTED AT THE ONSET OF THE PRECIPITATION AND BEFORE IT CHANGES TO FREEZING RAIN. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR FREEZING RAIN MEANS THAT LESS THAN A QUARTER OF AN INCH OF FREEZING RAIN WILL OCCUR IN A TWELVE HOUR PERIOD AND THIS WILL ACT TO CREATE A LIGHT TO MODERATE FROZEN GLAZE ON EXPOSED OBJECTS...PARTICULARLY METAL OBJECTS...BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. THIS MAY BRING DOWN LIMBS ON TREES. A STRONG OFFSHORE FLOW OVER THE MARINE AREA MAINTAIN HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR SMALL CRAFT THROUGH TONIGHT. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES REMAIN IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY. THIS PERIOD WILL BE CHARACTERIZED BY A SERIES OF FAST MOVING WEATHER SYSTEMS BEGINNING WITH THE FIRST SYSTEM THURSDAY NIGHT AND INTO FRIDAY. THIS SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO PRODUCE RAIN ONLY WITH NO THUNDERSTORMS. IT IS FORECAST TO CLEAR THE AREA LATE FRIDAY NIGHT. A SECOND DRIER BUT COLDER SYSTEM MAY BRING SOME LIGHT PRECIPITATION TO THE AREA ON MONDAY AND WILL EXIT LATE DAY. IT IS TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE PRECIPITATION TYPE AT THIS TIME GIVEN FORECAST UNCERTAINTIES IN THE LONG RANGE. A MODERATE TO STRONG OFFSHORE FLOW...GIVING WAY TO HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR SMALL CRAFT...WILL PERSIST OVER THE MARINE AREA THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... AT THIS TIME ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS IS NOT ANTICIPATED.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Freezing rain caused a light glaze to develop on several area roadways and overpasses. This caused a few minor traffic accidents.
Freezing rain caused a very light thin glaze of ice on elevated metal and inanimate objects at NWS office. No road or travel problems were noted around the area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, February 2011
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 288165, 288167.