Rain mixed with and changed over to wet snow quickly during the early morning hours of the 7th after Midnight as a strong upper level disturbance moved through the area. Temperatures remained above freezing in valley locations, but dropped to around 32 degrees atop the higher elevations of the Cumberland Plateau.
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Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS HUN wrote it up.
Rain mixed with and changed over to wet snow quickly during the early morning hours of the 7th after Midnight as a strong upper level disturbance moved through the area. Temperatures remained above freezing in valley locations, but dropped to around 32 degrees atop the higher elevations of the Cumberland Plateau. Snow accumulations of up to 0.5 inch were reported in Jackson County, mainly atop the higher elevations of Sand Mountain and in north and northwest Jackson County. Higher amounts (although not reported) are suspected to have occurred atop the higher elevations of the Cumberland Plateau in northern Jackson County.
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 Huntsville, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 6, 11:03 PM CST, 57 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Huntsville AL 1103 PM CST Sat Feb 6 2021 .UPDATE... For 06Z TAFS. && .NEAR TERM...(Rest of tonight) Issued at 1020 PM CST Sat Feb 6 2021 A cold front has shifted further south this evening and is located from near Scottsboro southwest into Winston county, AL. Just behind the front temperatures have fallen into the mid 30s in some locations. Some of this cooling has also been aided by the heavier precipitation moving northeast ahead of the front in southern middle Tennessee. Some snow pellets have been reported falling in a few areas north of the TN river. However, no accumulations have been reported, except in portions of southern middle Tennessee in the Lawrenceburg area and primarily on grassy areas. A change over to a snow or rain/snow has been reported from Bedford county just north of the area southwest into portions of Giles county. Lawrenceburg, TN has reported up to one half of an inch of snowfall on grassy surfaces and on tops of some cars in that area already. Expect temperatures in TN to continue to drop into the 32 to 34 degree range shortly and continue to oscillate in that range overnight. Half of an inch to 1.5 inches of snow accumulation looks possible through 6 AM as a result before ending in southern middle Tennessee. Therefore, have issued a Winter Weather Advisory for light snowfall accumulations for Franklin, Moore, and Lincoln counties in Tennessee until 6 AM. Further south, temperatures do not look to drop quite as low and should remain primarily in the upper 30's. Therefore, not expecting widespread slick conditions in those areas. However, Jackson and Dekalb counties west into locations north of the TN river could see primarily around one half of an inch with up to 1 inch of snowfall in highest elevations of NE Alabama, primarily on grassy surfaces. An SPS will remain in effect for Dekalb and Jackson counties and be expanded west into counties north of the TN river. .SHORT TERM...(Sunday through Tuesday Night) Issued at 234 PM CST Sat Feb 6 2021 High pressure will quickly build into the Tennessee Valley in wake of the passage of the mid/upper trough Sunday morning. Dry air will quickly bring about an end to precipitation and eventually be able to mix down and break-up the morning cloud cover. This will result in a mostly sunny, but cold day with northerly winds will keep highs in check and in the low to mid 40s in most locations. Expect a quick change, however, as a subtropical ridge over south Florida will begin to nose into the region from the south and east. The end result will be a prevailing southwesterly fetch aloft and the advection of a warm, moist air mass. As a result, expect at least partly sunny conditions to develop during this period, with temperatures surging back into the upper 50s to lower 60s each day. This is quite a stark contrast to forecasts earlier in the week which brought an arctic front and air mass into the region. Now, confidence is high in the opposite happening -- with the front (and bitter cold air) remaining stalled to our northwest. .LONG TERM...(Wednesday through Friday) Issued at 234 PM CST Sat Feb 6 2021 The extended forecast can be summed up in one word: uncertain. Major differences exist between each of the long-range models on where the arctic front will remain, when it will begin to move further to the southeast into our area, and how modified the air mass will become. The answers to these questions will have a huge impact on temperatures, moisture, and subsequently weather type. There is a large spread in the ensemble data (temperature ranges of 30-40 degrees in some cases) that will subsequently result in anything from thunderstorms to a snow/wintry-mix during the middle to end of the week. The trend over the last 3-4 model runs continues to support milder temperatures Wednesday into Thursday, with the arctic front still stalled to our northwest. The would support high temperatures in the mid/upper 50s to lower 60s each day and with the advection of a warm and modestly unstable air mass, a shot at some scattered thunderstorms developing ahead of this boundary, especially on Thursday. It should be noted that the GFS (while a still cooler than the ECMWF and its ensembles), has now trended milder as well and now supports a mainly rain solution through Thursday evening, before an strong upper-level trough Thursday night into Friday. This will result in a change over from rain to snow during the late night and early morning period Friday morning as temperatures plunge below the freezing mark with the passage of the front. However, even with this colder solution, the chance for wintry weather looks limited to maybe some snow showers Thursday night into Friday, with accumulations being much more limited in this scenario than highlighted in previous runs. The ECMWF is a little less bullish on the magnitude of the colder air mass and the available moisture to generate any wintry precipitation on Friday. All in all, a lot of details still to work through and as a result, confidence is still fairly low with respect to this period. Stay tuned for future updates. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Sunday night) Issued at 1103 PM CST Sat Feb 6 2021 Light SHRA will continue at both terminals with predominant MVFR CIGS behind a front that just pushed south of the terminals. Expect this SHRA activity to continue and a period between 6Z and 10Z at both terminals of a mix of SHRASN. Winds behind the front have turned to the N or NE. IFR CIGS or VSBYS could be possible during this time. Snow accumulations at the terminals are not expected at this time, as we expect this to occur mainly north of the terminals. Expect MVFR CIGS to become predominant after 10Z at both terminals as precipitation ends. VFR CIGS and conditions should continue into the evening hours as winds become light. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...NONE. TN...Winter Weather Advisory until 6 AM CST Sunday for TNZ076-096-097. && NEAR TERM...KTW SHORT TERM...AMP.24 LONG TERM...AMP.24 AVIATION...KTW For more information please visit our website at weather.gov/huntsville.
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Huntsville AL 1031 PM CST Sat Feb 6 2021 ALZ001>010-016-071215- Lauderdale-Colbert-Franklin AL-Lawrence-Limestone-Madison-Morgan- Marshall-Jackson-DeKalb-Cullman- 1031 PM CST Sat Feb 6 2021 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central Alabama, northeast Alabama and northwest Alabama. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Light rain may mix with or change to snow overnight, especially north of the Tennessee River. Snow accumulations for most areas will be a dusting. However, in the higher elevations of eastern Madison, Jackson and DeKalb counties, one half to one inch amounts are possible. This may cause a few slick spots to develop overnight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms will be possible Wednesday night into Thursday across the Tennessee Valley. Additional chances of snow exist Thursday night into Friday morning, however, this situation is quite uncertain, and thus snow accumulations impacts are not specified as of yet. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Activation of storm spotters and emergency management personnel is not anticipated at this time. TNZ076-096-097-071215- Moore-Lincoln-Franklin TN- 1031 PM CST Sat Feb 6 2021 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST SUNDAY... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southern middle Tennessee. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Winter Weather Advisory. Snow accumulations of one half to one and one half inches are expected. Slick travel may develop, especially on bridges and overpasses. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms will be possible Wednesday night into Thursday across the Tennessee Valley. Additional chances of snow exist Thursday night into Friday morning, however, this situation is quite uncertain, and thus snow accumulations impacts are not specified as of yet. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Activation of storm spotters and emergency management personnel is not anticipated at this time.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Huntsville AL 1034 PM CST Sat Feb 6 2021 ALZ001-005-006-009-010-071215- Lauderdale-Limestone-Madison-Jackson-DeKalb- Including the cities of Florence, Athens, Huntsville, Scottsboro, Fort Payne, and Rainsville 1034 PM CST Sat Feb 6 2021 ...Minor Accumulations of Snow Tonight... Rain mixed with snow will change to wet snow overnight north of the Tennessee River and in Jackson and DeKalb counties in northeastern Alabama. Snow accumulations for most areas will be a dusting. However, in the higher elevations of eastern Madison, Jackson and DeKalb counties, one half to one inch amounts are possible. A few slick spots may develop in these areas where temperatures dip to near freezing late tonight and early Sunday morning, although much of the accumulation will be on grassy or elevated surfaces. Little to no accumulation is expected further south and west. The precipitation will end by sunrise Sunday morning. Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio, or a favorite local media outlet, for further statements or updates from the National Weather Service in Huntsville. 20
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Snow accumulations of 0.5 inch were reported 8.0 miles NNE of Woodville and 1.8 miles W of Pisgah.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, February 2021
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: 939051.