Alabama, 2024Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Alabama, January 14 to 16, 2024
January 14 to 16, 2024 · NWS HUN · 11 events in 11 counties and zones
An impactful winter storm occurred after the passage of an Arctic cold front on the 14th and an upper level disturbance and jet streak tracked east-northeast through the mid South and Tennessee Valley the evening of the 14th into the 15th. This resulted in a band of heavy snow with some sleet mixed in at times that accumulated to 4 to 8 inches across far northwest into far north central Alabama…
Every event with a place to put it; 11 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 1
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 11
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.
An impactful winter storm occurred after the passage of an Arctic cold front on the 14th and an upper level disturbance and jet streak tracked east-northeast through the mid South and Tennessee Valley the evening of the 14th into the 15th. This resulted in a band of heavy snow with some sleet mixed in at times that accumulated to 4 to 8 inches across far northwest into far north central Alabama near the Tennessee state line. Just to the south of this snow band, a band of heavy sleet accumulated from 1 to 3 inches in northwest through north central and northeast Alabama. Ice accumulation resulting from intermittent freezing rain and drizzle also occurred in a narrow band across southern portions of north Alabama. Dozens of roads and streets were closed at some point due to the dangerous and impassible road conditions. Severe travel disruptions occurred for several days given that near record or record cold temperatures in the single digits above zero to as low as the lower teens below zero would occur, delaying any improvement in road conditions. Temperatures would remain below freezing through the 19th before temperatures warmed into the middle 30s to lower 40s, but then dropped below freezing for a couple more days. Substantial improvement did not occur until the 23rd or 24th when temperatures stayed above freezing.
Event by event
6 sleet, 2 heavy snow, 2 winter weather, 1 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Sleet, Cullman
- When
- January 14, 1:00 PM CST to January 16, 8:00 AM CST
- Where
- Cullman forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 34.132, -86.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy sleet mixed with some snow accumulated across the county. The highest accumulation reported was 0.8 inches in Joppa (COOP). Freezing rain accumulation of 0.02 inches and snow accumulation of 0.5 inches was also reported at this location. Vinemont 2 NNW reported 0.3 inches of sleet and 0.03 inches of freezing rain. Cullman 4.4 E reported 0.4 inches of sleet.
Sleet, Franklin
- When
- January 14, 6:00 PM CST to January 15, 10:00 PM CST
- Where
- Franklin forecast zone
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 34.442, -87.844 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy sleet accumulated across the county. The highest accumulation reported was 3 inches in Red Bay (EMA). In Russellville (COOP), 0.8 inches of sleet accumulated. A few areas also received a light glaze of ice due to freezing rain which preceded the sleet and snow.
Sleet, Colbert
- When
- January 14, 6:00 PM CST to January 15, 7:00 PM CST
- Where
- Colbert forecast zone
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 34.700, -87.805 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A combination of heavy sleet and snow accumulated across the county. The highest accumulation reported was 3.0 inches at the Muscle Shoals Water Plant (COOP). A report of 1.2 inches of sleet and snow was reported at Muscle Shoals 1.3 SSW (CoCoRaHS). A few areas also received a light glaze of ice due to freezing rain which preceded the sleet and snow.
Heavy Snow, Limestone
- When
- January 14, 6:00 PM CST to January 15, 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Limestone forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
- Coordinates
- 34.810, -86.981 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy snow mixed with some sleet fell across the northwest portion of the county where 2 to 4 inches of snow likely fell. However, there was a lack of precipitation measurements received. The remainder of the county received heavy sleet and some snow mixed, and preceded by a light glaze of ice due to freezing rain. Sleet and snow accumulation of 0.6 to 1.6 inches was received. The heaviest amount reported was 1.6 inches at Athens 8 ENE (CoCoRaHS).
Heavy Snow, Lauderdale
- When
- January 14, 6:00 PM CST to January 15, 7:00 PM CST
- Where
- Lauderdale forecast zone
- Injuries
- 0 direct, 1 indirect
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 34.901, -87.654 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy snow fell across northwest and northern portions of Lauderdale County where 3 to nearly 8 inches of snow accumulation was reported. Areas further southeast received a combination of snow and sleet, with accumulations of 2 to 4 inches were reported. The heaviest NWS official accumulation was at Lexington with 6.1 inches (COOP). However, there was a public report of 7.8 inches in the same community. Accumulations of 4 to 6 inches were reported in western and northern portions of the Florence community and points north and west. Snowfall reports of 6.0 inches at Cloverdale 6.6 WSW (CoCoRaHS) and 7.0 inches at Florence 9.9 NW (CoCoRaHS) were received.
An 8 year old female experienced a serious head injury in a sledding accident.
Sleet, Madison
- When
- January 14, 6:00 PM CST to January 16, 5:00 AM CST
- Where
- Madison forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
- Coordinates
- 34.763, -86.550 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A band of heavy snow occurred in far northern Madison County, where 2 to 6 inches fell. The heaviest amount official total was 3.2 inches at Harvest 3.9 SE (CoCoRaHS). | however, a public report of 5.5 inches was received 1 S of Meridianville. South of this band, heavy sleet fell, at time mixed with light snow, and also preceded by a light glaze of freezing rain. Sleet accumulations ranged from 0.5 inch or less in far southeast Madison County where freezing rain was a bit more prevalent, up to 1.5 inches in Madison.
Sleet, Lawrence
- When
- January 14, 7:00 PM CST to January 15, 10:00 PM CST
- Where
- Lawrence forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 34.522, -87.311 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy sleet mixed with some snow accumulated across the county. The highest accumulation reported was 0.8 inches in Moulton (COOP). A few areas also received a light glaze of ice due to freezing rain which preceded the sleet and snow.
Sleet, Morgan
- When
- January 14, 7:00 PM CST to January 15, 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Morgan forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 34.454, -86.853 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy sleet mixed with some snow accumulated across the county. The highest accumulation reported was 1.0 inch at Decatur 4 SE (COOP). A few areas also received a light glaze of ice due to freezing rain which preceded the sleet and snow.
Winter Weather, Jackson
- When
- January 15, 8:00 AM CST to January 16, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Jackson forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
- Coordinates
- 34.779, -85.999 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A combination of light freezing rain, sleet and some snow fell across the county. Accumulations were mostly on the light side for much of the county with sleet amounts generally less than 0.5 inch. In Scottsoboro, the official observation (COOP) was 0.2 inches of sleet accumulation. However, due to a lack of precipitation reporting locations in rural northwest Jackson County, it is unknown how much snow and sleet accumulation occurred. It is likely that at least 1 to 2 inches fell in this area based on extrapolation of nearby locations.
Winter Storm, Marshall
- When
- January 15, 7:00 PM CST to January 16, 10:00 AM CST
- Where
- Marshall forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 34.367, -86.307 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A combination of sleet and freezing rain fell across the county with many locations receiving 0.5 to 1.0 inch of sleet accumulation and a light glaze of ice due to freezing. In the northern portion of the county in the town of Grant, a glaze of ice up to 0.25 inch due to freezing rain was reported. Up to 1.2 inches of sleet was reported at Guntersville 2 S (COOP).
Winter Weather, Dekalb
- When
- January 15, 11:00 PM CST to January 16, 8:00 AM CST
- Where
- Dekalb forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
- Coordinates
- 34.460, -85.804 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A combination of very light freezing rain, sleet and some snow fell across the county. Accumulations were a dusting to perhaps up to 0.5 inch in the higher elevations. However, due to a lack of precipitation reporting locations, this is an estimate.
- Sleet
- Sleet accumulating half an inch or more.
- Heavy Snow
- Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
- Winter Weather
- Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Tennessee, January 14 to 16, 202412 deaths · 36 events
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Mississippi, January 14 to 18, 20247 deaths · 22 injured · $540,000 · 23 events
- Extreme Cold and Cold in Tennessee, January 14 to 17, 20247 deaths · 21 events
- Dense Fog in California, January 14 to 15, 20244 deaths · 1 event
- Extreme Cold and Heavy Snow in Tennessee, January 14 to 17, 20243 deaths · 44 events
- Extreme Cold and Cold in Illinois, January 14 to 17, 20242 deaths · 44 events
- Ice Storm and Cold in Texas, January 14 to 17, 20241 death · 1 injured · 32 events
- Extreme Cold and Heavy Snow in Kentucky, January 14 to 16, 20241 death · 1 injured · 26 events
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Tennessee, January 14 to 15, 20241 death · 21 events
- Avalanche in Wyoming, January 14, 20241 death · 1 event
- Cold in Indiana, January 14 to 15, 20241 death · 1 event
- Extreme Cold and Cold in Texas, January 14 to 17, 202467 events
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1157354, 1157350, 1157357, 1157358, 1157367, 1157373, 1157351, 1157355, 1157379, 1157378, 1157381.