Following days of subzero temperatures, an afternoon wintery mix of snow and ice on Monday caused several north Alabama counties to shut down their roads due to treacherous traveling conditions.
Traffic was backed up for hours on U.S. Highway 431 southbound out of Huntsville, leaving some drivers to choose whether to wait it out or hike down the mountain.
Other travelers who were lucky enough to make it through the area when the snow first started falling reported dramatically increased drive times.
By that evening, Huntsville Police asked citizens to stop calling for minor accidents to cut down on the volume of calls it was receiving, according to WHNT. Madison City Police also asked its residents not to drive unless it was an emergency.
The National Weather Service issued a special weather statement regarding widespread black ice for the Tennessee Valley region. Road closures were also issued in several surrounding counties, including Jackson, DeKalb, Marshall, Lawrence, Limestone and Morgan Counties and other parts of Madison County.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email daniel.taylor@1819news.com.
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