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.
Road conditions across higher terrain continue to deteriorate in the Huntsville area… this is Hampton Cove… photo from Emily Hernandez pic.twitter.com/uVfUgpnLSQ
— James Spann (@spann) December 26, 2022
From @kearstynhailee “Highway 431 south bound form Huntsville closed for the night. We’ve been stuck here for three hours. Currently hiking down the mountain” pic.twitter.com/eCrpWK1nj2
— James Spann (@spann) December 27, 2022
Other travelers who were lucky enough to make it through the area when the snow first started falling reported dramatically increased drive times.
Drove through another 2014-like Snowmageddon today, this time in Huntsville while visiting family. A normal 40-minute trip from one house to another took almost 2 hours. pic.twitter.com/9WWVFYKi4D
— Jim Page (@jimpagejr) December 26, 2022
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.
This is why we shut down in Huntsville over a dusting or inch of snow. People laugh at us. Oh well. Powder snow is not a thing here. I got to my apartment complex and slid backwards driving up on a hill. Southern snow is nothing but slush and ice. https://t.co/DVUdH6J49E
— Jarvis (@artsyboy1985) December 27, 2022
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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