Tuscaloosa just missed having a white Christmas a little more than two weeks.
People in the Tuscaloosa area on Friday morning woke up to a rare snowfall in the Druid City. Since classes had been canceled, University of Alabama students had the opportunity to make snowmen on the Quad, while public and private school students frolicked in the snow at home.
Residents in the region from Tuscaloosa County to the northern half of central Alabama received about 2-4 inches of snow overnight Friday, said Mary Keiser, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Birmingham.
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No significant weather or road conditions were reported Friday morning in Tuscaloosa County, according to troopers with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
Several businesses in Tuscaloosa County opened later than usual or remained closed during the day because of the wintry weather.
Temperatures in West Alabama are expected to be in the 30s Friday night and there will be a fluctuation of sleet and rain throughout the day.
The biggest concern for Friday night will be the refreezing of melted snow and potential black ice, Keiser said.
“Any moisture left around after all this is done could re-freeze,” she said.
Keiser said these conditions could be hazardous and encouraged motorists to be cautious.
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By mid-morning under cloudy skies, some of the snow had begun to melt but a light rain made conditions slushy around Tuscaloosa.
Saturday’s forecast from the NWS calls for partly sunny skies and a high near 50 degrees in Tuscaloosa. The low Saturday night is expected to be around 30 degrees. Sunday and Monday will have sunny skies and highs in the upper 40s. The low Sunday night will be 30 degrees, and the low Monday will be around 23 degrees.
Conditions were expected to dry out after Friday’s snow and rain. There’s no mention of precipitation in the forecast through Monday for Tuscaloosa.
A rare snow event blanketed Tuscaloosa in white before dawn on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. Gabriel Villarreal, Aidan Flynn and Alfredo Dittrich try to roll snow balls to build a snowman in front of Bryant-Denny Stadium.
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Warming stations in Tuscaloosa
The Compassion Coalition will offer a warming station through Monday in Tuscaloosa County, according to the Tuscaloosa Emergency Management Agency.
Anyone who needs assistance or anyone who knows someone who needs shelter from the cold can call the Compassion Coalition at 205-710-6766 and speak with an operator.
Donations are needed for the warming stations; items such as blankets, non-perishable food items, first aid supplies and small travel-size pillows. For information on how to donate, call 205-349-0150.
Reach Jasmine Hollie at JHollie@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama weather: Tuscaloosa wakes up to snow day; cold temps to continue