Will it snow on the Alabama Gulf Coast? Tips for Extreme Cold Watch for all Baldwin County

BY KAYLA GREEN
Executive Editor
kayla@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 1/18/25

Snow at the beach? Possibly.

While it’s still early to know exactly where and how much snow will fall in southern Alabama, we know for sure it’s going to be really, really cold next …

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Will it snow on the Alabama Gulf Coast? Tips for Extreme Cold Watch for all Baldwin County

Posted

Snow at the beach? Possibly.

While it’s still early to know exactly where and how much snow will fall in southern Alabama, we know for sure it’s going to be really, really cold next week across Baldwin County.

An Extreme Cold Watch is in effect for all of Baldwin County Sunday night into Monday morning. Wind chills will remain below freezing areawide from early Monday morning through Wednesday afternoon.

The coldest air of the season is entering this weekend. According to the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, high temperatures will only reach the 20s north to 30s south with highs on Tuesday in the 30s statewide. Low temperatures Monday morning will range from the single digits t0 mid-20s in the south part of the start.

“Significant winter precipitation” is expected south of I-20 on Tuesday.

“This will primarily be a snow event, with snow possibly mixed with sleet across the far southern sections of the state,” AEMA Meteorologist Jim Stefkovich wrote Saturday. “The precipitation could begin as early as 6 a.m. Tuesday, but the bulk of it will likely occur between noon and midnight Wednesday.  Several inches of snow or snow/sleet are possible across the southern half of the state.”

Mobile has only reported 3 or more inches of snowfall 10 times since 1895, Stefkovich wrote in his Jan. 19 report. The most recent time was 1963.

"I’m sure most of you remember the January 2014 Snowmageddon.' Temperature wise, next Tuesday will be very similar to 2014," he wrote. "What most people forget is that many locations across the I-20 corridor (where roads were a sheet of ice) had 2 inches or less of total snowfall for the 2014 event.  For Tuesday into Wednesday, any snowfall, especially on untreated roads, has the potential to cause immediate and hazardous driving conditions once it begins."

The storm system is still a couple days away, so exact snowfall totals and locations will likely change in later forecasts, but you can start preparing now by remembering the four P’s: people, pets, pipes and plants.

PEOPLE

Check on your elderly neighbors and family members to make sure they have what they need.

PETS

Bring your pets inside.

Set out blankets and warming lights where possible for large, outdoor animals.

PIPES

Wrap your pipes and drip your faucets to keep them from freezing and bursting, which could save you from costly repairs, according to Baldwin EMC.

Know where your main water shut-off valve is located. If a pipe freezes or breaks, shut the water off immediately and call your provider, Riviera Utilities says.

Also, disconnect outside hoses and cover outside faucets/exposed pipes.

Don’t block air vents, and make sure your HVAC filters are clean to ensure airflow.

PLANTS

For citrus trees and other plants that are planted into the ground, Kitti Cooper with Cooper Farm, and author of GCM’s bi-weekly column on organic gardening called Cultivating the Coast with Kitti Cooper, has tips for preparing them.

Take potted plants and trees inside or put them in a garage or other place to shield them from the extreme cold. Anything that is zoned 9 and up should be brought inside. Cooper said this is typically all house plants and tropical plants.

“Anything that has tender leaves will be damaged,” she said.

If you’re unsure about what plants you should cover or bring inside, Cooper suggests to go ahead and do it.

“If you’re unsure if it can live outside during a freeze, it’s always better to be safe than sorry,” Cooper said.

Canopy your tree with a bed sheet or other cloth, securing the ends to the ground with rocks or something heavy to prevent the canopy from blowing off in the wind. Do this tenting method, she said, instead of wrapping the tree like a lollipop. Tenting allows hot air in the ground to dissipate into the canopy, which she said typically raises the air temperature inside the tent around the tree around 5 degrees.

“If your tree is in a pot, keep in mind that plastic is going to get colder, so those typically I would say to bring into a garage or the house for the night,” Cooper said.

If your tree or plant is too big to cover, focus on the ground and cover the area around it and 2-3 feet up the trunk.

“That protects the root system, and even if the top has freeze damage, you’ll still be able to save your root system and your tree can still grow back,” she said.

Use a comforter or big blanket to create what resembles a Christmas tree skirt.

Water your outdoor plants and citrus trees heavily the day before a freeze, Cooper said. This helps protect the roots and offers more water to dissipate into the tented canopy.

Not every plant will incur damage from every cold front, but Brian Brown, an Alabama Extension regional agent, agreed that ensuring proper soil moisture is an important first step in preventative measure to help protect the plants that may see damage.

“Be sure to water your plants as needed because soil moisture will help absorb heat,” Brown said. “A drought-affected plant will be impacted more than a well-watered one will. Mulching will also help retain soil moisture and prevent heat loss."

After the freeze, do not prune anything. Wait until spring.

“If you begin pruning immediately, what will happen is you put it into shock because of all the different environmental changes that have happened to it, and also by pruning off the dead branches or anything like that, you’re actually removing any insulation for a potential shield if we have another freeze coming up,” Cooper said.

When spring comes and it is time to prune off damaged limbs and branches, never remove more than 30% of the canopy.

ROADS AND DRIVING CONDITIONS

Alabama Department of Transportation crews are gearing up to keep roadways safe and open.

Here’s what you need to know about ALDOT’s preparations and how you can stay safe:

ALDOT’s winter weather preparations

  • Pretreatment plans: Depending on conditions, crews may pretreat roads to minimize ice formation. This is highly dependent on whether rain precedes or accompanies the wintry precipitation, as rain can wash away pretreatment materials.
  • Southwest Region strategies: ALDOT’s Southwest Region typically applies sand to overpasses and ramps to improve vehicle traction. In some cases, crews may use potassium acetate, a liquid deicer that:
    • Lowers the freezing point of water, preventing ice from bonding to road surfaces;
    • Is less corrosive to steel, making it a safer option for infrastructure; and
    • Allows for more effective clearing of ice.
  • Crews also use calcium magnesium acetate, which may be applied to prevent the bonding of snow and ice to the surfaces. CMA is an environmentally preferable alternative to chloride – based treatments.
  • Prioritizing roads: ALDOT prioritizes interstate highways first, followed by state and U.S. highways based on traffic volume.

Tips for motorists

If you must travel during or after wintry weather, keep these tips in mind:

  • Avoid travel: Stay off the roads if snowy or icy conditions develop.
  • Reduce speed: Drive slower than usual and adjust your speed to match road conditions.
  • Increase following distance: Do not follow other vehicles too closely to allow more time to react.
  • Avoid sudden movements: Refrain from sudden braking or sharp turns, which can lead to skidding.
  • Move over: State law requires motorists to slow down and move over for highway maintenance crews and first responders at work.

Long-lasting cold temperatures

Temperatures are expected to remain at freezing or near freezing across much of Alabama for several days. Moisture left on roadways may refreeze, creating additional hazards. ALDOT crews will continue treating affected areas as needed to improve driving conditions.