Birmingham-area schools transition to virtual amid historic snowstorm

(Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

Thanks to low cold temps last night and the potential threat of roads icing, many schools are going virtual or closing across Birmingham Metro on Tuesday, January 21, while the state braces for a historic South Alabama snow storm.

On Monday, Governor Kay Ivey declared a State of Emergency covering 39 Alabama counties. Bibb County is the closest on Ivey’s emergency list to The Magic City.

The National Weather Service Birmingham and Mobile Offices have also issued a Winter Storm Warning from Montgomery to Mobile and Dothan.

Travel south of I-20: Expect historic snowfall

(U.S. National Weather Service Birmingham Office)

According to Harmony Mendoza, meteorologist formerly with WVTM, the wintry weather expected to hit Montgomery, Mobile and everywhere in between will be historic.

“Here’s what’s going on now. A Winter Storm Warning and Winter Weather Advisory are in effect near and south of I-20 through 6:00AM  Wednesday.  

Snowfall totals have increased very slightly.  Between 2-5 inches of snow are forecast for far southern Alabama.   

This would be historic.

The last time Mobile exceeded two inches of snow was March 1993 and three inches in February 1973.  Total snowfall accumulations will decrease northward toward Birmingham, but the potential still exists for up to 1 inch all the way to I-20.  

Today the bulk of the precipitation will overspread the state between 7:00AM and 11:00PM.”

Harmony Mendoza, Forensic Meteorologist

List of Birmingham Metro school closings + E-Learning

Here are the latest announced delays and closings (This list will be updated).

School closings for January 21 via Department of Education

• City of Pelham 
• City of Oneonta
• Midfield
• Birmingham (virtual)
• Bessemer (virtual)
• Fairfield (virtual)
• Hoover (virtual)
• Homewood (virtual)

• Jefferson Community College (closed Tuesday)
• University of Montevallo (E-learning)

If you are traveling South of I-20 expect travel conditions to deteriorate through the day.

Be careful out there.

Do you know of a school? Email us at hello@bhamnow.com so we can update our list!

Pat Byington

Longtime conservationist. Former Executive Director at the Alabama Environmental Council and Wild South. Publisher of the Bama Environmental News for more than 18 years. Career highlights include playing an active role in the creation of Alabama's Forever Wild program, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Dugger Mountain Wilderness, preservation of special places throughout the East through the Wilderness Society and the strengthening (making more stringent) the state of Alabama's cancer risk and mercury standards.