By Jim Stefkovich, Meteorologist, Alabama Emergency Management Agency
CLANTON – Thursday 2:30 PM, January 22, 2026
…Ice Storm Warning for Lauderdale, Colbert, and Franklin counties from 12 AM Saturday until 6 PM Sunday…
…Winter Weather Advisories and Winter Storm Watch from early Sat until 6 PM Sunday…
…Calhoun and Cleburne added to Winter Storm Watch…
Precipitation is forecast to re-enter the northwestern portions of the state between 2 AM and 8 AM Saturday, spreading across all of Alabama Saturday afternoon and continuing through Sunday afternoon. The precipitation will end Sunday evening. This system will produce widespread 1-4 inch “liquid” totals across the northern half, which could lead to localized flooding issues. An inch or less is forecast across the southern half.
The good is that models continue to push warmer air north of I-20. However, freezing temperatures will still occur north of a Fayette-Oneonta-Centre (Lake Weiss) line, with freezing rain and/or sleet through Saturday morning. It should be noted that temperatures south of this line to I-20 will only be 2-4 degrees above 32. A very close call of rain versus freezing rain, and this could change.
Except for the far northern sections of the state, temperatures are forecast to rise above freezing Saturday afternoon and remain so through Sunday morning.
Total ice amounts through 6 AM Sunday could reach 0.25-1 inch in the far northwestern sections of the state, with up to 0.10 inch elsewhere near and north of I-20. However, very cold air will begin moving into the state by Sunday afternoon, and a transition to light freezing rain and/or snow will likely occur from Sunday afternoon until the precipitation ends Sunday evening.
Total freezing rain amounts after 6 AM Sunday are expected to be below 0.1 inch, and snowfall from a trace to 0.25 inch, mainly across both the northern and western halves of Alabama. The far northwestern sections could receive up to one inch of snow.
This changeover could still cause some travel impacts, and standing water on roadways across the northern 2/3rds of the state could by Monday morning.
As wild as it sounds, there could be a few strong to severe storms Sunday afternoon, generally south of a Livingston – Montgomery – Auburn line, as temperatures will rise into the 60s and 70s with increasing instability before the cold air arrives. This could be a potential difference of 35-40 degrees from the far northwest (32 degrees) to the far southeast (72 degrees)!
Temperatures by Monday morning will range from the teens north and 20s most elsewhere. Highs will be very cold, with 20s north to mid-40s south. Lows Tuesday morning will be in the single digits north with teens and 20s elsewhere. Highs on Tuesday will be in the mid-30s north to the lower 50s south.