Montgomery – Residents of central Alabama awoke this morning to snow falling from Birmingham to Montgomery. It was not enough to cause any immediate traffic problems, but children scooped up enough for snowballs to toss in front of the Capitol in Montgomery.
The snow began falling shortly after sunrise. Forecasters did not expect this wintry blast to bring strong winds or ice on trees and power lines.
Gov. Bob Riley earlier had directed state agencies to prepare for the winter storm. The Alabama Department of Transportation put crews on standby throughout the state and made sure that sanding equipment, dump trucks and spreaders were loaded with sand.
The heaviest reports of snow stretched from Tuscaloosa and Demopolis, through Selma and Clanton, to Alexander City, Auburn and Roanoke, where early, unofficial reports totaled more than two inches.
In Birmingham, snow flurries dusted the tops of cars, homes and grass, but with temperatures just slightly above freezing, the snow melted upon contact with most of the roads.
It was expected to taper off this afternoon, as temperatures drop.
While roads were passable, meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Birmingham said the roads would probably freeze over Saturday night, as temperatures drop to around 17.
Snow advisories for north Alabama were canceled, but forecasters said accumulations could reach up to one-half inch atop Lookout Mountain in parts of DeKalb County.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)