Winter Storm of February 25, 2015

News Headlines

🎃Our roundup of activities, educational resources, and demos are sure to make you fall in love with science this season!
✈️NOAA and United Airlines partner to measure greenhouse gases, pollutants with high-tech flight instruments

Winter Storm of February 25, 2015

Surface/Upper Air

Snow Totals

Other Links

On Wednesday, February 25, 2015, many Alabamians experienced one of the largest snow storms on record as over 12 inches of snow were unofficially measured along the Highway 278 corridor in Marion County. In addition, much of the northern two-thirds of the state saw snow during the afternoon and evening hours of the 25th, with totals of 1 - 2 inches near Interstate 20 increasing to 5 - 12 inches further north to the Tennessee state line. The highest unofficial measurement came from Guin, Alabama, with 12.7 inches.

A cold front had moved through the region the previous weekend bringing arctic air to the Southeast. Temperatures dropped into the teens and were slow to recover through the first half of the work week due to cloudy skies and several rounds of precipitation Sunday through Tuesday. However, the bigger concern was lurking on Wednesday as a strong gulf system was poised to take a run from Texas eastward through the Carolinas. This system had a tremendous amount of moisture, in fact near the 75th percentile for February, and along with the colder air already in place, brought the threat for a very heavy snowfall.

The northern gulf low continued to strengthen through the day decreasing several millibars as it moved into Georgia during the evening hours. This event began with temperatures in the middle, and in some cases upper 30s, mid-morning on Wednesday, and had to rely on dynamic cooling to change the rain to snow. Thanks to those heavy rates, colder air from aloft quickly replaced the warmer air and rain changed to snow to the delight of most. The interesting prospective of this storm came with the high snowfall rates experienced. Much of the area saw 1 - 2 inches per hour, a rarity for Alabama. The snow was also moisture heavy, making for a very wet and sticky snow, which piled up very quickly. Unfortunately for some, that type of snow also melts very quickly!

This was one of the most challenging forecasts experienced in quite a while. Temperatures from 5000 feet down to the surface were going to be extremely close to either a heavy wet snow or just a cold rain. While most of Central Alabama was disappointed as only rain fell, some experienced one of the largest snowfalls on record that won't be soon forgotten.

How did this event compare to some of the biggest snowstorms that have affected North Central Alabama? Find out here.

Surface/Upper Air

Surface Charts

6 AM Feb 25th	9 AM Feb 25th	12 PM Feb 25th
3 PM Feb 25th	6 PM Feb 25th	9 PM Feb 25th
12 AM Feb 26th

KBMX Upper Air Soundings

6 AM Feb 25th	9 AM Feb 25th	12 PM Feb 25th
3 PM Feb 25th	6 PM Feb 25th

Upper Air Charts

250 mb Chart at 6 AM Feb 25th	500 mb Chart at 6 AM Feb 25th	850 mb Chart at 6 AM Feb 25th
250 mb Chart at 6 PM Feb 25th	500 mb Chart at 6 PM Feb 25th	850 mb Chart at 6 PM Feb 25th

Snow Totals

For a complete list of all snow reports received during/after the event, click here.

Northwest Snow

Hackleburg Courtesy of Augy Avery	Fayette Courtesy of @TideTweeter1831	Sulligent Courtesy of Jennifer Knight	Smith Lake Courtesy of Dave Warren
Curry Courtesy of Anna Kilgore	Natural Bridge Courtesy of Alicia Miles Dodd	Millport Courtesy of Dallas Dawkins	Walker County Courtesy of Richard Scott
Double Springs Courtesy of Mallory Hood	Fayette Courtesy of Rayanna Maddox	Sulligent Courtesy of Kerri Wadsworth	Sumiton Courtesy of Jeannie Phillips
Hamilton Courtesy of Susan Burleson	Hamilton Courtesy of Deana Warner	Hamilton Courtesy of Christy Langley	Hamilton Courtesy of Earl Woods
Hamilton Courtesy of Deana Warner	Guin Courtesy of Derick Stidham	Guin Courtesy of Jamie Dozier	Winfield Courtesy of Chris Reese
Lynn Courtesy of Gina Chambers	Double Springs Courtesy of Paula West	Burnwell Courtesy of Amber Tubbs	Bagley Courtesy of Nick Wood
Fayette Courtesy of Annette Dozier	Fayette Courtesy of Jennifer Hess	Vernon Courtesy of Blair Eiynck	Lamar County Courtesy of Jamie Rushing
Glen Allen Courtesy of Randall Carter	Carbon Hill Courtesy of Ami Campbell	Delmar Courtesy of Elizabeth Noles	Jasper Courtesy of Amanda Humber
Gordo Courtesy of Ashley Hickman	McShan Courtesy of Tara Easterwood	Tuscaloosa Courtesy of @jarua

Birmingham Area Snow

Adamsville Courtesy of Tori Farris	Highland Park Courtesy of @themarcusplace	Hoover Courtesy of Sukaina Jafri	Kimberly Courtesy of Samatha Keedy
Gardendale Courtesy of @Kimberly516	Bluff Park Courtesy of Lauren Winter	Inverness Courtesy of @cmbrogan	Linn Park Courtesy of Adrienne Murphy
Inverness Courtesy of Hailey Lann

Northeast Snow

Black Creek Courtesy of Vic Bell	Blount County Courtesy of Cliff Jones	Gadsden Courtesy of Melissa Kinsler	Jacksonville Courtesy of Joy Havran
Weiss Lake Courtesy of Brandon St Clair	Blount/Cullman line Courtesy of Cliff Jones	Nectar Courtesy of Cyn Carpentar	Oneonta Courtesy of Blount County 911
Noccalula Falls Courtesy of Ryan Kuykendall	Oneonta Courtesy of Kristy Frost	Locust Fork Courtesy of Bobby Edwards	Rainbow City Courtesy of Kimberly Patty Grape
Hokes Bluff Courtesy of KaNesha Warr	Hokes Bluff Courtesy of Linda Howington	Locust Fork Courtesy of Rebecca Reeves	Susan Moore Courtesy of Carolyn Dison
Blount/Etowah line Courtesy of Alicia Blake	Blount Springs Courtesy of Ryan Love	Noccalula Falls Courtesy of Ryan Cartee	Rainbow City Courtesy of Eric Wright
Centre Courtesy of Brandi Ralene	Gadsden Courtesy of Ryan Cartee	Remlap Courtesy of Chip Scarborough	Oneonta Courtesy of James McConatha
Centre Courtesy of @kalista_10	Cherokee County Courtesy of Landon Marks	Piedmont Courtesy of Piedmont Rescue	Blount County Courtesy of Travis Tucker
Blount Springs Courtesy of Ryan Love	Centre Courtesy of Darlene Rainey	Glencoe Courtesy of Stephanie Self	I-65 Blount/Cullman line Courtesy of @ajerilee
Gadsden Courtesy of Emily Osborn	Hayden Courtesy of Kimberly Elaine Phillips	McClarty (Snead) Courtesy of Creig Poole	Pell City Courtesy of Malia Leiter

Northeast Ice

Blue Mountain (Anniston)
Courtesy of Hayes Jackson

Blue Mountain (Anniston)
Courtesy of Hayes Jackson

Pinson/Clay
Courtesy of Larry Mason

Springville
Courtesy of J. Skellett

Timelapse of Snow in Gadsden. Courtesy of Gadsden Times.

Other Links

NWS Huntsville
NWS Jackson, MS
NWS Atlanta

Back to: Main Winter Weather Papers & Events Page

Follow us on Twitter

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on YouTube