Sylvania, Alabama

... Winter weather awareness week kicks off Monday...

The National Weather Service will observe the week of November 16th
through November 20th 2009 as winter weather awareness week for the
state of Alabama and Tennessee.

While the frequency of extreme winter weather events is relatively
small across north Alabama and southern middle Tennessee... snow...
ice and cold temperatures can and usually do impact portions of the
central Tennessee Valley each year. With the onset of each new
winter season... it is important to be aware and prepared for The
Hazards associated with winter weather.

Significant winter weather events that have affected north Alabama
and/or southern middle tennessee:

February 28-March 1 2009: a late season storm system spread
measurable snow from the mid south to the northeast states. Across
the central Tennessee Valley... snowfall ranged from just a dusting
in northeast Alabama to around 6 inches in parts of Lincoln and
Moore counties in Tennessee.

"Storm of the century" -- March 12-14 1993: a powerful storm system
that dumped snow from the Gulf Coast to the northeast dropped 7.3
inches of snow at Huntsville international Airport. Valley Head...
in the higher elevations of northeast Alabama... received over 17
inches of snow from this storm and over a foot accumulated in
Scottsboro.

January 1988 winter storm: over 6 inches of snow fell across much of
the Tennessee Valley... including 9.6 inches at Huntsville and 10.5
inches at Bridgeport.

1963-64 new years storm: an all-time record snow event for the city
of Huntsville that dropped an unprecedented 17.1 inches of snow over
a 24-hour period.

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Winter weather safety/travel tips:

* replace batteries in your NOAA Weather Radio
* avoid over-exposure to the cold. Frostbite and hypothermia are
very serious conditions and can result in permanent injury and even
death.

If you must travel... be sure to have a winter weather preparedness
kit in your vehicle that includes:

* Mobile phone /and charger/
* flashlight
* batteries
* blankets / sleeping bags
* first aid kit
* water
* non-perishable food items
* pocket knife
* Waterproof matches
* sand or Cat litter for traction
* shovel
* ice scraper and brush
* tool kit
* Tow rope
* battery jumper cables
* Road maps / GPS equipment

For more information on winter weather products... safety and
preparedness... visit the following National Weather Service web
pages:

Http://weather.Gov/Huntsville
http://www.NWS.NOAA.Gov/om/winter