Winter is coming: Huntsville braces for Arctic blast

Ready, or not — the City of Huntsville chose the former as an Arctic cold front comes sweeping into the Tennessee Valley.

With the slight possibility that a winter storm, which has already impacted parts of the country to the west and north of Alabama, could bring another event like the one that paralyzed the area last January, preparations are being made.

“The biggest concern is Friday into Saturday,’’ Jeff Birdwell, director of the Madison County Emergency Management Agency, told the Huntsville Business Journal. “We’re going to have several days of cold weather, so the ground will be cold already. It’s not going to take much for any precipitation that we get to stick. So, right now everybody is in a wait-and-see mode but also getting prepared.’’

City officials called an impromptu press conference on Monday to assess the situation and reported they are closely monitoring road conditions tonight.

A threat of winter weather is also in the forecast for the Huntsville area beginning Thursday night.

Public Works Director Chris McNeese said Huntsville is prepared to treat bridges and elevated roadways if precipitation affects road conditions.

Huntsville Police (HPD) is monitoring roads and will alert Public Works when problem spots are detected.

If road conditions warrant, HPD will place barricades to block roads that are closed.

“We would like to remind everyone that if you see barricades, there is a reason that it’s there,” HPD Capt. Stephen Anderson said. “Driving around barricades is against the law and can create dangerous situations. We also urge drivers not to abandon their vehicles in the middle of roadways because those vehicles can create hazards and block first responders. Guide your vehicle to the right of way to keep travel lanes open.”

Huntsville Public Works primarily handles the treatment of roads and streets within the city limits, while the Alabama Department of Transportation manages major arteries such as Governors Drive, Memorial Parkway, U.S. 72 and I-565.

Roads and streets outside the city limits fall under the jurisdiction of Madison County.

Public Works has retrofitted 10 of its crew cab trucks with plows and bed-mounted spreaders, giving the city a total of 15 trucks that can combat slick roadways.

Those trucks will be distributed throughout Huntsville in preparation for wintry precipitation.

“Should road conditions warrant treatment, Public Works will deploy a fine stone mixture to enhance traction on bridges and overpasses,” McNeese said. “The city is also prepared to dispatch trucks to blade roadways and spread salt on asphalt to diminish the impact of accumulating wintry precipitation.”