Thursday, February 15, 2018

Alabama Heavy Snow - February 15, 1958


Credit: NOAA

One of the heaviest snows in Alabama history occurred on February 15,1958. Huntsville received 8.0" of snow, which was the highest February snow total on record until 8.1" was recorded on February 25, 2015.

This snow event was caused by a strong low in the Southeast combined with a strong upper level trough. This Southeastern low later evolved into a coastal low. This coastal low brought over 30" of snow to the Catskills and western New England.

February 1958 snowfall accumulation compared to average. Credit: Storm Data
A.J. Wright, in his blog, Alabama Yesterdays, posted some outstanding photos of the snow in Huntsville from that day. Check out his great post!

Other snowfall totals reported in Alabama on February 15, 1958 included:

16.0" in Hayleyville in Winston (per Alabama State Climatologist Arthur Long in a 1964 report)

7.0" in Leesburg in Cherokee County (per NOAA National Center for Environmental Information)

5.0" Jacksonville in Calhoun County (NWS Birmingham)

2.0" in Columbia in Houston County (per NOAA National Center for Environmental Information)


According to Bill Murray with Alabamawx.com, "The northwest corner of Alabama was blanketed with 3-6 inches of snow. Six to eight inches fell in Decatur. As often is the case around these parts, snowfall amounts varied over a short distance. While there was two inches on the ground in Bessemer, there was none in Tuscaloosa. At the Birmingham Municipal Airport, A Delta Airlines DC-7 slid off the runway on Saturday morning and buried itself nose deep in slush and mud when the nosewheel broke. None of the 43 passengers were injured."

Mike Wilhelm

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