2:00 p.m. Update From Cherokee County EMA Director Shawn Rogers
According to Cherokee County Engineer Corey Chambers, all roads South of Centre to the County Line are DEEMED IMPASSABLE and should not be traveled.
Many other areas across Cherokee County have been cited as being hazardous.
Also, all secondary roadways throughout the City of Centre are considered to be very treacherous, you are advised to use extreme caution when traveling. City Streets throughout the Town of Cedar Bluff and Leesburg appear to be passable but remain treacherous and will continue to deteriorate as temperatures are forecasted to fall well below freezing overnight.
We have received numerous reports of power outages in the Forney/Spring Creek and Spring Garden areas. Numerous power outages have also been reported across Etowah County and also in Piedmont.
The situation overnight tonight will be freezing temperatures. With residual moisture left behind on the roadway, the possibility of a hard freeze overnight causing black ice is the biggest foreseeable threat at this time.
Bridges and overpasses should be approached with EXTREME CAUTION; Cherokee County Highway Department crews have been out all day today scrapping and clearing roadways in an attempt to minimize the amount of freezing precipitation on the roadway.
The Alabama Department of Transportation has crews responding across all areas of the state experiencing winter weather today. Roadway and weather conditions will be monitored as long as necessary, with road and bridge treatment ongoing in affected areas. ALDOT crews will be actively working to keep State, U.S. and Interstate highways open.
Currently, all highways remain open, but the public is urged to check www.algotraffic.com for alerts and road closure information, and to monitor their local news media for information about road conditions. Travel conditions should be considered hazardous in areas where there is any precipitation, whether it is snow, rain or a wintry mix. ALDOT urges everyone to avoid travel where adverse conditions are present until roadway and weather conditions improve.
Keep in mind the Winter Weather Advisory for Cherokee County has been extended through midnight tonight. We will continue to monitor the situation and will provide another update later this evening.