Shipping Containers for Sale in Birmingham, AL

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —

| | | | | | | |

FORECAST AT A GLANCE

Saturday through Monday are First Warning Impact Days due to a prolonged stretch of dangerously cold temperatures weather, hard freezes and some light snow.

⚠️SATURDAY: Dangerously cold. Temperatures plunge into the 10s with a northwest wind gusting as high as 40 miles per hour. That wind will be dropping the wind chill near and below zero around sunrise. Most of North and Central Alabama will stay below freezing all day, and some snow showers could bring a dusting to one inch of snowfall in scattered spots through Saturday afternoon, with the best potential in Northeast Alabama.

⚠️SUNDAY: A frigid morning in the single digits and lower 10s. High temperatures rise to the mid-30s with some sunshine in the afternoon.

⚠️MONDAY: Another hard freeze in the morning, with highs in the 40s.

TUESDAY: Morning lows in the 20s, with highs in the upper 40s and low 50s.

WEDNESDAY: Some scattered showers are possible. Morning lows in the upper 30s before afternoon highs in the low 50s.

THURSDAY: Morning lows in the 30s before and afternoon in the 40s. More clouds than sun during the day.

FRIDAY: Morning lows in the 20s afternoon highs in the low 50s with lots of sunshine.

WEEKEND IMPACT WEATHER: COLD AND SNOW

Saturday will be so cold that we have cold weather alerts covering all of central and north Alabama. A few snow showers are also possible late Friday night through Saturday afternoon.

We do now have a winter weather advisory that covers Cherokee, Calhoun, Cleburne, Clay, and Etowah and Randolph counties from midnight through 12am Saturday.

These counties are where we are most likely to see a few snow showers Saturday morning. Snow could accumulate up to one inch in these counties.

The bigger story for more of our area will be the cold. There are extreme cold warnings and wind advisories for all of central Alabama.

Some communities will spend an extended period of time below the freezing mark, so it is very important you are taking your cold weather precautions.

WHEN WILL IT WARM UP AGAIN?

We look to stay cool into next week, too. Highs will hold below average in the 40s to near 50 degrees through at least Thursday.

Our next chance of rain looks to arrive on Tuesday and last into Wednesday, but this far out that forecast is still likely to change and shift a bit.

For 11 consecutive years, WVTM 13 First Warning Weather has been the source for the certified most accurate forecasts in Central Alabama, showcasing unwavering commitment to delivering dependable weather updates.

WVTM 13 is available on all platforms, ensuring you can access accurate weather updates whenever and wherever you need them. Whether it’s on TV, social media or through our free mobile app, you’ll stay connected to the latest forecasts and alerts.

“We always prepare you for what’s next. Warning you first to every weather change in every forecast. It’s our commitment to you.”

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —

FULL FORECAST | POWER OUTAGE MAP | FLIGHT CHANGES | STATE OF EMERGENCY | TURN ON WEATHER NOTIFICATIONS | CURRENT WATCHES AND WARNINGS | FIRST WARNING LIVE RADAR | HOW TO PREPARE

A surge of arctic air will send temperatures plummeting this weekend. Winds gusting up to 40mph on Saturday could drive wind chill values below zero in some communities. A few snow showers will be possible on Saturday, but most people will experience little-to-no impact.

Watch the latest First Warning forecast in the video player above.

Friday through Monday are First Warning Impact Days due to a prolonged stretch of dangerously cold temperatures. We will also be watching for some light snow showers on Saturday.

This forecast is consistently changing. Stay with our First Warning team for the latest updates to stay prepared.

Hearst Owned

A winter weather advisory covers Cherokee, Calhoun, Cleburne, Clay, and Etowah and Randolph counties from midnight through 12am Saturday.

These counties are where we are most likely to see a few snow showers Saturday morning. Snow could accumulate up to one inch in these counties. A few slick spots may develop on the roads in areas that pick up the most snow.

Hearst Owned

A wind advisory covers all of central Alabama from 3am Saturday through 9pm.

A wind advisory means winds could gust over 35mph. This will drive feels like temperatures lows enough to be dangerous. In addition, unsecured objects may blow around outside. A few sporadic power outages will also be possible.

Hearst Owned

A few communities could feel colder than zero degrees early Saturday morning. This is dangerously cold. We only feel as warm as the single digits in some spots by Saturday afternoon.

These types of temperatures can lead to hypothermia and frostbite. A hard freeze is expected Saturday night. Be sure to take your cold weather precautions.

Hearst Owned

A few snow showers are also possible late Friday night through Saturday afternoon. These snow showers are the fun kind of snow.

While Central Alabama may see flurries or light accumulation, a widespread snowfall event is unlikely at this time.

Hearst Owned

Hearst Owned

The morning hours will be the coldest time of the day. It doesn't get all that much better by the afternoon, though. Wind chill values will likely hold in the single digits and teens all day long.

Hearst Owned

For 11 consecutive years, WVTM 13 First Warning Weather has been the source for the certified most accurate forecasts in Central Alabama, showcasing unwavering commitment to delivering dependable weather updates.

WVTM 13 is available on all platforms, ensuring you can access accurate weather updates whenever and wherever you need them. Whether it’s on TV, social media, or through our free mobile app, you’ll stay connected to the latest forecasts and alerts.

“We always prepare you for what’s next. Warning you first to every weather change in every forecast. It’s our commitment to you.”

This is a guest opinion column

What makes a city? Is it the streets, carrying the people and cars out of sight, on their way to wherever?

Or is it the buildings? An identifiable skyline that people can point to excitedly and say, ‘That’s where I live!’

Maybe it’s the neighborhoods where the murmured hum of daily life unfolds, where our core memories live, the place we all long for after time spent away. Maybe it’s all of these things.

I personally believe the heartbeat of a city is paced by the people who wake up in these neighborhoods every morning and help write the story, whether that’s through civic engagement, their careers, their families, or random acts of kindness.

Since taking my seat on the Council, one of my main priorities has been stabilizing our neighborhoods. A way to accomplish this goal is through empowering Birmingham’s 99 Neighborhood Associations and the dedicated people who contribute to their success.

One of my first acts at City Hall was to reallocate $100,000 to the 11 Neighborhood Associations that I represent. These funds were distributed equitably based on the population of their neighborhoods.

Putting resources directly into the neighborhood coffers allows them to make improvements block by block, addressing the needs they see every day and taking ownership of their neighborhood’s growth and development. I hold a deep respect for those who are involved with our Neighborhood Associations and I lean on their leadership and knowledge to help us move District 8 forward collectively.

These funds can be used for things like, beautification projects (landscaping, tree planting, cleanups); park enhancements (benches, lighting, playground features); sidewalk repair assistance; façade/neighborhood sign improvements; traffic calming and video surveillance cameras.

It’s crucial that we continue working with our Neighborhood Associations to find ways we can get everyone involved -- including more young people – so they can buy into civic engagement on a local level.

Lately, I’ve been in several discussions with business leaders about ‘brain drain’ and the critical need for us to retain our homegrown talent. It’s a complex issue. Whether it’s a perceived lack of things to do, the yearning for places unknown, job opportunities, whatever, we must inspire our young people build their future right here in Birmingham.

One issue that consistently comes up in these conversations is the lack of affordable housing opportunities. We know that homeownership among young people in America has been on a steady decline for several decades, and the proliferation of luxury apartments aren’t assuaging any concerns of that here locally.

Since 2005, homeownership rates for individuals under 35 have dropped nearly 20 percentage points, according to U.S. Census data. On average, rent prices across the country have risen 11.5 percent year-over-year since 2021. Ask any young person and they’ll tell you the prospect of buying their first home looks bleak at the moment.

As a member of the Council’s Community Development Committee, I want people to know that my focus is to help build up our communities by prioritizing affordable housing while also increasing opportunities for critical home repair programs for existing residents.

This past week, I joined my colleagues in approving a total of $790,000 for affordable housing and home repairs with Greater Birmingham Habitat for Humanity.

Combined, these agreements will provide 8 new single-family affordable homes and roof repair/critical home repair for up to 20 qualified low and moderate-income residents in the Rising West Princeton neighborhood of District 8.

The agreement also includes $450,000 to provide grants of up to $10,000 for roof replacements for 60 qualified low and-moderate-income households.

By continuing to make these types of investments into our neighborhoods, we can become a more resilient city, built on the conviction that homeownership and opportunity are not reserved for the blessed few, but for all residents of Birmingham. That’s more important now than it has been in a long time, it would seem.

So what makes a city? It’s you, it’s me, and everyone in between.

Sonja Smith represents District 8 on the Birmingham City Council.

Snow flurries could fall across North Alabama Wednesday and Thursday

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —

With Alabama feeling a lot more like winter this week, the question on everyone’s mind is the potential for snow.

A weak front is set to move through the region Wednesday into Thursday. While some social media posts are showing significant accumulation, the data tells a more nuanced story. Currently, we are tracking two primary scenarios:

The likely scenario (European model)

This is the outcome we have the highest confidence in. It suggests a cold rain moving in Wednesday afternoon, potentially ending as light flurries in northeast Alabama — specifically DeKalb, Jackson, Marshall, Madison, Limestone, Morgan, and Cherokee counties — around 12 a.m. Thursday. This would be a low-impact event with no major travel concerns.

The "worst-case" scenario (GFS model)

This model is more aggressive, showing rain transitioning to snow after midnight Wednesday. This scenario could result in roughly a half-inch of accumulation in some areas. While this would have a higher impact on travel, it is currently the least likely outcome.

The bottom line

At this point, we are leaning toward the "cold rain and flurries" scenario for northeast Alabama. In our state, it only takes a few degrees to change rain to ice, so we will watch the trends closely.

Hearst Owned

This is the outcome we have the highest confidence in. It suggests a cold rain moving in Wednesday afternoon, potentially ending as light flurries in northeast Alabama — specifically DeKalb and Cherokee counties — early Thursday. This would be a low-impact event with no major travel concerns.

Hearst Owned

This is the outcome we have the highest confidence in. It suggests a cold rain moving in Wednesday afternoon, potentially ending as light flurries in northeast Alabama — specifically DeKalb and Cherokee counties — early Thursday. This would be a low-impact event with no major travel concerns.

Hearst Owned

This model is more aggressive, showing rain transitioning to snow early Thursday morning. This scenario could result in roughly a half-inch of accumulation in some areas. While this would have a higher impact on travel, it is currently the least likely outcome.

Hearst Owned

This model is more aggressive, showing rain transitioning to snow early Thursday morning. This scenario could result in roughly a half-inch of accumulation in some areas. While this would have a higher impact on travel, it is currently the least likely outcome.

There has been a flurry of speculation among weather watchers about the possibility of snow for Alabama in the upcoming week.

But, according to meteorologists, it’s just that -- speculation -- and as of Sunday there’s no meaningful winter precipitation in the forecast.

However, the National Weather Service said the upcoming week will feature more January-like temperatures, and there will be two weather systems moving through that could increase precipitation chances.

Neither of those is expected to produce meaningful snow, at least that’s what forecasters think right now.

Much colder temperatures will be felt statewide today after a bout of rain and storms over the weekend.

Colder temperatures will hang on through the week.

The weather service said the next chance for any precipitation will be on Wednesday into Thursday when a cold front approaches the state.

The weather service in Huntsville said there will be a “very low (10-15 percent) chance of a wintry mix on the back side of this system, but no impacts are forecast at this time” for north Alabama.

The weather service in Birmingham said some models try to introduce a brief wintry mix for parts of central Alabama early Thursday morning with the same system, but “that appears to be one of the lower probability solutions with the higher likelihood being that any rainfall moves out of the area before any colder air builds in.”

The weather service in Mobile said forecasters are expecting low rain chances for south Alabama with the midweek system, and “anything that does manage to develop would likely be a cold rain given the cold airmass still in place.”

WHAT ABOUT NEXT WEEKEND?

The next chance for some winter weather mischief could come next weekend, when another weather system is expected to approach the state.

That one has meteorologists’ social media feeds working overtime with speculation. So much so that veteran forecaster James Spann has been frequently weighing in to tamp down any blizzard craziness.

Here’s his post on X from Sunday morning:

SNOW... GO OR NO GO? The TikTok nonsense machine is working overtime this weekend, full of "influencers" screaming snow, ice, blizzard, etc for the southern U.S.Most of these guys are qualified to forecast weather much like I am qualified to enter a best hair contest.Here is… pic.twitter.com/uzwRqN3w47

— James Spann (@spann) January 11, 2026

Spann went on to write that “The reliable European global model suggests there will be only some scattered light rain with front Saturday, with potential for a few flurries in the colder air Sunday. But, much like the mid-week front, no impact or accumulation."

Both the weather service and Spann said they will be keeping a close eye on the evolving forecast in case that were to change.

But as of Sunday morning, no meaningful snow is expected in Alabama for the next week.

Spann mentioned that the coldest air of the winter could arrive in Alabama after the system expected next weekend.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is seeing signs of that as well. Its six- to 10-day temperature outlook (shown at the top of this post) is forecasting very high probabilities for below-average temperatures for Alabama from Jan. 16-20, which is next Friday through the following Tuesday.

Most of the state is forecast to have a 60-70 percent probability for below-average temperatures during that time, and the odds are even higher, 70-80 percent, for the southeast corner of the state.