Here in Alabama, we don’t experience a lot of heavy snow. However, when we do, it can be truly epic – and sometimes, it is. Over the years, we’ve definitely seen our fair share of snow flurries, but not many super-intense blizzards like the ones you’d see in, say, the Midwest. In 1993, however, one of Alabama’s worst blizzards in history hit and hit hard. It became known as “The Storm of the Century,” and you can learn all about it below:

A few days prior to March 12, 1993, heavy snow was predicted for Alabama.
eastest566/YouTube
People soon formed long lines at grocery stores throughout the state for milk, bread, and eggs, which are three important snow staples for any Alabamian.
During March 12-13, 1993, Alabama received 12 straight hours of heavy snow as temperatures continued to drop.
Susan Hurl/Flickr
In some places, 2-3 inches came down each hour. All 67 counties in the state received snow, which is extremely rare.
As you can imagine, The Storm of the Century, which is also known as the "'93 Superstorm" and the "Great Blizzard of 1993", caused lots of headache on Alabama's roadways.
eastest566/YouTube
Some people were even left stranded as snow piled higher than Alabama has ever seen.

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There's no denying that, in some parts of Alabama, the snow was SUCH a beautiful sight.
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However, in many neighborhoods, the reality was a lot less photogenic. People were trapped inside their homes. More than 400,000 houses across the state lost power for several days.
Sadly, for Alabama, this historic blizzard resulted in 50+million dollars in damages, and 14 fatalities.
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The storm, in its entirety, resulted in approximately 5.5 billion dollars in damages, and more than 270 fatalities across the region.
Without a doubt, The Storm of the Century was a rare event that was truly unforgettable.
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If you experienced it firsthand, you'll most certainly agree!

News footage covering the historic blizzard can be viewed below:

What do you remember most about The Storm of the Century? Let us know in the comments.

For a list of 13 beautiful snow photos that were captured right here in Alabama, be sure to take a look at the following article: 13 Times Snow Transformed Alabama Into The Most Beautiful Scenery.

 

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Blizzards in Alabama

Tori Jane | October 25, 2021

How often does it snow in Alabama? 

Believe it or not, snow isn’t a super-common occurrence in the state of Alabama. It’s not uncommon to see perhaps a light dusting of the white stuff north of Montgomery, but other than that, ‘Bama only sees significant snowfall every so often. On average, Alabama sees about 2 inches of snow per year; on New Years’ Eve and New Years’ Day 1963/64, however, up to 24 inches of snow fell overnight in parts of the state, while Huntsville alone reported just over 17 inches. In 1993, a record-breaking storm dropped 10.3 inches of snow over the state. Again, these events are not the norm – but they sure are interesting to remember!  

What kind of natural disasters in Alabama are there?  

Despite its lack of snow most years, Alabama is not completely free of natural disasters. Some of the most common natural disasters in Alabama during any given year include severe storms, flooding, tornadoes, and tropical storms/hurricanes. Some years, there is wildfire risk as well. Alabama is prone to large and/or violent tornadoes; in fact, Alabama is #2 in the United States for violent/deadly tornadoes. Alabama was front and center during the super outbreak of tornadoes in 2011, with 62 total tornadoes confirmed across the state. Of these tornadoes, one was the worst-case scenario – an EF5 – and four were next-to-worst EF4s. Unfortunately, Alabama is prone to this kind of storm. It also sees quite a bit of flooding and occasional large hail, though those risks are secondary to the severe storms and tornadoes. Sometimes, the strange happens – for example, in 1916, there was an earthquake that affected Irondale, Alabama. For a list of some of Alabama’s scariest natural disasters, take a look at this article.  

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