(Video above: TV clips from the Blizzard of 1993)
Everyone across the country remembers Snowmageddon in 2014, but given the chance, true Alabamians will always tell you about their experiences with the Blizzard of 93. Officially named the “Superstorm of 1993” by the National Weather Service (and the “Storm of the Century” by Wikipedia), the Blizzard of 93 is still a monumental moment for long-time Alabama residents.
This week marks the 23rd anniversary of the 1993 snowstorm.
Rumblings of the Blizzard began as early as March 8, and perfect weather conditions from a low-pressure area moving through the Gulf of Mexico barreled towards the South. The storm was accompanied by spooky green lightning, and all 67 Alabama counties were covered in snow for days.
At the height of its power, the superstorm reached from Central America to Eastern Canada and had the wind power of a category 3 hurricane. Throughout Alabama, trees fell and many lost power. Other states like Florida experienced devastating tornadoes.
For many, this was the worst storm in the history of the state. Birmingham was blanketed with 13 inches of snow, Oneonta and Bessemer had 16 inches, and Childersburg and Clanton had 10 inches. Other parts of the state fared much better: Auburn only had 5 inches of snow, and Tuscaloosa and Montgomery had 4 inches. These official numbers did not account for snowdrifts, some of which reached 5 or 6 feet deep.
In typical Alabama fashion though, just days after the “storm of the century,” temperatures were back up to 60 degrees.
Of course, when Birmingham area residents find themselves in times of trouble, James Spann comes to them. Speaking words of wisdom, James Spann guided residents of the Birmingham area through the worst of the storm. The mighty good weatherman has been serving the area for longer than most people probably realize. Spann stayed on the air (and radio for those without power) well into the early hours of the morning to give people the latest updates.
You can watch some of Spann’s coverage of the Blizzard in the video at the top of the article and the one below.
(Video below: TV clips from the Blizzard of 1993)
