JB’s Journal–Can We Have Snow in November?

ANSWER: You bet your boots we can!
…or You can bet your bottom dollar we can!

Let’s look back at one of the most dramatic examples. The date was November 24, 1950. A day or so earlier, thousands of football fans were in their short-sleeved shirts at Legion Field watching the annual Crippled Children’s Championship game between the two best high schools in the area.

But local radio stations were broadcasting news of bitter cold weather down the road. In fact the U.S. Weather Bureau (later called the National Weather Service) had issued a “Cold Wave Warning” Yes, a Cold Wave Warning.. Local DJs were laughing because current temperatures were as balmy as could be for late November.

“Cold Wave Warning” vanished from official forecasts years ago and I still miss it. You also never hear a forecast of “thundershowers” any more. It is either showers or thunderstorms.

Back to November, 1950. The cold wave rolled in to Birmingham as forecast on November 24 along with one inch of snow and with lots of wind. Next morning, the official Birmingham thermometer leveled off at 5 above zero. I was the official co-op observer for McCalla, in SW Jefferson County at the time and I had a low of 4 above. There was lots of freeze damage.

Any of you remember being at Legion Field that day? After all, it was only 61 years ago!

Up in Northeast Alabama, good ole Valley Head registered 2 below zero!

Category: Alabama's Weather