MONTGOMERY – Secretary of State John Merrill issued the following statement on the five year anniversary of the April 27, 2011 tornadoes.

Secretary Merrill represented Tuscaloosa County in the Alabama House of Representatives from 2010 to 2014, and was [...]]]>

Large area of pavement scoured from a road in Phil Campbell.

MONTGOMERY – Secretary of State John Merrill issued the following statement on the five year anniversary of the April 27, 2011 tornadoes.

Secretary Merrill represented Tuscaloosa County in the Alabama House of Representatives from 2010 to 2014, and was actually on the House floor presenting a bill as the tornadoes struck Tuscaloosa that afternoon.

“As we reflect on this unwanted and undesired anniversary, we are reminded of the tragic loss of life and property that occurred five years ago today,” Secretary Merrill said. “And yet with all we have lost, we never lost hope or optimism as we helped our friends and neighbors recover and return to some sense of normalcy.”

“Our state continues to serve as a positive example to the southeast and to our nation of the good things that can come from difficult circumstances. I am honored to represent our community and our state as an elected official in the greatest state in the union.”

US National Weather Service.

Stay informed and know the weather approaching so you are prepared for whatever may be coming your way.

Also it’s way too late to try for bread and milk. Probably be over tomorrow, anyway.

MUSCLE SHOALS– Winter weather precipitation forecasted for northern portions of Alabama may cause icy roads and hazardous driving conditions. During this time, the public will see more Alabama State Troopers – including those assigned to Marine Patrol Division – on the roadways to enforce laws and assist motorists. Additionally, our State Bureau [...]]]>  

MUSCLE SHOALS– Winter weather precipitation forecasted for northern portions of Alabama may cause icy roads and hazardous driving conditions. During this time, the public will see more Alabama State Troopers – including those assigned to Marine Patrol Division – on the roadways to enforce laws and assist motorists. Additionally, our State Bureau of Investigation Agricultural and Rural Crimes are also prepared to respond and assist with traffic safety if needed. “The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) strongly encourages all motorists to drive with extreme caution and to avoid roadways when weather conditions are prohibitive,” said Secretary of Law Enforcement Spencer Collier. “Because of the consolidation of state law enforcement, we now operate under a singular chain of command thus, we are able to provide for better preparation and utilization of assets. This is an example of the success of the consolidation by delivering a more effective and efficient use of state resources.”
ALEA reminds motorists they can check the conditions of Alabama’s state and federal highways on the Road Conditions page on the Alabama Department of Transportation’s (ALDOT) web site at www.dot.state.al.us. ALDOT personnel and resources are mobilized to monitor and respond to weather-related conditions if necessary.
ALEA has made preparations and mobilized personnel and resources across the state to respond to icy road conditions and other adverse impacts from the winter storm. ALEA will monitor roadway conditions and will make every attempt to keep highways passable and as safe for travel as possible.
Motorists are encouraged to monitor local news for information on weather conditions and frequently check road conditions and travel advisories. To report traffic crashes or other emergencies to state troopers, motorists with cell phones may dial *HP (*47) toll‐free.
If driving becomes necessary, motorists should use caution and be alert for emergency vehicles. Motorists are reminded to obey Alabama’s “move over” law.
State Troopers offer the following tips to help ensure safe winter travel:

• Avoid travel, if possible, when icy or other extremely hazardous driving conditions develop.
• Keep vehicles in good operating condition. Check antifreeze levels and use windshield washer
solution suitable for freezing weather conditions. Keep gas tanks, at least, half full.
• Remember weather and roadway conditions can quickly change. Adapt speeds to existing roadway conditions, and be alert to changing weather and the possibility of icy, slippery
roads.
• During inclement weather, turn on headlights and windshield wipers and maintain a safe distance between your vehicle and other vehicles.
• Pay particular attention to bridges and overpasses, which have a tendency to develop extremely hazardous “black ice.”
• Keep blankets, a first-aid kit, a charged cell phone and other emergency supplies in your vehicle.

During heavy rains and floods such as those currently being experienced in Alabama, the ground can become saturated. Residents who use an onsite sewage disposal system (a septic tank system) may be experiencing performance problems due to these rain-soaked conditions.

The Alabama Department of Public Health offers the following suggestions that [...]]]>

During heavy rains and floods such as those currently being experienced in Alabama, the ground can become saturated. Residents who use an onsite sewage disposal system (a septic tank system) may be experiencing performance problems due to these rain-soaked conditions.

The Alabama Department of Public Health offers the following suggestions that may provide some relief during this time:

Limit water usage when possible by reducing toilet flushing, dishwashing, clothes washing and showering.
Consider laundering at commercial establishments, as this will significantly reduce the demand on your own system.
Inspect disposal areas for depressions where rainwater ponding may occur. Adding soil to these depressions will aid in surface drainage.
Inspect roof draining and gutters to ensure that rainwater run-off is diverted away from the disposal area.
Consider having your septic tank pumped out. This may provide temporary relief and may help with maintenance for long-term system performance. The Alabama Department of Public Health recommends having your septic tank pumped out every three to five years to eliminate sludge build-up.
After weather conditions improve, the system should return to normal functioning. If you continue to experience problems with your system, contact your local health department environmentalist for assistance.

Signs that a septic system is not working properly include the following:

Sinks drain slowly
Toilets drain slowly
Floor drains overflow
Sewage becomes visible outside the home
Precautions related to septic systems include:

Avoid contact with any septic system electrical devices until they are dry and clean.
Do not pump out the septic tank more than halfway or the tank may float out of the ground.
Reduce all nonessential water use (for example, dishwashing, clothes washing, showering).
Flush toilets as little as possible or use a temporary toilet.
If you suspect septic system damage, get the system professionally inspected and serviced.

Well Water Precautions

Severe flooding can put drinking water wells at increased risk for contamination from floodwater that may contain sewage. Avoid contact with any standing water that may contain sewage. Persons in areas where there may have been flash floods should test their private water wells before consuming water from them.

Private wells that have been covered by flood water should be assumed to have been contaminated. Do not drink water from your well or feed it to your animals until you have tested it and have received a satisfactory test result.

Sample kits may be obtained from the local health departments and state health department laboratories, which are equipped to sample well water for bacteriological contamination. Once a satisfactory sample is obtained, the well should be monitored by continued sampling to ensure the quality of the water supply.

Until water is known to be free of contaminants, residents should only use clear water which has been brought to a full boil for one minute.

If your travel plans include crossing Wilson Dam within the next few days, you will need to revise your trip. Wilson Dam will be closed to vehicular traffic from 2:30 p.m. today (12/30) until 9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 4. The forecasted low temperatures could cause icing on the bridge.

From Colbert County Tourism,

Fifty two years ago today, the weather forecast called for cold rain, possibly mixed with a little sleet, in north Alabama.

By lunch time, that cold rain, possibly mixed with a little sleet, had turned into snow. By the time 1964 arrived, parts of north Alabama were convered by [...]]]>

From Colbert County Tourism,

Fifty two years ago today, the weather forecast called for cold rain, possibly mixed with a little sleet, in north Alabama.

By lunch time, that cold rain, possibly mixed with a little sleet, had turned into snow. By the time 1964 arrived, parts of north Alabama were convered by more than a foot of snow. The surprise snowstorm dumped 15 inches of snow on Muscle Shoals and Russellville. More than 17 inches were recorded in Huntsville.
The New Year’s Eve 1963/New Year’s Day 1964 snowstorm retains the record for most snow ever in a 24-hour period for the Shoals.

The American Red Cross launched a massive relief response across multiple states in the wake of deadly storms which have been hammering communities across most of the country since before the Christmas holiday. Almost 1,300 people spent Sunday night in Red Cross and community shelters in Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, Illinois, Missouri, New [...]]]>

The American Red Cross launched a massive relief response across multiple states in the wake of deadly storms which have been hammering communities across most of the country since before the Christmas holiday.
Almost 1,300 people spent Sunday night in Red Cross and community shelters in Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico and Oklahoma after tornadoes, flooding and winter storms left behind damaged homes, downed power lines and closed highways. The Red Cross is also supporting families in Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi due to severe weather and flooding.
“We have been out helping people affected by these massive storms since before Christmas and will continue to support them as long as we are needed,” said Brad Kieserman, vice president, Disaster Services Operations and Logistics for the Red Cross. “We depend on generous financial donations to provide comfort and hope to people in need. This is especially true right now when so many have lost everything and holiday celebrations for so many families have been tragically interrupted.”
RED CROSS RESPONSE More than 1,100 homes have been damaged by storms across the affected areas and the number could increase. Hundreds of trained Red Cross disaster workers left their loved ones and homes over the holiday and opened shelters for those affected, providing meals, distributing comfort kits and clean-up supplies and meeting with those affected to help them plan their next steps.
PLEASE HELP NOW The Red Cross will be helping people affected by this storm for weeks and months to come, at the same time responding to other emergencies, including helping people whose homes are destroyed by fires. The Red Cross responds to nearly 70,000 disasters each year in the United States – and the vast majority of these are home fires.

People can help by donating to Red Cross Disaster Relief to support disasters big and small by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

The generous donations from Annual Disaster Giving Program members (ADGP) and the Disaster Responder Program members enable the American Red Cross to prepare communities for disasters big and small, respond whenever and wherever disasters occur and help families during the recovery process.
ADGP $1 Million members are: Walmart; VSP℠ Vision care for life; UPS; Target; State Farm; Nationwide Foundation; Merck Foundation; Mazda North American Operations; Lowe’s Companies, Inc.; LDS Charities; Humble Bundle; The Home Depot; FedEx Corporation; Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation; Disney; Costco Wholesale; Caterpillar Foundation; Boise Paper; Anthem Foundation; and American Airlines.

ADGP $500,000 members are: Wells Fargo; Wawa; Visa; United Technologies Corporation; United Airlines; The TJX Companies, Inc.; Sunoco; Sprint; Southwest Airlines; San Manuel Band of Mission Indians; Prudential Foundation; PepsiCo Foundation; National Grid; Mondelēz International Foundation; Meijer; Medtronic; The Kraft Heinz Company; Johnson Controls; John Deere Foundation; Grainger; Ford Motor Company; Farmers Insurance; Edison International; Dr Pepper Snapple Group; Discover; Delta Air Lines; Darden Restaurants Foundation; ConAgra Foods Foundation; Citi Foundation; Cisco Foundation; Capital One; BNY Mellon; Bank of America; Aon; Anheuser-Busch Foundation; American Express; Altria Group; and 3M.

Disaster Responder Program members are: U-Haul International; U.S. Bank; T O Y O T A; State Street Foundation; Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Foundation, Inc.; Southeastern Grocers Home of BI-LO Harveys Winn Dixie; Sealed Air; San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E); Ryder; Residence Inn by Marriott; PuroClean Disaster Recovery; PSEG Foundation; Procter & Gamble Company; Northwestern Mutual and the Northwestern Mutual Foundation; Northrop Grumman Corporation; New Balance Foundation; Neiman Marcus Group; Morgan Stanley; MetLife Foundation; Marsh & McLennan Companies; Land O’Lakes, Inc.; Interstate All Battery Center; Ingersoll Rand Foundation; IKEA; IBM Corporation; HP Company Foundation; Hi-Rez Studios; Hewlett Packard Enterprise Foundation; H&M; General Motors Foundation; Entergy Corporation; The Clorox Company; BHP Billiton; Ball Foundation; AXA; AvalonBay Communities, Inc.; AT&T; AstraZeneca; Astellas USA Foundation; Almost Family; Alcoa; and 1-800-BOARDUP.

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.