Limestone County and most of the northern portion of the State of Alabama continue to be under a Winter Storm Warning as freezing rain, sleet, snow, and frigid temperatures began gripping the area during the day Sunday.

The National Weather Service in Huntsville issued a Winter Storm Warning beginning January 14 at 2:40 CST until January 16 at 6 A.M. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey issued a State of Emergency for 25 counties, including Limestone and surrounding counties, taking effect at 2 P.M. Sunday, Jan. 14.

People quickly rushed to local stores to get supplies for a potential of several inches of snow and three consecutive days of below freezing temperatures. Bread aisles and milk coolers weren’t the only empty sections at local grocery stores. At Hometown Grocery on Hwy 31, ingredients for soups and chili were in high demand with the produce section being completely emptied of potatoes and onions.

Meanwhile, lines were gathered throughout the county by those hurried to find propane and kerosene. A line had formed for Propane at West End Outdoors on Hwy 72 in Athens late Sunday afternoon as sleet began to fall.

Throughout the night Sunday, as snow fell on Florence and parts of Lauderdale County, Limestone County continued to see sleet and frozen rain causing the condition of the streets to deteriorate quickly. Athens Police Chief soon asked drivers to remain off the roads if possible and reported ice on bridges.

By Monday morning, snowflakes replaced the sleet and freezing rain with more precipitation predicted for the Tennessee Valley throughout the day. Noon Monday, snow continued to fall in much of Limestone County.

The US National Weather Service in Huntsville warned that temperatures Monday night were expected to drop down into the single digits with wind chills 5-10 degrees below zero Tuesday morning. Temperatures are not forecast to climb above freezing until Thursday.