Hoover, Shelby County schools close Tuesday due to expected winter weather, icy roads

Shelby County and Hoover school officials have closed all schools and offices on Tuesday, Jan. 16, due to the threat of significant winter weather.

After-school and evening activities related to schools also are canceled Tuesday, including the Hoover school board meeting that was scheduled for Tuesday night, spokesman Jason Gaston said.

The school board meeting has been rescheduled for Monday, Jan. 22, at 5:30 p.m. at the Farr Administration Building. Superintendent Kathy Murphy is scheduled to deliver an address on the state of the school system at that meeting, and the school board also is scheduled to consider a proposal for the YMCA to take over the system’s after-school care program.

Hoover school officials say they will continue to monitor the weather Tuesday to determine whether schools will be open Wednesday and advised parents, students and employees to look for additional communication as warranted.

Shelby County Schools announced its decision to close Monday around 4:50 p.m., citing "the threat of inclement weather and potentially dangerous road conditions." All schools and offices will be closed.

Also, officials with the city of Hoover have closed most city-owned public facilities Tuesday, including the Hoover Municipal Center, Hoover Public Library, Hoover Recreation Center, Hoover Senior Center, Hoover Public Safety Center (including Hoover Municipal Court) and Aldridge Gardens, city spokeswoman Lori Salter-Schommer said. The Finley Center at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex will be open from 8 a.m. to noon on Tuesday.

The Hoover City Council also has postponed its meeting that was scheduled for Tuesday night until this Thursday, Jan. 18, at 6 p.m. at the Hoover Municipal Center.

Shelby County officials announced closures and cancellations Monday night and Tuesday morning. The Chelsea City Council rescheduled its Jan. 16 meeting for Jan. 23 at 5:30 p.m. Shelby County Planning Commission postponed its Jan. 16 meeting, moving all agenda items to the next meeting on Feb. 5. 

Chelsea City Hall is closed all day on Jan. 16, and the Shelby County Sheriff's Office is set to close administrative offices at noon. 

"This decision does not affect calls for service from our sworn deputies and we remain on duty to assist the public. Emergencies should be directed to 911," according to a SCSO press release.

Meanwhile, weather forecasters are advising people in central Alabama to prepare for the winter weather.

Anywhere from 0.5 to 1.5 inches of snow is expected Tuesday, but experts’ greatest concern is not the amount of accumulation. Rather, it’s the timing and set-up of the system that will likely cause significant traffic problems and possibly even dangerous driving conditions throughout the area.

With highs around 50 degrees on Monday, the National Weather Service said in a Facebook Live broadcast that roads could absorb enough heat to cause partial melting of snow accumulations on Tuesday. Pair that with temperatures in the upper 20s and low 30s, and a hard refreezing of precipitation on roadways is highly likely.

Jim Stefkovich, a meteorologist with the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, compared the cold front’s set-up and timing to 2014, when thousands of motorists were stranded for hours or even overnight.

Those who do plan to venture out Tuesday morning should be prepared to be home or wherever they intend to be for the next 24 to 36 hours by the time the snowflakes begin to fall, Stefkovich said in his release on the Alabama EMA website.

The National Weather Service anticipates snowfall to begin between 10 a.m. and noon for the northern half of Jefferson County, and between noon and 2 p.m. for the southern half and Shelby County.

Timing, however, can change, and motorists should monitor conditions, Stefkovich said.

The weather service also expects frigid temperatures, with wind chills dipping into the low teens, Tuesday night. Property owners are encouraged to cover exposed pipes and leave faucets dripping, and pet owners should bring pets inside.

For updates, follow the National Weather Service on Facebook or on Twitter at @NWSBirmingham.

This post was updated to include the closing of Shelby County schools and public buildings owned and operated by the city of Hoover.