Snowfall makes roads treacherous in Northwest Alabama

The flakes flew fast and furious over Alabama’s northwest counties, changing from rain to sleet to snow.

Falling so fast at times that thick slush built up on highways and side roads.

It made driving treacherous in a hurry.

In the Marion County Town of Hackleburg, the Assistant Fire Chief says six inches of snow fell in some spots.

NBC13 HD’s Chris Pollone asked him, “Do you remember a snowfall like this?”

“Not this fast,” Assistant Fire Chief David Cantrell said.  “We had minimal snow when we stopped at our first wreck and by the time it cleared, our hose bed was covered with 3 to 4 inches of snow.”

Highway 43 between Hackleburg and Hamilton saw its share of the action, finally being shut down after a truck jackknifed across both lanes.

Truck driver Granville Adams says traffic in front of him was going too slow, and he couldn’t keep a grip on the road.

“If they [other drivers] had went on, I would have been fine.  If they just sped up a little bit, because I was coming fine then here we go,” Adams said while making a sliding motion with his hands.

Shawn McClarley was headed to work in Russellville when things came to a screeching halt.

“He [the truck driver] stopped, going midway up and that’s where he got in trouble, then it jackknifed,” she said. 

Emergency crews worked more than a dozen crashes in that area alone.

Officials in Hamilton reported one weather-related traffic fatality.

“We probably should have shut the roads down sooner, but I think everything happened so fast, everyone was on the roads, and it was too late.  Now we have to clean it up,” Chief Cantrell said.

Most people here are stunned at how fast the flakes flew.

“It’s a winter wonderland.  It came in a hurry,” Adams, the truck driver, said.

Not that all of them minded this rare winter surprise.

“I love it.  I wish it was knee-high to a giraffe,” McClarley said of the snow.