© Joe Songer | jsonger@al.comSnow in Central Alabama 12-8-17
This snowstorm certainly surpassed expectations.
Areas across Alabama were blanketed with snow on Friday, with totals reaching the double digits in some areas.
As of Friday night some of the highest totals came from Randolph and Calhoun counties in east Alabama.
Both have reported 10 inches of snow, according to reports to the National Weather Service in Birmingham.
The weather service has also logged reports of 8 inches, 7 inches and multiple reports of 6 inches over the course of the day.
Get central Alabama preliminary snowfall totals here.
Mobile hadn't gotten as much snow as of Friday night, only about six-tenths of an inch as of 9:30 p.m. But that is still enough to set a record, as forecasters noted earlier Friday:
The Birmingham International Airport had recorded 4 inches of snow as of noon Friday, which ranked as the third highest December snowfall on record.
December snow isn't unheard of in Alabama.
One of the most recent events was in 2010. Snow fell on Christmas Day that year, and some areas in north Alabama got more than 6 inches.
Comment: A rare blast of winter weather has dusted Louisiana with snow, shutting down much of the state. There has also been record snowfall in Houston and Texas. More than 250,000 people are without power across the South following the snowstorm.
Meanwhile only a couple of days ago, Alaska recorded one of the most extreme snowfall rates on record - when an incredible 10 inches of snow piled up in one hour. In the end, 40 inches of heavy wet snow accumulated in 12 hours.