Earth Changes
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 Oraefajokull (err-IVER'-yer-kuhl) volcano, dormant since its last eruption in 1727-1728, has seen a recent increase in seismic activity and geothermal water leakage that has worried scientists. With the snow hole on Iceland's highest peak deepening 18 inches (45 centimeters) each day, authorities have raised the volcano's alert safety code to yellow.
Experts at Iceland's Meteorological Office have detected 160 earthquakes in the region in the past week alone as they step up their monitoring of the volcano. The earthquakes are mostly small but their sheer number is exceptionally high.
"Oraefajokull is one of the most dangerous volcanos in Iceland. It's a volcano for which we need to be very careful," said Sara Barsotti, Coordinator for Volcanic Hazards at the Icelandic Meteorological Office.
Comment: See also:
- Iceland's Öræfajökull volcano may be about to erupt for first time since 1728
- Iceland's biggest volcano being monitored after a series of earthquakes
- Shiveluch volcano in Russia erupts spewing hot ash 6 miles into the sky
- A force to be reckoned with: Seismologists report that a volcano is building up under New England
- Bali volcano has erupted for a second time in less than a week, forcing airlines to re-route flights
- Great Sitkin volcano alert level raised to yellow in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska
- Alert up as Mayon Volcano shows 'abnormal behavior' in the Philippines
Mother Nature brought blockbuster amounts of snow to areas that only see it a few times per century - where even half melted flurries are enough to drive kids out of their minds with excitement. I'm not talking Dallas or Amarillo or Lubbock. As of this entry, it is snowing and snowing heavily in, of all places, Brownsville, marking only the third time since 1895 they have received accumulating snowfall.
Not to be outdone, Corpus Christi got their first snowfall in 13 years and recorded between five and seven inches of snow. What's more absurd than that? They reported a thunderstorm with heavy snow; in Corpus Christi! That is extremely rare --- in Buffalo. To have it happen not once but twice would make even the Jim Cantore breathe into a bag.
A day after parts of Texas - which rarely see flurries - were dusted with snow, Floridians were starting to ask, "So, could we see some flakes?"
Well, to be blunt: Probably not. But there is a chance if you live in the Panhandle.
The Sunshine State has an approaching cold snap, but the National Weather Service offices closest to Pensacola - Tallahassee and Mobile, Ala. - are mentioning just a slight possibility of snow.
Tallahassee forecasters were careful with their words:
"Will need to monitor ... for the possibility of a few snow flurries mixed with the rain late tonight," forecasters wrote in their report at 6:22 a.m. on Friday. "Chances are low at this time, but cannot be ruled out."

Snow filled roads Wednesday in Valdez, Alaska.
Sources
Comment: Coincidentally, there have been a spate of 'strange sounds' heard in Alabama recently. On November 14th, a mysterious loud 'boom' was heard across North Alabama. On November 24th and 26th, more booms were heard and recorded: Another unexplained boom heard in Alabama (Update).
The Jackson County Sheriff's office said they received a call around 9:00 a.m. on Thursday about a dog attack at County Road 121 in Jackson County; right outside of Section
Officials said that the dog tried to attack a deputy and was shot. Scottsboro Animal Control along with deputies and Section Police rounded up another four dogs involved. All five dogs have been described by authorities as pitbulls.
Another woman was found injured and has been treated for her injuries and released according to authorities.The Jackson County Sheriff's Office says that Colvin had been in contact with the dogs before and they had never received a call or had a problem with those particular dogs.
Comment: The is the second fatality caused by this particular type of dog within the same state in 10 days: Pack of 4 pit bull terriers kill woman in Guntersville, Alabama; seriously injure another
The quake, initially measured with a magnitude of 6.8 by the Alaska Tsunami Warning Center but later scaled down, was at depth of 46 km (28 miles), the Hawaii-based PTWC said.
Comment: The above event was followed by an earthquake of 6.4 magnitude at the same locality about 9 hours later:
6.4 magnitude earthquake 50 km from Fais, Yap, Micronesia
2017-12-08 09:51:10 UTC
USGS page: M 6.4 - 50km WNW of Fais, Micronesia
USGS status: Reviewed by a seismologist
Reports from the public: 0 people














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.