Snow traps hundreds overnight on Alabama highway

A rare winter storm dumped up to a foot of snow around the Southeast on Thursday and Friday, left thousands without power, and played a role in at least one death.

In central Alabama, hundreds of people spent a cold night trapped on Interstate 65 in Cullman County after snow caused a series of wrecks that snarled traffic for miles.

Hundreds of cars and 18-wheelers were at a standstill on an 8-mile stretch of the highway early Friday.

The backup began Thursday afternoon as a winter storm blanketed the area with as much as 4 inches of snow.

“Weather like this is so unusual for us,” said Cindy Parker, who works at a Shell gasoline station just off I-65 in Cullman.

A foot of snow in Virginia

In Virginia, the National Weather Service reported 13 inches of snow in Giles County, while Grayson County and the Galax area received about a foot.

Parts of Mississippi received 2 to 4 inches of snow.

More freezing temperatures are predicted next week.

http://weather.yahoo.com/ala-highway-jammed-snow-storm-crosses-south-165301751.html

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/18/16582570-snow-trapped-hundreds-overnight-on-alabama-highway?lite=

Thanks to Robert Stom for this link