List of snowfalls
This is a List of snowfalls of 2 inches or greater in Birmingham as reported by the Alabama Office of the State Climatologist.
| Amount | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 10.3 inches | March 13, 1993 | See Blizzard of 1993 |
| 9.5 inches | January 23, 1940 | |
| 8.1 inches | January 28, 1904 | |
| 8.0 inches | January 30, 1936 | |
| 8.0 inches | December 31, 1963 | |
| 6.0 inches | March 13, 1924 | |
| 5.5 inches | December 22, 1929 | |
| 5.5 inches | January 2, 1919 | |
| 5.5 inches | January 29, 1930 | |
| 5.0 inches | April 3, 1987 | |
| 5.0 inches | January 13, 1982 | |
| 5.0 inches | February 23, 1901 | |
| 4.4 inches | January 18, 1992 | |
| 3.8 inches | January 23, 1948 | |
| 3.5 inches | January 9, 1962 | |
| 3.3 inches | December 13, 1958 | |
| 3.0 inches | January 29, 1936 | |
| 3.0 inches | January 29, 2000 | |
| 2.8 inches | March 20, 1915 | |
| 2.7 inches | March 12, 1993 | See Blizzard of 1993 |
| 2.6 inches | January 22, 1987 | |
| 2.5 inches | March 2, 1942 | |
| 2.3 inches | December 18, 1909 | |
| 2.3 inches | February 13, 1960 | |
| 2.0 inches | February 28, 1941 | |
| 2.0 inches | February 13, 1905 | |
| 2.0 inches | March 10, 1984 | |
| 2.0 inches | December 11, 1944 | |
| 2.0 inches | March 1, 2009 | |
| 2.0 inches | January 17, 2013 | link |
| 2.0 inches | January 28, 2014 | See 2014 winter storm |
* Note that localized accumulations can differ markedly from these official figures. The current weather station for Birmingham is located at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport.
** The Birmingham Age-Herald reported a 5.5 inch snowfall in Birmingham amidst a major winter storm on January 24, 1893.
White Christmas?
A rare Christmas day snowfall brought accumulations of about 1/2" to parts of the Birmingham area in 2010, although no accumulation was officially reported at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport.
Prior to that, no measurable snow accumulation had ever occurred on December 24 or 25 in Birmingham. There were some flurries and light dusting in 1985, and even lighter flurries in 1961, 1963, 1966, 1980, 1989, 1990, 1993 and 1995. The nearest major snowfall was the one on December 22, 1929 which left some snow still on the ground on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day's high of 51° F melted the rest of it off.
References
- Mersmann, Tim (December 1978) "Two Percent Chance for White Christmas". Birmingham magazine. Vol. 18, No. 12, p. 4
- "Birmingham Cold Weather Facts" at weather.gov/bmx
- "White Christmas History in Central Alabama". (December 16, 2004) National Weather Service Forecast Office, Birmingham, AL