The average annual snowfall in Birmingham, Alabama, is 2 inches (51 mm).

Historic snowfall events in Alabama include the New Year’s Eve 1963 snowstorm and the 1993 Storm of the Century.

Snow is rare in much of Alabama, but areas north of Montgomery may receive a dusting of snow a few times each winter, with occasional heavy snowfalls every few years.

Winters in Alabama are generally mild, with average January low temperatures around 40 °F (4 °C) in Mobile and around 32 °F (0 °C) in Birmingham.

“Dixie Alley” refers to the area of Alabama and Mississippi that is most affected by tornadoes, as distinct from the Tornado Alley of the Southern Plains.

The northern part of Alabama, along the Tennessee River Valley, is most vulnerable to tornadoes.

Snowfall is less frequent along Alabama’s Gulf Coast, sometimes going several years without any snowfall.

Alabama’s highest recorded temperature is 112 °F (44 °C), recorded on September 5, 1925, in Centerville.

Alabama’s lowest recorded temperature is −27 °F (−33 °C), recorded on January 30, 1966, in New Market.

Alabama has a total area of 52,419 square miles (135,760 km²).