Mayor Maddox says city will prepare for possible Friday winter storm; warming shelters coordinated with county EMA

Mayor Maddox said Wednesday that Tuscaloosa will meet with staff to prepare for a potential winter weather event expected Friday and that City Hall will remain open while operations are assessed.

The mayor said the city will evaluate conditions roughly 48 hours before the event and urged residents to follow the city and Tuscaloosa County EMA social media feeds for updates. "We're gonna meet as a team tomorrow, evaluate where we are," Mayor Maddox said. He said decisions about service levels will depend on developing conditions and said the city is coordinating with the county and neighboring jurisdictions on warming shelters.

The mayor noted uncertainty in forecasts and cited the city's experience with an unexpected 2014 ice storm as a reason for preparing conservatively. He said the school system’s decision about closures is a separate call for the local school officials to make and that the city will provide information and support to the council as needed.

No formal action was taken during the remarks; the council did not vote on closures or emergency declarations in the portion of the meeting captured in the transcript.

Meeting participants were asked to monitor official channels for guidance and to contact city staff if they need assistance during the event.