(12-05-2013 12:41 PM)I45owl Wrote:  You'll have a decision point to make when you reach Birmingham. I really doubt that the ice will reach I-10. In addition to what Owl 69/70/75 says about the swamp, you'll be just a few miles inland from the coast for much of that drive, so if it does get below freezing, you don't have to have precipitation to have ice.
That said, I would highly recommend planning to drop to I-10 and going across that way (the CUSA tour). It adds only 20 minutes (again noting what was said about Baton Rouge could make it much worse during rush hour) to a 17 hour drive, which should be fairly trivial.
It was 34 here in Dallas with a slight drizzle a few minutes ago, but the city will be shut down tomorrow morning. They just canceled a the North Texas (Soccer) Tournament of Champions in preparation for the weather (actually, they rescheduled it to February in contradiction of a policy to either play or cancel).

I think Memphis/Arkansas is out, and I think you probably should get south as quickly as you can, so I-65 down to Birmingham makes sense. From there you actually have until Meridian (I-59 or I-20) or Jackson (I-55 or I-20) to make a decision. I've driven all three (I-59, I-55, I-20) multiple times, including over and back last weekend, and absent weather there is probably no more than 20-30 minutes difference among any of them.

At this point, it looks like the freezing rain won't get as far south at I-10, but might make I-20, so the I-10 route would be the choice, and going south on I-59 at Meridian is probably a slightly better choice than waiting until Jackson, although if it's still iffy then Jackson keeps your options open longer. Just try to time things to avoid Baton Rouge at anything approaching morning or afternoon rush hour.

If things change and it does look like freezing rain as far south as I-10, then shift gears and come I-20. You really do not want to do the Atchafalaya bridge in freezing conditions, or anything approaching that. I recall diverting north to I-20 at Christmas years ago because there was a 1 inch thick sheet of ice the whole 20 miles of the bridge. You do not want that.

(12-05-2013 01:44 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(12-05-2013 12:41 PM)I45owl Wrote:  You'll have a decision point to make when you reach Birmingham. I really doubt that the ice will reach I-10. In addition to what Owl 69/70/75 says about the swamp, you'll be just a few miles inland from the coast for much of that drive, so if it does get below freezing, you don't have to have precipitation to have ice.
That said, I would highly recommend planning to drop to I-10 and going across that way (the CUSA tour). It adds only 20 minutes (again noting what was said about Baton Rouge could make it much worse during rush hour) to a 17 hour drive, which should be fairly trivial.
It was 34 here in Dallas with a slight drizzle a few minutes ago, but the city will be shut down tomorrow morning. They just canceled a the North Texas (Soccer) Tournament of Champions in preparation for the weather (actually, they rescheduled it to February in contradiction of a policy to either play or cancel).

I think Memphis/Arkansas is out, and I think you probably should get south as quickly as you can, so I-65 down to Birmingham makes sense. From there you actually have until Meridian (I-59 or I-20) or Jackson (I-55 or I-20) to make a decision. I've driven all three (I-59, I-55, I-20) multiple times, including over and back last weekend, and absent weather there is probably no more than 20-30 minutes difference among any of them.

At this point, it looks like the freezing rain won't get as far south at I-10, but might make I-20, so the I-10 route would be the choice, and going south on I-59 at Meridian is probably a slightly better choice than waiting until Jackson, although if it's still iffy then Jackson keeps your options open longer. Just try to time things to avoid Baton Rouge at anything approaching morning or afternoon rush hour.

If things change and it does look like freezing rain as far south as I-10, then shift gears and come I-20. You really do not want to do the Atchafalaya bridge in freezing conditions, or anything approaching that. I recall diverting north to I-20 at Christmas years ago because there was a 1 inch thick sheet of ice the whole 20 miles of the bridge. You do not want that.

Very good advise.