As a wave of cold weather brought snow and sleet to the Deep South, Alabama residents focused on safety as well as fun.

People across parts of Alabama woke up Friday morning to snow blanketing their streets and police warning of impassable roads. The winter storm forecasters have warned of through the week from Huntsville to Birmingham began sometime over night.

Freezing rain, sleet, and snow are impacting much of Central Alabama Friday morning. George W. Bush gave fellow former president Barack Obama a friendly belly tap at the Jan. 9 funeral of Jimmy Carter,

Weather forecasters say a mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow will enter West Alabama shortly after midnight Thursday.

Many in central Alabama woke up to a winter wonderland Friday morning. And as people are urged to not drive if they don’t have to, many are taking the opportunity to enjoy the rare snow day in Alabama.