Area residents woke up to a blanket of white snow and ice covering the ground, but the likely question on everyone’s mind is — when is this all going to melt?

The answer is not entirely clear. Early weather forecasts show that temperatures should again jump above 32 degrees Fahrenheit by noon today, Wed., Jan. 29, but could dip right below freezing again once the sun goes down.

According to The Weather Channel, early Thursday morning’s lows could be down to 20 degrees, with wind chills approaching 10.

Thursday’s high is projected to be 48 degrees, with a low of 33, which should be hot enough to melt most of the icy conditions.

Schools remain closed today. As of Wednesday morning, they had not announced if they would change their initial plan to re-open Thursday.

The Alabama Department of Transportation still has a travel advisory in effect, and is asking motorists to avoid the roads if at all possible. Several major state highways are impassable, including portions of Interstate 65 near Montgomery, Interstate 365 in Tuscaloosa, and major arteries in the Birmingham area.

City and county streets remain closed until further notice.