With some school systems in Alabama — including Escambia County — out for their third day in a row, State Superintendent Tommy Bice said today that schools will not have to make up the days.

That’s because Gov. Robert Bentley declared a state of emergency as the winter storm was heading toward Alabama.

Escambia County schools were out Tuesday, although bad weather did not hit until Tuesday afternoon.

In Birmingham, where forecasters had predicted only a dusting of snow, a swift two inches of snow that almost immediately froze on the ground created a transportation nightmare Tuesday.

Some travelers were stuck in their cars overnight, or had to abandon them to walk to shelter.

State officials said more than 11,000 children stayed at school overnight in Alabama on Tuesday night, with teachers and administrators staying with them.