Southern states will remember Winter Storm Leon because it couldbe one of the worst winter storms to hit the region in decades.

The storm has already forced credit unions in Louisiana,Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and South Carolina to closebranches early Tuesday.

Some credit unions said they expect to reopen Wednesday duringregular hours or delay opening hours, depending on how much snowand ice the storm produces.

A few credit unions like the $1.1 billion Army Aviation Center Federal Credit Union in Daleville, Ala.,posted on its Facebook site that all of its branches will be closedWednesday. The cooperative closed its branches around noon onTuesday.

“It's safe to say most branches are closed from South Alabama upto Birmingham,” said Mike Bridges, vice president of communicationsfor the League of Southern Credit Union and Affiliates in Tallahassee.“We're starting to see some closings in Pensacola.”

Did he say Pensacola, Fla.?

Indeed, the $157 million Members First Credit Union of Floridaclosed branches at 11 a.m. Tuesday, and the $126 million CentralCredit Union of Florida closed up shop at 1 p.m. with the hope toreopen Wednesday.

Snow is forecast for some areas of the Florida Panhandle, butfreezing rain is likely over a larger area of the state Tuesdayafternoon, according to the Weather Channel.

The LSCU also closed its office in Birmingham, Ala., Tuesday atnoon. It is expected to reopen Wednesday.

Some areas of Alabama have been hit with freezing rain.

“We have witnessed two accidents on the bridge just across fromour corporate office,” read a Facebook post from the $1 billionMAX Credit Union in Montgomery, Ala. “Please be cautious on icybridges! Be safe.”

Minutes after that post, MAX CU announced it would close all ofits branches and service center.

Winter Storm Leon is the fifth extreme weather event since Jan.3 that has forced credit unions to close operations.

On Jan. 21, Winter Storm Janus generated several inches of snow and frigidtemperatures throughout most of the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast and NewEngland states forcing credit unions to close up shop early delaybranch and office openings on Jan. 22.

On Jan. 6, numerous credit unions across the nation were forcedto close branches because of brutal, life-threatening subzerotemperatures generated by the Polar Vortex, and on Jan. 7 and 8, credit unions in upstate NewYork shut down because of blizzard conditions.

On Jan. 3, some credit unions had to close or delay openingbranches after a winter storm, Hercules, dumped one to two feet or more of snowthroughout some states in the Midwest and Northeast.