Well OP is on a ticket departing the EU, so he is covered by EC 261/2004. While the delay is weather-related and he thus not receive any compensation for that (EUR 600 otherwise), he is entitled to a "duty of care" from AA. If AA is not providing vouchers for his hotel and meals, OP should simply keep his receipts and submit them to AA for reimbursement after he does make it home. He will need to specify that this was as part of a departure from the EU.
As to the greater question of why he can't make it to BHM, that has nothing to do with AA or his status and everything to do with the weather. While it is a pain to be stranded, I am not sure what he wants AA to do about it. Once there are 200 people who have been stranded by weather, it is going to take a bit to get them home.
If OP is prepared to drive from ATL, why not simply ask to be rerouted to ATL and do that?