2014 turned a frigid shoulder to Dawson County--and most of the nation--this week.
The National Weather Service issued a wind chill warning until Tuesday afternoon. Temperatures dropped to 0 degrees Tuesday morning in Dawson County, andthe wind chill factor made it feel like minus 15 to minus 25 degrees.
Records were shattered across the state Tuesday morning with Atlanta frozen at 6 degrees breaking a 1970 record of 10 degrees ; Athens was numbed at 7 degrees also breaking its 1970 record low of 12, and Macon was frosted at 11 degrees the coldest since February 1996.
The frigid temperatures also caused the cancellation of Dawson County schools Monday and Tuesday.
We are experiencing the coldest temperatures and wind chill factors in over a decade, which has made it necessary for us to cancel school, Dawson County School Superintendent Keith Porter said about the decision to close schools. Roadways in certain areas had black ice spots on Monday morning. This icing, along with the wind chills, made having school unsafe for students and employees.
The wind chills that were predicted for Tuesday were even more extreme and caused us concern for the safety of studentswho must stand at bus stops, he continued. Buses and school heating systems would be taxed during this time, and we do not want complications with these necessities to create adverse situations for our students.
Dawson County Deputy Chief Lanier Swafford said the department didnt receive a lot of weather-related calls on Monday. Early Tuesday morning, Swafford said the department received a couple of calls from residents whose sprinkler pipes had burst.
Although relieved to not have many emergency calls, Swafford said he appreciates the conscientious staff we have. Part of the shift that was scheduled to come in Monday morning went ahead and came in Sunday night, in case they werent able to make it in Monday (due to road conditions). Its just an example of the kind of staff we have.
EMS also worked with the Senior Center to ensure the elderly community was properly cared for.
Scenic Route 52 from Scenic Route 183 past Amicalola Falls, a six-mile stretch, was impassable on Friday due to icy conditions, according to Teri Pope with the Georgia Department of Transportation.
Weekend temperatures warmed up slightly, but then dropped into the 20s Sunday night.
On Monday, roads with heavy icing were located in the northwest part of the state, according to the GDOT. By 10:15 a.m. Monday,all major roadways were back open, GDOT spokesperson David Spear said.
Tuesday morning lows hit 0.5 in northwestern Dawson County, according to a thermometer posted at a residence on Fausetts Lake Road near Burnt Mountain.
Mondays low in Dawson County was 3 degrees, and the high on Tuesday was expected to reach 23 degrees.
Temperatures are expected to warm up later in the week. Wednesdays high is expected to be 41 degrees, and by Friday 52 degrees witha 20 percent chance of rain.
Editor/Publisher Kimberly Boim contributed to this report