Area kids were hoping for their first snow day of the season with reports of winter weather rolling into the state last week.
What they got instead was a two-hour delayed start for school on Jan. 18.
Dawson County School Superintendent Keith Porter said the best course of action was to hold off as long as he could before calling off classes.
By about 10 p.m. Jan. 17, it was clear the snow to the west in Alabama was not going to make it to Dawsonville.
The later school start, however, was a welcome treat to some parents and student.
"Oh, it let us sleep in," said Sandy Cook, mother of three. "We got to catch up on sleep. They liked it because it let them wake up refreshed.
"They were excited, catching the bus later in the day. One of my kids yelled ‘The bus is still coming?' They were excited and surprised."
Brittney Cook, 11, agreed.
"It was really great waking up so late," she said.
Leading up to last week's anticipated winter weather, Dawson County received plenty of rain and little sunshine.
According to the National Weather Service, more than 3 inches of rain fell last week. After several days of saturation, a winter weather advisory was issued Jan. 17 for Dawson County.
The advisory warned of below freezing temperatures and harsh winds, as well as the possibility of sleet and snow with an accumulation of 1-3 inches.
However, the system moved through the area and left little cause for concern. No snow or ice was reported, even in the higher elevations of Dawson. By midday that day, the clouds had cleared and the sun returned.
"There were absolutely no incidents at all. None," said Lanier Swafford, chief of emergency services. "There was a good bit of rain and accidents on Thursday, but that was because of the rain and not the winter weather."
This week was expected to end in much the same fashion as last.
Despite high temperatures reaching nearly 50 degrees today and Thursday, the forecast called for a 70 percent chance of rain Friday with a high temperature of 49 degrees, turning to a 30 percent chance of a rain/snow mix Friday night.
Saturday likely will be mostly sunny with a high near 42 degrees.