Winter weather returned with a wallop last week, with winds and heavy rain toppling trees onto vehicles and power lines.

The gusty conditions ushered in a return to more seasonable weather, with the National Weather Service forecast calling for some of the coldest temperatures of the season later this week.

Last week, the weather triggered several power outages and disrupted traffic on several roads, including Brookwood Drive East and Bagwell Circle, which Dawson County Emergency Services Chief Lanier Swafford said partially collapsed due to the weather.

In fact, Bagwell Circle will be closed from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today for pipe replacement and road construction.

Crews with the county’s public works department removed 15 trees from roads last week, and Swafford said a home on Rands Way in Dawsonville suffered water damage.

“Power outages were widespread throughout the county between Georgia Power and Amicalola customers,” he said. “Although high in number, the power outages weren’t for long periods of time.”

No one was injured Jan. 7 when a tree fell on an Ellijay couple’s vehicle.

John and Sarah Corkedale were traveling on Hwy. 136, between Hwy. 9 and the Etowah River, on their way back to Gilmer County.

“It was already on its way down, and before I could stop in time, it was on top of the car,” said Sarah Corkedale, who was driving at the time.

No other vehicles were involved.