Temperatures will drop to 20°C in the Atlanta area, with more cold nights ahead

Photo credit: Channel 2 Action News

Photo credit: Channel 2 Action News

They urged motorists to drive carefully and not to leave cars running or unlocked while vehicles warm up.

“It’s the coldest weather since January,” Channel 2 Action News’ Brian Monahan said.

On Tuesday, snow flurries did not reach the Atlanta metropolitan area, although morning temperatures were at or below freezing. But in the Blue Ridge Mountains, squalls swarmed the dark predawn sky, leaving a light coating of snow.

It was so cold that schools in Union and Fannin counties delayed opening by two hours. Closer to town, temperatures remained in the upper 30s Tuesday morning, but the chilly wind made it feel more like the upper 20s, Monahan said. Actual air temperatures were over 20°C on Wednesday.

Temperatures across the region will be about 10 to 20 degrees below the average high of 59 degrees for this time of year, according to the NWS. Wednesday’s high is expected to stay in the low 50s in Atlanta, still about 10 degrees higher than Tuesday.

Several warming centers opened across the city earlier this week to help homeless people survive the freezing conditions.

Mayor Andre Dickens told reporters Monday at Lenox Square that Atlanta’s warming centers are emergency shelters with low barriers and separate rooms for men, women and children. Everyone will serve meals and provide resources to anyone who shows up.

The city will deploy brine trucks to combat falling road surface temperatures, said Solomon Caviness, commissioner of the Atlanta Department of Transportation. He urged drivers to slow down in frosty conditions and said his teams would do their best to keep the roads clear.

Photo credit: Ben Gray for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Photo credit: Ben Gray for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

This is also the busy season for Atlanta Fire Chief Rod Smith, who warned city residents about fire safety. “We really don’t want to come to your house,” Smith said.

He advised anyone who owns a real Christmas tree to make sure it is watered regularly to keep it hydrated and to check all the lights to make sure there are no frayed wires or broken bulbs. He urged residents to have their chimneys inspected and check their smoke detectors.

Highs are expected to be back in the mid-50s by Thursday before falling again at the end of the week.