Augusta, GA
Dreaming of a white Christmas? Here’s the latest Augusta area forecast, safety info
Preparations begin around the country for winter weather
While some areas have already gotten an early taste of winter, others are preparing for what the season can bring.
There are a lot of beautiful holiday scenes happening all across the area. Christmas tree lightings and colorful parades have been delighting families over the last couple of weeks, and Santa Claus has been popping up at festivals and gift markets in every county.
But there is one Hallmark Christmas staple that has seems fairly impossible around here: Snowflakes and all their winter wonder. Will there be any this year?
Here’s a closer look at the chances of an Augusta-area “White Christmas” as well as when was the last time locals got one. Plus, what to do if Jack Frost comes to town:
What are the chances of a snow around Augusta this Christmas?
According to AccuWeather’s Sunday forecast, it looks like this will be another snow-less Christmas with little-to-no chances of precipitation and temperatures only dropping to 47 degrees Christmas Eve and 45 degrees Christmas Day.
When was the last time it snowed for Christmas in Augusta area?
According to daily snow records provided by NOAA that date back to the 1870s, Augusta has probably never seen a white Christmas. While there have been freezing Christmases and rainy Christmases, the two elements have not combined to bring that special holiday weather.
In 1929, some Georgians got a white Christmas, and Augustans came close, but local temperatures rose and, according to Augusta Chronicle reporters at the time, snow gave way to slush.
It has snowed in Augusta in December several times, but usually in very small amounts that create little to no snow depth.
When was the Augusta area’s biggest ever snowfall?
It’s very possible that Augusta-area residents will never see a snowfall like that of February 1973.
A winter storm dumped 14 inches over-the-weekend in Augusta, 18 inches in Aiken County, and more than 20 in other parts of the South, according to Augusta Chronicle records.
Locals were ill-prepared. Augusta police borrowed four-wheel-drive vehicles from residents and car dealers. In Aiken County, a farmer helped pull out an ambulance after it bogged down while taking a woman in labor to the hospital. She made it to the hospital in time, but by the end of the storm’s fallout, there was tens of millions of dollars in property damage across the Southeast.
Things-to-do: From Christmas concerts to Santa visits, here are some Augusta-area holiday happenings
What to do in the event of extreme winter weather?
Whether it snows or not, Augusta-area residents can expect some very cold nights over the next couple of months, which can lead to all kinds of problems. Here are some general safety and preparedness tips from the National Weather Service:
- Prevent pipes from freezing by keeping home no colder than 55 degrees and letting water trickle from a faucet.
- Bring pets inside.
- Never use generators indoors or use gas ovens to heat home.
- If your heat goes out, you can keep warm indoors by closing off rooms you do not need, dressing in layers of lightweight clothing, and wearing a cap.
More information including a list of Augusta’s heating shelters is available on augustaga.gov.
Augusta, GA
No injuries reported in Christmas fire on Broad Street
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta fire crews responded to the 1600 block of Broad Street for a fire on Christmas evening.
The Augusta Fire Department says there were no occupants in the home and no injuries were reported.
Officials with the fire department says power was connected to the home, but they connected Georgia Power to disconnect it.
According to a News 12 crew on scene, at least four fire trucks could be seen, as well as multiple Richmond County Sheriff’s Office cars and EMS.
Early Christmas morning, the Augusta Fire Department posted some fire safety tips:
- Be cautious with battery-operated devices and chargers this holiday.
- Always use the correct charger, avoid overcharging and keep batteries away from flammable items.
- Store batteries in a cool, dry place to prevent overheating or fire risks.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
North Augusta Greeneway opens just in time for the holidays
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) -Just a few months ago, North Augusta’s Greeneway looked nothing like what it does now.
Hurricane Helene did a number on the popular trail, which closed it down for months.
Now the entire thing is back open ahead of schedule and just in time for the holidays.
“I don’t know if we thought it’d be done by Christmas, but it is and I think it’s a great early Christmas present for the citizens of North Augusta and the CSRA,” said Briton Williams, North Augusta mayor.
Williams was expecting the Greeneway to open back up in January, but he says thanks to R&R Tree Service, the job is complete.
“It’s wide open from one end to the next,” said Williams. “I’ve ridden it on the golf cart and it is accessible now for everybody.”
R&R Tree Service has been working on cleaning up the Greeneway since Hurricane Helene hit, which was about three months ago.
Now that it’s all cleaned up, Williams says their next focus is the parks, and they’re hoping to have those done sometime in January.
“We had a lot of damage with our parks, but Creighton Park is a great park, and they’ve cleared that out,” said Williams. “The focus moving forward will be for that company R&R Tree Service to work on the city parks.”
Williams says they own about 25% of the roads inside North Augusta city limits.
“We’re probably at 92% first pass of city-owned roads,” he said.
Williams says there are two separate companies working on the roads and cleaning up the parks because that’s what they can control.
“I think it’s a perfect example,” said Williams. “The Greeneway is telling you when we control something, we can be very efficient.”
And as for what they can’t control, Williams says that a different story.
“Which is unfortunately about 70% of the roads in North Augusta, we just still can’t dictate what to do and we just continue to express, you know, areas of, ‘Hey, this where the focus is.’”
But Williams says having the Greeneway back is like getting back to some form of normalcy.
“Psychologically and physically for citizens, and I can get on that Greeneway because that’s very therapeutic for us, and I think that is the number one thing that is showing we’re getting some normalcy back in our lives.”
Williams says there’s a lot more to be done, but they won’t stop until it’s all complete so he asks that everyone stay patient and positive.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
Deion: Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter insured for bowl game
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