Augusta, GA

FIRST ALERT | FIRST ALERT This Weekend For Ice Concerns

Published

3 months ago

January 23, 2026

FIRST ALERT | FIRST ALERT This Weekend For Ice Concerns

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – An impactful winter weather event is possible for the CSRA this weekend.

The First Alert weather team has issued a First Alert for Saturday through Monday as freezing rain and sleet move into the area, creating hazardous conditions for travel and potential impacts to power lines.

WINTER STORM WATCHES have been issued for all CSRA counties near and north of I-20 from 7 AM Saturday until 10 AM Monday.

A watch is issued when conditions look favorable for a winter storm to occur within the next 48 hours.

Winter Storm Watch in effect for most of the CSRA

What to Expect This Week

Through Friday: Temperatures will remain mild through the end of the week. Today will be a typical winter day with highs in the upper 50s to 60 and a slight chance of a few showers (30% chance of rain).

First Alert: Saturday through Monday ice event

The main concern arrives Saturday as a winter storm system moves into the region. A Winter Storm Watch is in effect for most of the CSRA starting Saturday morning and lasting into Monday. Here’s what you need to know:

Saturday: Temperatures will start in the low 40s Saturday morning – but will drop below freezing in the afternoon and evening. This is when freezing rain and sleet will begin to develop.

Saturday Night into Sunday Morning: Freezing rain and sleet will continue as temperatures remain below freezing. Ice accumulations of up to 0.25 inches are expected for areas along and north of the I-20 corridor, with the possibility of higher totals in the northern CSRA. North of I-20 has the potential to see up to 0.50″ of ice. Low temperatures early Sunday morning will be in the upper 20s to low 30s.

Sunday: Temperatures will gradually warm into the mid-40s Sunday afternoon. As temperatures climb above freezing, freezing rain will transition to regular rain. Precipitation could continue into Sunday night before clearing out.

Monday: Expect dry conditions to return. However, temperatures will drop to near freezing by early Monday morning.

What this means for you

Ice accumulation on roads, sidewalks, and power lines could create dangerous travel conditions and potential power outages. If you must travel during this event, use extreme caution and allow extra time for your commute. Consider postponing non-essential travel Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning.

Stock up on essentials before the weekend, check on your heating systems, and bring in any outdoor items that could be damaged by ice. Keep flashlights and batteries on hand in case of power interruptions.

How to prepare

The time to prepare is now. Here’s what you should do before Saturday:

Stock up on essentials. Fill your gas tank, grab groceries, and get any medications filled before the storm arrives.
Charge all devices. Phones, laptops, tablets, and power banks should all be fully charged. You may lose power for an extended period.
Gather emergency supplies. Have flashlights, extra batteries, blankets, a first aid kit, and non-perishable food on hand.
Prepare your home. Bring in outdoor items that could be damaged, trim dead branches from trees, and check that your heating system is working properly.
Have a backup plan. Know where you can go if you lose power or heat. Identify a friend or family member’s home that could serve as a shelter if needed.

Stay Updated

First Alert Weather is closely monitoring this system. Download the First Alert Weather App for live updates, radar, and push alerts. Stay tuned to our newscasts for the latest timing and accumulation forecasts as we get closer to the weekend.

Looking ahead

The region will stay dry Monday through Wednesday next week. Temperatures will be cold, with morning lows near 20 degrees Tuesday and in the mid-20s Wednesday morning before gradually moderating.

Deep dive – Forecast this weekend

The setup

A significant winter storm is taking shape for this weekend, and the atmospheric conditions are quite unusual for our region. Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes:

Upper atmosphere pattern

A cutoff low pressure system currently near the Southwest U.S. is expected to phase with an upper-level trough digging into the central United States. This pattern shift is creating a more favorable track for a surface low to move across the Southeast, though it will track slightly north of some previous model guidance. While this northern track means warmer surface temperatures overall, the region is still experiencing anomalously cold air for this time of year — a critical ingredient for winter precipitation.

Cold air damming (CAD)

The key to this event is a process called “cold air damming.” Strong high pressure will move into the eastern U.S. late this week, allowing cold air to get trapped on the eastern side of the Appalachian Mountains. This cold air will remain locked in place over the CSRA through the weekend, creating subfreezing surface temperatures despite the system’s northern track. The strength and duration of this cold air damming will ultimately determine whether we see freezing rain, sleet, or a mix of both.

Moisture transport

The atmospheric river of moisture heading toward the Southeast is exceptionally strong. Integrated water vapor transport values are at the 99th percentile of climatology — meaning this is an unusually moist air mass for our region. Combined with the anomalously cold near-surface temperatures (also at the 99th percentile on the cold end), this event is operating at the fringes of what’s climatologically typical for the CSRA.

Timing and precipitation type uncertainty

Precipitation is expected to begin as early as Saturday morning with increasing chances continuing through Sunday. The critical question is: How long will the cold air damming hold?

This is where the forecast becomes tricky. The Southeast frequently experiences this type of setup, and it typically comes with significant uncertainty — especially this far out. The dominant precipitation types are expected to be sleet and freezing rain, with possible intermittent periods of snow or rain mixed in. However, if the cold air boundary weakens, areas further south could see the precipitation transition to rain.

Why this is significant

The combination of exceptional moisture transport and extreme cold air creates the potential for moderate to high total precipitation amounts. In areas where cold air damming persists, we could see significant accumulations of freezing rain or sleet. The highest confidence in wintry precipitation impacts is near the NC/SC border, where subfreezing temperatures are more likely to hold throughout the event.

The potential impacts are real: hazardous travel conditions and power outages are possible, particularly in areas that receive the most significant ice accumulations.

Bottom line

This is a weather event operating at the extremes of our regional climatology. The atmospheric setup is unusual, the moisture is exceptional, and the cold air is extreme. While there are inherent uncertainties in the exact track and precipitation type, the potential for significant winter weather impacts this weekend is high enough to warrant close monitoring and preparation.

Stay weather-aware: Download the WRDW First Alert Weather App to get the latest forecast updates, severe weather alerts, and radar right in the palm of your hand.

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Augusta, GA

Communications degree from GA college leads to Mission Control Console at NASA!

Published

11 hours ago

April 16, 2026

Press Room

Communications degree from GA college leads to Mission Control Console at NASA!

Leah Cheshier Mustachino graduated from Young Harris College ten years ago

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF)– While we here in Augusta like to the the eyes of the world are on us during the first week in April… lots of eyes were also looking UP that same week. It was the historic Atremis II Mission, sending humans further into space than ever before with that amazing lunar flyby.

I had the opportunity to talk with a young woman who’s at the top of her game– let’s just say, on top of the world! She was part of the Artemis team, providing live commentary and interviews on NASA-TV during the 10-day mission.

Leah Cheshier Mustachio does live commentary for launches, spacewalks, and more– and many of you watched her recently during the exciting coverage of the Artemis ll mission and lunar flyby!

“I was 20 years old, I went to Wallops Island, Virginia. I saw a cargo launch, and I saw one of my now colleagues moderating a press conference, and that’s when I realized, I have a place here. NASA needs communications professionals. From that point on, I had blinders on to any other opportunity. I wanted to work at NASA so bad.”

A communications degree from a Georgia college led the way to the Mission Control Console at NASA, giving Leah a front row seat to history.

“Yeah, I think that I’m still living in this bubble of having worked so closely on it that it’s now it’s starting to hit me how global it was. It was incredible. It’s still incredible. I’m working with the crew tomorrow and I can’t wait to see them. I saw them on Saturday and I’m excited to see just how their perspectives have, like, shifted since then.”

Leah says a big goal in covering an event as significant as the lunar flyby is ensuring that people stop and remember where they were, pass that story down to their grandkids, and inspire the next generation.

“I feel like we live in a world that it’s so easy to swipe up on your phone to the next story. We’re used to getting views of everything in the world– now. But getting to see something like this is a generational moment, and I think it’s inspirational and really uplifting. It’s something that we should all be really proud of, um, for our nation’s space program, for these astronauts that have joined and really done this huge mission.”

She’s inspiring herself, getting praise from viewers around the world, who see Leah as the face of a group of women, who played a big role in making the Artemis mission a success.

“A lot of people loved that! All the women involved.”

“Yeah, I, that really was serendipitous, too. We didn’t just think, let’s put all these women’s voices on camera, you know, it’s, these are the roles that we’ve been working in and training for, and that’s just how it happened. It’s very, very sweet, though, to hear that it’s inspiring. This feels like our generation’s Apollo 8 in a way. You know, looking back on Earth and everything that we think is so important and that we think matters so much, and then you see how far away and how small it really is. It definitely makes you think twice about what really matters, you know, how can we be a better neighbor? And how can I just cherish everything that I have even more?”

Leah is from Georgia. She graduated 10 years ago from Young Harris College in the beautiful North Georgia Mountains.

Fun fact: in 2018, she was doing a story about interns at NASA who went on to work there… one of them was the Chief Engineer of the Aviation Safety Office. She and Nick Mustachio were married 4 years later, and now have a precious little boy… who may well wind up exploring the moon one day!!

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Augusta, GA

Augusta Mayor’s Chief of Staff resigns

Published

23 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Press Room

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – The Augusta Mayor’s right-hand has stepped down.

Chief of Staff, Jasmine Sims, submitted a resignation letter to Mayor Garnett Johnson Tuesday.

It’s dated April 2nd, 2026 and states:

Dear Mayor Johnson,
Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my position as Chief of Staff,
effective April 14, 2026. After thoughtful consideration, I have decided to move forward to pursue other professional opportunities. Serving this administration and the City of Augusta over the past three years has been both a privilege and an honor, and I am proud of the work we have accomplished together. I am committed to ensuring a smooth and orderly transition and will assist in any way possible prior to my departure. Thank you for the opportunity to serve.
Jasmine Chavous Sims
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Last June, Mrs. Sims filed a grievance against Mayor Johnson in a letter to the City of Augusta Human Resources Department Office of Employee Relations.

The letter stated that Mrs. Sims was denied access to work after she allegedly did not share a personal appointment in the work group chat. She said she did inform other member’s of the staff in addition to adding it to the office calendar. At the time of the filing, Sims says nothing had been communicated to her.

No word yet on who will replace Mrs. Sims as the Mayor’s Chief of Staff.

Mrs. Sims said her good-bye’s during the Commission meeting Tuesday. In part, she states,
“It’s been an honor to be with you, ‘Mister G.’ We’re like sister and brother, and we fight and we argue, but we found common ground where it mattered. And I couldn’t be more proud of the things that we’ve accomplished – and am praying that everything that happens from this point will be ordained in your favor.”

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Augusta, GA

Augusta park ranked as underused in line for major renovations

Published

1 day ago

April 15, 2026

Press Room

Augusta park ranked as underused in line for major renovations

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Augusta is still preparing a plan on how to part ways with nine parks a local engineering firm scored as the most underused.

“Moving forward what we need to do with these parks. We’ve got people in this city that have mentioned and want to invest in purchasing these parks,” says Commissioner Catherine Smith Rice.

Big Oak Park is not one of the nine being recommended for disposal, even though it scored lower than some on the list. However, Big Oak is getting a facelift.

“Adding pickleball courts, which everybody wants, and a new basketball area. I think it will be used a lot more,” said Commissioner Tina Slendak.

A commission committee voted to recommend nearly $1.7 million on the Big Oak renovations, despite the low attendance score and that’s concerning some commissioners.

“You have to consider the lipstick on the pig scenario. If you put money into that and you have no indication that it will draw, and that is exactly what you’ll be doing,” said Commissioner Lonnie Wimberly.

Supporters say voters approved the funding for Big Oak improvements in SPLOST 8 that passed back in 2021, and even with the renovations coming in well over budget, they want to see it go forward.

“When this park is re-done, it will be used more and it already was, before this survey was done this was already in the SPLOST package,” said Commissioner Rice.

“When this was developed, they weren’t talking about closing underused parks,” said Commissioner Slendak.

But the conversation around closing underused parks continues, even as some underused parks prepare for a major makeover.

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