The coldest weather of the winter is forecast for the area through Friday ahead of a warming trend on the weekend, the National Weather Service said.
Temperatures today (Wednesday, January 22) through Friday, January 24 are forecasted to range from the upper-30s to upper-40s in the day and mid-20s at night. Freeze warnings have been issued nightly for the area through the period.
The coldest temperature of the period is expected today with a high of only 37. Friday has the highest in the day at 47, but also the lowest at night with 25.
Sunny days and light winds are forecast for today and Friday with mostly cloudy skies Thursday.
With the frigid weather, Waycross has again opened its muncipal courtroom in the Waycross Police Department on Oak Street to those in need of shelter. The room just to the left of the entrance opens at 6 p.m. anytime the temperature hits 40 degrees.
In view of the chill, residents should either cover outside plants, or if possible, move them inside. Allowing outdoor water spigots to stream is recommended as is a couple of faucets inside the house if pipes are located in a crawl space.
The area received a preview of the chill Monday and Tuesday with temperatures in the mid-40s each day and below freezing each night.
Because of the cold and the slight possibility of frozen precipitation, school systems in Ware, Pierce and Brantley counties closed early Tuesday. Some businesses in the area also cut their hours short Tuesday as only essential driving was recommended Tuesday evening and night because of the threat of freezing rain when the low was expected to be 28.
As so often happens in Southeast Georgia, a warmup isn’t far behind the chill.
Saturday is expected to be sunny with temperatures in the low-50s in the day, but still around 30 at night.
More seasonable weather should return Sunday and Monday with partly cloudy skies each day and temperatures in the low- to mid-60s during the day and more season low- to mid-40s at night.
That is expected to be the norm through at least the first of the month with little chance of precipitation through the period.
