Winter Storm Gianna has wrought chaos across the southeastern United States, knocking out power to thousands in multiple states.
Ware County has been no exception. Ware County Emergency Management Director, Jonathan Daniell said the most significant problems locally were power outages and fires from downed power lines, caused by high winds.
Bursting water pipes also were an issue from the temperatures that dipped into the upper teens Saturday and Sunday nights. Those temperatures, the lowest of the season so far, followed previous nights below freezing.
With temperatures plunging to below freezing for several nights in a row, accompanied by strong wind gusts and even some snow flurries, the past week has been a harsh dose of winter.
To help those who were without power or shelter, the city opened the Municipal Court Room in the Waycross Police Department from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. each day. The facility will open to those in need anytime the temperature is below 40 degrees.
Daniell advised residents to “continue to take care of your pipes, pets, and plants until it warms up.”
That warmup was expected to arrive Tuesday with temperatures climbing into the 60s through the weekend, save Thursday. Rain showers predicted for today (Wednesday, February 4) are forecast to be followed by temperatures in the low 50s, but the 60s were to return for the weekend.
The late week warming is just a preview of what’s expected next week when daytime temperatures reach the
70s with night lows in the mid- to upper-40s. Most of those days will be sunny to partly cloudy with only chance of rain Friday-Saturday, February 13-14.
