Cold temperatures made weekend travel difficult
Gilmer was bracing for snow two weeks ago, but the snowstorm arrived last weekend.
In Talking Rock, it was a light dusting of snow, just enough to cover the ground. It was firm enough to form a tiny snowman.
With snowfall and icy temperatures across the county, most people stayed off the roads.
“If you must get out, slow down and use extreme caution,” the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) warned the public in a bulletin. “Many businesses will likely be closed or operating on limited hours today, so maybe call before you slide into a parking lot that didn’t ask for that.”
Levels of snowfall varied from location to location.
By noon Sunday Jan. 31, most of the snow on the roads in Gilmer and further south had melted. But slightly north, many roads were impassable.
Temperatures were incredibly icy, at as cold as 15 degrees below zero.
When the thermometer dips this low, it’s possible to get frostbite in as little as 30 minutes.
The Gilmer County Courthouse and other non-essential county offices remained closed Monday, Feb. 1 as well.
Gilmer County Schools were virtual on Monday. On Tuesday, Feb. 2, the school opened with a two-hour delay.
Temperatures will occasionally fall below freezing over next week, but they are expected to rise going into next week.