Bracing for the worst. What to expect from winter storm threat in Warner Robins, Perry

As a winter storm begins to move in Tuesday, Houston County’s Emergency Management Agency director is hoping for the best of a rare snow day but bracing for the worst of hidden patches of ice developing and making driving treacherous.

“We’re hoping everybody enjoys a nice snow day that’s uneventful and safe, and hopefully the roads don’t end up in that worst case scenario that we talked about,” said Chris Stoner. “We’re certainly prepared if it ends up being the worst case scenario.”

Non-essential government offices for Warner Robins, Centerville, Perry and Houston County were either already closed or closed early Tuesday because of the potential threat of bad weather. Houston County schools also closed Tuesday.

Additionally, an overnight warming shelter for the homeless is open in Warner Robins due to the freezing temperatures.

What to expect

Based on the National Weather Service’s morning update Tuesday, 1 to 3 inches of snow is expected in Houston County by early to mid-afternoon, according to Stoner.

“It’s a very weird setup,” Stoner said. “But basically, we’ve got a huge, huge cold air mass that’s settled down all the way through the Panhandle of Florida, and then there’s a bunch of tropical moisture from a low coming up out of the Gulf, and it’s hitting that cold air, so it’s creating snow.

“So, it’s actually starting around the Gulf Coast and then pushing kind of northeast through us … almost like a lake effect of snow up in the north, where they get the moisture coming off the Great Lakes,” he said.

The winter storm system is expected to push out of the area somewhere between 10 p.m .and midnight, according to Stoner.

“That kind of snow isn’t necessarily a big threat right now,” Stoner said. “The main issue is road conditions.

“The snow is likely going to be a wet snow, and we’ll end up with some slush on the roadways, and then we’re going to get down around 20 degrees tonight. All of that slush is just going to turn to ice underneath the snow, and you’re not going to be able to see it,” he said.

That means the potential for “hidden ice packs on the roads,” Stoner said.

“It may not happen that way but the major concern is that people will get out and and say, ‘Oh, well, I’m comfortable driving on the snow,’ and they may be. But nobody’s comfortable driving on ice, and if there’s ice hidden underneath that snow, you won’t be able to see it until it’s too late,” Stoner said.

Motorists are advised to stay off the roads once the snow starts.

“We’re telling people, as soon as the snow starts coming down, make your way home,” Stoner said. “Just enjoy the snow with your family and kids ...

“Enjoy that once every five or 10-year event and don’t leave the house unless it’s a true emergency,’’ he said.

Whether Houston County schools will close again Wednesday remains to be seen.

“We’re going to evaluate based on what we actually get,” Stoner said. “We closed today, based on the potential and the way the forecast looked and advice from the National Weather Service.

“If it’s just a dusting and it kind of blows away, then we may be perfectly fine to have school tomorrow. But if we get what’s predicted, then likely we’ll recommend closure again,” he said.

How long will the weather event last?

“It’s going to depend on how much heating we have during the daytime Wednesday and Thursday,” Stoner said. “If we have a lot of heating during the daytime on Wednesday, which is not predicted, but you know, there’s always that possibility, and if we get any wind that comes through, we may end up being able to dry everything out before it refreezes again.

“Whatever is left on the roadways, though, will refreeze again Wednesday night, and we won’t get above freezing to start thawing anything again until well into the morning on Thursday. So it may affect the morning commute on Thursday as well. But after that, the trend starts warming up. We start getting above 40 degrees and hopefully we’ll be able to thaw some things out at that point, but we’re not expecting a whole lot of thawing until at least Thursday.”

Stoner’s best advice is to have about three days of food and water stocked up and stay home if you can.

“Call if you have an emergency but even then, if the roads are in bad condition understand that it may take emergency crews a little longer to get to you because they’re having to drive through the same stuff we’re telling you not to drive in,” he said.

Closures

Non-essential city of Warner Robins offices are closed, with the mayor and council meeting Tuesday night expected to be rescheduled, according to a city Facebook post.

The Keep Warner Robins Beautiful meeting is canceled.

The city’s trash service, GFL Environmental Inc., will not pick up trash Wednesday and Thursday services may be interrupted also.

Non-essential Houston County offices are closed Tuesday.

Non-essential city of Perry offices also are closed Tuesday.

“Once weather conditions begin to deteriorate, non-emergency public safety responses will be limited,” reads a city of Perry Facebook post. “Normal response times will resume once it’s safe to do so.”

Non-essential city of Centerville offices closed at noon, with the Tuesday’s regular council meeting postponed to 5 p.m. Jan. 28, according to a city of Centerville Facebook post. Offices are expected to reopen at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

“Due to the winter storm predicted for our service area followed by prolonged cold and icy road conditions,” Flint Energies closed its Warner Robins Reynolds (headquarters) and Upatoi (Columbus) offices at 1 p.m. Tuesday, according to a news release.

The offices are expected to remain closed through Wednesday. But all call centers remain open until 5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.

Also, Flint Energies’ crews are on standby to handle any outages that may arise during the winter storm. Call Flint Energies to report any immediate hazards like downed line at 1-888-354-6836.

Some restaurants also are posting early closings due to the winter storm warning, including Zaxby’s in Houston and Bibb counties closing at 3 p.m. and Fogata Street Tacos in Warner RobinsOther businesses, such as Cuts in Paradise, closed Tuesday due to the weather threat.

Some restaurants also are posting early closings due to the winter storm warning, including Fogata Street Tacos in Warner Robins at 1 p.m. and Zaxby’s in Houston and Bibb counties at 3 p.m. Other businesses, such as Cuts in Paradise in Perry, closed Tuesday due to the weather threat.

All Central Georgia Technical College campuses and centers moved to virtual learning Tuesday due to the weather threat, according to a CGTC Facebook post.

Warming center

The warming center at No Limit Baptist Church, 1352 Radio Loop, in Warner Robins is open to provide food and overnight shelter to the homeless.

If you see someone in need who needs transportation, call Warner Robins police Code Enforcement Officer Brian Wise at 478-538-5115 or Pastor Vince Harrington at 786-286-4457. They will provide transportation to the church starting at 6 p.m., according to city of Warner Robins Facebook post.

This story was originally published January 21, 2025 at 12:35 PM.