Snow Dreams Ready to Make Way for Spring Weather
The possibility of snow in Northwest Georgia has been flirting with school children and adults alike over the past month but that possibility is quickly fading as temperatures warm and spring breezes roll in.
General Beauregard Lee confirmed suspicions on Feb. 2, known in North America as Groundhog Day. He predicted an early spring at 7:30 a.m. when he emerged from his mammal mansion. The event was livestreamed on the Dauset Trails Nature Center Facebook page.
Chuck Shiftlett, a Bartow County businessman who makes weather his hobby, has been talking snow models for weeks. He posted his outlooks on his Facebook page with a pretty decent track record for accuracy. Most of his predictions indicated snow would fall more in the extreme north Georgia areas with Bartow County falling on the cusp in those models.
There are pictures of a snow-covered Brasstown Bald online but not even a flurry fell here.
“For some time, long-range models have been showing a snow window mid-to-late February,” Shiflett posted in a message responding to a question Thursday night, “but the last couple of days they have backed off that a little.”
His prediction is Bartow County will have some spring-like days over the next two weeks. Does that mean winter is over? Has Santa taken the winter weather away to make room for daffodils and bunnies?
Shiflett said it’s too soon to say. He said it’s possible a cold blast could head South for one final winter storm but late February and March is too far out for models to show anything with accuracy. Those living here in 1993 will remember the Blizzard of the Century that happened March 13. Snow longings aside, Shiflett said he has other worries.
“I’m more concerned about a bad severe weather outbreak this spring,” he said.
Georgia’s tornado season peaks between March and May, putting the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) on standby.