A winter storm that hit the Atlanta, Georgia, area on Tuesday forced drivers to spend the night in their cars as they were trapped in the dangerous, icy conditions.
In DeKalb County, more than 100 cars were stranded and many drivers parked at gas stations because the conditions prevented them from making it home safely, Fox 5 reported Wednesday, noting that some people spent over 12 hours trapped in their vehicles.
Central Georgia paralyzed after historic snowfall | I-75 is closed at Exit 138 and South due to icy roads & crashes. Drivers have been stranded since Tue night. Perry Police said Hwy 41 is also shut down. I-475 is closed in Macon as well. 📸 is I-75 @ Exit 134. pic.twitter.com/1OYIiVCRqj
— Cody Alcorn (@CodyAlcorn) January 22, 2025
Officials urged residents to shelter in place and stay off the roads in the freezing weather. Video footage shows cars abandoned on the side of the roads as people waited for the ice to melt:
One driver in Macon, Lynn Pointer, said she became stuck on I-475 around 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday and sat there for about 10 hours, according to 13 WMAZ.
“But there are things that come with being stranded that do not make it comfortable at all, but it could be worse. It’s been an experience for sure,” she stated.
Meanwhile, Lane Adams of M&M Towing said the situation was a huge mess that would take hours of cleanup, noting he believed Macon had never seen that kind of weather before.
“It just got to the point where it’s gridlocked, we’re going to have to let the weather kind of work with us so we can get crews out there. It’s rough — it’s crazy,” he explained.
The winter storm hit states from Texas to Florida to the Carolinas with record-shattering snowfall, Fox Weather reported Wednesday:
The combination of heavy snow and high wind gusts then brought blizzard and near-blizzard conditions to the Gulf Coast, triggering the first-ever Blizzard Warning for the coasts of Louisiana and southeastern Texas.
The record-breaking storm brought heavy snow to New Orleans, blanketing palm trees in fresh flakes and halting the normally busy Big Easy.
Just went on the craziest walk of my life. I cannot believe the snow in New Orleans. It’s so beautiful. pic.twitter.com/V72GbIWoBM
— Payton Malone WWL-TV (@paytonmalonewx) January 21, 2025
Per the Fox 5 report, the roads were gradually improving in DeKalb County and road crews had spread salt and brine.
“DeKalb County officials declared a State of Emergency on Wednesday morning and are urging everyone to remain home if possible while they address the situation,” the outlet said.
