As a locale that typically enjoys the warmth of the southern U.S., Atlanta, Georgia, has different roads, less equipment, and fewer resources for dealing with winter weather compared to northern cities like Chicago or Minneapolis. But what that means is the area’s problems extend beyond merely being surprised by a bit of snow.
Below is a closer look at how Georgia’s capital city prepares for winter storms compared to other cities and why even a little snow can cause big problems on its roads.
Atlanta’s Winter Weather By the Numbers
Here’s a brief overview of what a typical winter is like in Atlanta:
- Temperatures typically range from 38°F to 57°F
- January is the coldest month, with temps between 35°F and 53°F
- There’s only about a 1% chance of snow on any winter day
- Altogether, the city only sees about 2.2 inches of snow each year
- Most winter precipitation instead arrives as rain
These relatively light conditions pose a basic question: Why spend millions on snow plows that might only be used once or twice a year? The answer, though, quickly becomes clear.
Why Atlanta Struggles With Snow and Ice
When snow or ice does hit, Atlanta encounters several problems:
- Its plentiful hills become slippery with even a little ice
- Its roads are more spread out than those of northern cities
- It has very few snow plows and salt trucks
- Most local drivers aren’t used to driving on snow or ice
Together, these factors make driving in winter weather exceptionally dangerous, increasing the risk of both car accidents and commercial truck crashes.
What Northern Cities Do To Handle Snow
Northern cities, like the ones below, treat snow as a normal part of winter, not an emergency:
Chicago
Chicago prepares for winter well ahead of time. It has a fleet of almost 300 snow plows and stores over 425,000 tons of salt every year, according to the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation.
Rochester
As Rochester gets over eight feet of snow per year, it uses a system called PlowTrax to track which streets have been plowed. The city even lets people see where plows are by equipping the vehicles with GPS trackers.
Anchorage
Anchorage sees roughly 80 inches of snow each year. Its street crews work 24/7, plowing and de-icing streets and sidewalks throughout the winter season.
Minneapolis
Minneapolis has clear snow emergency rules. Residents can even sign up for alerts regarding parking rules changes during snow removal. The city also makes property owners clear their sidewalks quickly to prevent slip and fall accidents.
How Atlanta Is Getting Better at Handling Snow
After a historic winter storm in 2014, when a total of just four inches of snow shut down the city and left thousands stuck in their cars, Atlanta went to work making changes.
In that time, it has made the following improvements:
- More salt and sand storage
- Treating main roads before storms hit
- Improved interagency communications
- Better emergency plans
- More snow plows and equipment
- Establishing emergency operations centers during storms
- Enhancing early warning systems through the Georgia Emergency Management Agency
These changes help, but Atlanta still deals with some problems, given that snow is still such a shocking weather event.
What Savannah and Atlanta Can Learn From Southern Cities
Savannah and Atlanta share similar winter challenges and limited resources.
Other Southern cities, like Charlotte, Nashville, and Dallas, have developed smarter approaches without big spending by employing strategies such as:
- Borrowing equipment from private companies
- Sharing resources between communities
- Adjusting school and work schedules
- Pre-treating roads with brine solutions
- Improving driver communication systems
Both Atlanta and Savannah are adopting these practical solutions to better handle their occasional winter weather events.
What Savannah Can Learn From Atlanta’s Winter Challenges
Even if winter weather is rare, its risks are serious, given how unprepared local infrastructure is for these conditions. Savannah residents can learn from Atlanta’s experiences by preparing for unexpected weather events and keeping up-to-date with emergency alerts.
Contact the Personal Injury Law Firm of Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers in Savannah for Help Today
For more information, please contact our experienced Savannah personal injury lawyer at Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers to schedule a free initial consultation today. We have a convenient location in Savannah, GA.
We proudly serve Chatham County, Georgia, and its surrounding areas.
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