Metro Atlanta began thawing out Saturday from a pair of January snowstorms and weeks of Arctic temperatures, with residents shaking off the cabin fever, and hitting parks and outdoor events under blue skies and temperatures approaching an almost balmy 50 degrees.
Chastain Park in Buckhead sprung back to life Saturday morning as eager dogs bounded alongside walkers bundled up in coats, parents dropped off their kids at baseball practice and members of the adult tennis league dusted off their volleys and overheads at the tennis courts.
It was a stark contrast to the icy roads and 20-degree weather that chilled metro Atlanta and canceled schools statewide much of the week.
Stephanie Harvey, 45, had dropped her son off at basketball practice and decided to take advantage of the sun and walk around Chastain Park.
For the Smyrna resident, the warmer weather comes as a relief now that her three children can resume school and extracurricular activities.
And she no longer has to worry about her garden, Harvey added.
“We just missed the snow, but we did have to protect the crops and chickens,” she said. “It’s a mix of acceptance and gratitude for the seasons and it builds resilience to push through and keep moving on.”
The National Weather Service says Sunday is expected to be mostly sunny with a high of about 50. Though there are chances of rain in the forecast in the days ahead, high temperatures could reach the upper 50s and 60s by the middle of the week.
“For those tired of the cold, you may be in luck,” NWS said on Thursday. “We are looking at a 33-50% chance for above normal temperatures over the next 8-14 days.”
Credit: Ashley Ahn
Credit: Ashley Ahn
With the sun out and ice all melted, a couple dozen people suited up in trousers, boots and gloves and brought their shovels to the park for a tree planting. The event was in memory of Evander “Fletcher” Fogle II, a Georgia Tech student who died at the age of 19.
It was a celebration of a gentle spirt who loved plants, animals and wanted to save the planet as an environmentalist, his mother Robin Fogle said.
Instead of accepting flowers, Fogle called on family and friends to help plant five native oak trees in Chastain Park where Fletcher walked their dogs and played sports growing up.
“Some people don’t have to live long to leave a lasting impact,” she said.
Roads in Doraville, which were blanketed in snow Tuesday and Wednesday, were clear of any ice as dozens of community members gathered at Minwhwa Spirits for an outdoor Lunar New Year event featuring local Asian American artists Saturday afternoon.
Tiffany Chau, 27, said while she enjoyed what she called her “first proper cold, cold winter in Georgia,” she was worried it would not be warm enough for the event.
“Today is considerably good in comparison to what we had recently, so I can’t complain,” the Alpharetta resident said, bundled up in earmuffs, a scarf and a winter coat.
Kelsie Boyd, 27, who was trapped indoors due to the icy conditions in Doraville Wednesday, said she was thankful for the chance to get out and enjoy the warmer temperatures.
“It was perfect, because we were planning to come to this outside community event and support other creators and artists,” she said.
While much of metro Atlanta has thawed, parts of Southeast Georgia are still dealing with cold wind chills as low as 20 degrees. NWS issued a freeze warning for parts of Southeast Georgia from 1 a.m. to 9 a.m. Sunday.
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