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| Atlanta recovers from paralysing winter storm but roads remain dangerously icy | Atlanta recovers from paralysing winter storm but roads remain dangerously icy |
| (7 months later) | |
| The snow and sleet had stopped falling and traffic was moving again around Atlanta following a crippling storm — but officials warned that ice-covered roads remained a threat for drivers on Thursday morning. | The snow and sleet had stopped falling and traffic was moving again around Atlanta following a crippling storm — but officials warned that ice-covered roads remained a threat for drivers on Thursday morning. |
| State officials were concerned that sub-freezing overnight lows would coat roads that appeared to be safe with layers of black ice. | State officials were concerned that sub-freezing overnight lows would coat roads that appeared to be safe with layers of black ice. |
| Temperatures dipped into the teens overnight in the Atlanta area. Although it was supposed to be in the high 30s on Thursday, it was forecast to dip below freezing again before rising into the 50s on Friday. | Temperatures dipped into the teens overnight in the Atlanta area. Although it was supposed to be in the high 30s on Thursday, it was forecast to dip below freezing again before rising into the 50s on Friday. |
| Heeding the warnings, school districts and state and local governments stretching from north-west to coastal Georgia announced that offices and classrooms would remain closed on Thursday. | Heeding the warnings, school districts and state and local governments stretching from north-west to coastal Georgia announced that offices and classrooms would remain closed on Thursday. |
| A storm that dropped just inches of snow Tuesday wreaked havoc across much of the South, closing highways, grounding flights and contributing to at least a dozen deaths from traffic accidents and a mobile home fire. Yet it was Atlanta, home to major corporations and the world's busiest airport, that demonstrated how a southern city could be sent reeling by winter weather that, in the north, might be no more than an inconvenience. | A storm that dropped just inches of snow Tuesday wreaked havoc across much of the South, closing highways, grounding flights and contributing to at least a dozen deaths from traffic accidents and a mobile home fire. Yet it was Atlanta, home to major corporations and the world's busiest airport, that demonstrated how a southern city could be sent reeling by winter weather that, in the north, might be no more than an inconvenience. |
| The Georgia state patrol responded to more than 1,460 crashes between Tuesday morning and Wednesday evening, including two fatal crashes, and reported more than 175 injuries. | The Georgia state patrol responded to more than 1,460 crashes between Tuesday morning and Wednesday evening, including two fatal crashes, and reported more than 175 injuries. |
| At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International airport, more than 400 flights in and out were cancelled by 6am onThursday, according to flight tracking service FlightAware. Many of those flights were cancelled before the day began. | |
| Thousands of schoolchildren either slept on the buses that tried and failed to get them home, or on cots in school gymnasiums. All were back home by Wednesday evening, officials said. | Thousands of schoolchildren either slept on the buses that tried and failed to get them home, or on cots in school gymnasiums. All were back home by Wednesday evening, officials said. |
| State transportation crews spent much of Wednesday rescuing stranded drivers and moving disabled and abandoned vehicles that littered the interstates, medians and shoulders. Governor Nathan Deal said emergency workers, police, and the national guard would help drivers to recover their cars and would provide them with fuel if necessary. | State transportation crews spent much of Wednesday rescuing stranded drivers and moving disabled and abandoned vehicles that littered the interstates, medians and shoulders. Governor Nathan Deal said emergency workers, police, and the national guard would help drivers to recover their cars and would provide them with fuel if necessary. |
| Crews planned to use four-wheel-drive vehicles to take motorists to vehicles they abandoned to reclaim them on Thursday. State officials also said they were creating a database to help motorists locate vehicles that were towed to impound lots. | Crews planned to use four-wheel-drive vehicles to take motorists to vehicles they abandoned to reclaim them on Thursday. State officials also said they were creating a database to help motorists locate vehicles that were towed to impound lots. |
| Governor Deal and the Atlanta mayor, Kasim Reed, found themselves on the defensive Wednesday, acknowledging that storm preparations could have been better. But Deal also blamed federal forecasters, saying he was led to believe it would not be so bad. | Governor Deal and the Atlanta mayor, Kasim Reed, found themselves on the defensive Wednesday, acknowledging that storm preparations could have been better. But Deal also blamed federal forecasters, saying he was led to believe it would not be so bad. |
| However, the National Weather Service explicitly cautioned on Monday that snow-covered roads "will make travel difficult or impossible". The agency issued a winter storm warning for metro Atlanta early Tuesday and cautioned against driving. | However, the National Weather Service explicitly cautioned on Monday that snow-covered roads "will make travel difficult or impossible". The agency issued a winter storm warning for metro Atlanta early Tuesday and cautioned against driving. |
| Deal, who is up for re-election in November, said warnings could have been posted along highways earlier, but he also fended off criticism. | Deal, who is up for re-election in November, said warnings could have been posted along highways earlier, but he also fended off criticism. |
| "We don't want to be accused of crying wolf. Because if we had been wrong, y'all would have all been in here saying, 'Do you know how many millions of dollars you cost the economies of the city of Atlanta and the state of Georgia by shutting down businesses all over this city and this state?'" Deal told reporters. | "We don't want to be accused of crying wolf. Because if we had been wrong, y'all would have all been in here saying, 'Do you know how many millions of dollars you cost the economies of the city of Atlanta and the state of Georgia by shutting down businesses all over this city and this state?'" Deal told reporters. |
| Speaking on NBC's Today show Thursday morning, Reed said many of the news photos and videos showing freeways littered with abandoned cars were not in the city but in the surrounding region. Reed noted that the city does not have jurisdiction of those freeways and said most streets in Atlanta itself were now passable. | Speaking on NBC's Today show Thursday morning, Reed said many of the news photos and videos showing freeways littered with abandoned cars were not in the city but in the surrounding region. Reed noted that the city does not have jurisdiction of those freeways and said most streets in Atlanta itself were now passable. |
| The Atlanta area was crippled by an ice storm in 2011, and officials had vowed not to be caught unprepared again. But in this case, few closings or other measures were ordered ahead of time. | The Atlanta area was crippled by an ice storm in 2011, and officials had vowed not to be caught unprepared again. But in this case, few closings or other measures were ordered ahead of time. |
| Among the commuters trapped in the gridlock was Jessica Troy, who described her drive home to the suburb of Smyrna as a slow-motion obstacle course on sheets of ice. | Among the commuters trapped in the gridlock was Jessica Troy, who described her drive home to the suburb of Smyrna as a slow-motion obstacle course on sheets of ice. |
| "We literally would go five feet and sit for two hours," Troy said after she and a co-worker spent more than 16 hours covering 12 miles. | "We literally would go five feet and sit for two hours," Troy said after she and a co-worker spent more than 16 hours covering 12 miles. |
| Nelson Kickly said he left work in Alpharetta, an Atlanta, Georgia suburb, about 1 pm Tuesday and didn't get home to Smyrna until 10:30am Wednesday. On a typical day, Kickly's commute lasts about 45 minutes. | Nelson Kickly said he left work in Alpharetta, an Atlanta, Georgia suburb, about 1 pm Tuesday and didn't get home to Smyrna until 10:30am Wednesday. On a typical day, Kickly's commute lasts about 45 minutes. |
| "I had a full tank of gas but if I didn't, I'd have been freezing cold," he said. "I was just listening to the radio and you know, I don't know how I didn't go crazy." | "I had a full tank of gas but if I didn't, I'd have been freezing cold," he said. "I was just listening to the radio and you know, I don't know how I didn't go crazy." |
| After daybreak, a few good samaritans appeared, going car-to-car with bottles of water and cookies. Traffic started moving again at about 8:30am on Wednesday. | After daybreak, a few good samaritans appeared, going car-to-car with bottles of water and cookies. Traffic started moving again at about 8:30am on Wednesday. |
| At Atlanta's Deerwood Elementary School, librarian Brian Ashley, a dozen of his colleagues, and 35 children spent the night on cots set up in the gym. | At Atlanta's Deerwood Elementary School, librarian Brian Ashley, a dozen of his colleagues, and 35 children spent the night on cots set up in the gym. |
| The teachers and other staff members opened up the pantry in the cafeteria, making dinners of pizza and chicken nuggets accompanied by carrots and apples. Later, police officers dropped off sandwiches and parents living nearby brought food. | The teachers and other staff members opened up the pantry in the cafeteria, making dinners of pizza and chicken nuggets accompanied by carrots and apples. Later, police officers dropped off sandwiches and parents living nearby brought food. |
| "The kids slept peacefully through the night," Ashley said. "They knew that there were people around them that cared about them." | "The kids slept peacefully through the night," Ashley said. "They knew that there were people around them that cared about them." |
| However, Ashley said he was surprised officials allowed the schools to open on Tuesday in the first place. | However, Ashley said he was surprised officials allowed the schools to open on Tuesday in the first place. |
| "They were forewarned about the weather, and they were ill-prepared," he said. "If schools were cancelled yesterday, we would not have had the catastrophe we did last night and today." | "They were forewarned about the weather, and they were ill-prepared," he said. "If schools were cancelled yesterday, we would not have had the catastrophe we did last night and today." |
| Even amid the chaos, Atlanta officials insisted that downtown was open for business — at least for a huge meat and poultry industry exposition at the Georgia World Congress Center. About 27,000 people from more than 100 countries were expected to attend between Monday and Friday. | Even amid the chaos, Atlanta officials insisted that downtown was open for business — at least for a huge meat and poultry industry exposition at the Georgia World Congress Center. About 27,000 people from more than 100 countries were expected to attend between Monday and Friday. |
| City officials arranged for prompt scraping and ice-melting operations on roads around the center. | City officials arranged for prompt scraping and ice-melting operations on roads around the center. |
| "Atlanta has a lot at stake with the convention business," said Charles Olentine, the expo's general manager. "It is mandatory that visitors to Atlanta feel welcome and attended to." | "Atlanta has a lot at stake with the convention business," said Charles Olentine, the expo's general manager. "It is mandatory that visitors to Atlanta feel welcome and attended to." |