Sunday, November 9, 2025–4:15 p.m.
-David Crowder, WRGA News-
The National Weather Service has issued a Freeze Warning from 1 a.m. until 10 a.m. Monday.
Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 28 are possible across the warning area.
Lower temperatures will be possible in the higher elevations of northeast Georgia.
There is also a Freeze Watch beginning Monday evening into Tuesday morning.
Sub-freezing temperatures of 20-27 are expected across all of north and central Georgia.
Even lower temperatures in the elevated areas of northeast Georgia. A widespread hard freeze is expected.
Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.
To prevent water pipes from freezing, wrap or drain them or allow them to drip slowly.
The cold will mean people will be cranking up those space heaters, if they haven’t already.
Rome-Floyd County Fire Department Safety Educator Shasta Farrer, never use an extension cord for a space heater.
“Plug it directly into the wall,” she said. “That is where we see a lot of fire hazards. Fires have started due to people plugging them into an extension cord or a power strip. Those are not intended to pull that much power. A heater pulls a lot of electricity. So, plug those directly into the wall.”
Fire and Safety Educator Linda Patty reminds everyone to clean the dust off the heater before turning it on.
“We get a lot of those calls,” she said. Of course, we want you to call if you think there is a fire. Whether it’s your furnace or your heater that you are looking at in the floor, the dust is literally going to burn up. It’s going to get hot, it’s going to smell, and it’s going to smell like something is burning.”
Farrer also advised everyone to remember the phrase “Space heaters need space.”
“Make sure you have at least a three-foot clearance, like a radius, around that heater,” she said. “That’s front, back, and everything.”
Also, turn the heater off if you leave the room.
“Some of them now, most of the new ones, even if they fall over, they will shut off, but they are not going to turn themselves off unless they have a thermostat or a timer,” Patty said. “You’ve got to remember to turn them off. I know people want to stay warm at night while they are sleeping, but it’s very scary to sleep with an electric heater going.”
“Blankets are an excellent alternative,” Farrer added.
With a freeze on the way, also make plans for any sensitive vegetation and complete any winterization of outdoor exposed plumbing.
