Chattooga County officials have announced two upcoming road closures tied to infrastructure projects, with work set to affect both Hair Lake Road and Spring Creek Road.
Keep the umbrella handy across Chattooga County and Northwest Georgia today as a weather system brings widespread rain showers with occasional thunderstorms. The steadiest rain is expected through the daytime hours, and while the more significant severe weather threat is aimed farther south in Georgia, brief heavier downpours and isolated lightning are still possible locally at times.
Motorists traveling through Summerville should prepare for delays beginning Tuesday morning as road work impacts a major route inside the city limits. Officials say traffic on Rome Boulevard/Highway 27 at the railroad tracks will be reduced to one lane starting February 17, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.
An estimated time for full reopening has not been announced. Drivers are encouraged to plan alternate routes, expect delays, and use caution while traveling through the work zone.
The advisory was issued by Pamela M. Vaughn, Director of the Chattooga County Emergency Management Agency, Mapping and Addressing, Deputy Director of Chattooga County E-911, and Chattooga County Safety Coordinator.
Chattooga County and much of Northwest Georgia are seeing a shift toward unsettled weather as a strong storm system moves through the Southeast, bringing widespread rainfall and the chance for isolated thunderstorms from Sunday through early Monday morning.
The Chattooga Community Resource Center (CRC) announced it will be closed Monday, January 26, 2026, due to predicted inclement weather, saying the decision is aimed at keeping volunteers and the community safe. CRC is urging residents to avoid travel unless it’s an emergency, especially as winter weather impacts are expected across the area.
CRC also reminded residents that anyone who loses power and needs a warm place to stay should go to the gym at the old North Summerville School, located behind the Community Resource Center. The gym will be open to all residents as a warming location. If someone cannot make it to the gym, CRC says to call 9-1-1, and transportation can be arranged.
The message from CRC is simple: don’t stay home without heat, food, or help—use the resources available. CRC ended its announcement with a reminder of community strength: “We are in this together. We are Chattooga Strong.”
While Chattooga County and all of Northwest Georgia remain under an Ice Storm Warning, the National Weather Service forecast for our area is calling for only a slight chance of freezing rain before 10 AM this morning. Early temperatures were running marginal for widespread icing, with LaFayette and Mentone hovering just below freezing at 31 degrees, while Gaylesville, Alabama and Rome were closer to 40. Summerville was sitting at 35 degrees. Those readings are a bit warm for freezing rain in many spots, but sleet could still fall anywhere across the area, especially in heavier bursts of precipitation.
A high-impact winter storm is expected to move into northern Georgia this weekend, and forecasters say the biggest concerns for Northwest Georgia are ice, dangerous travel, and possible power outages. A Winter Weather Watch begins at 1:00 a.m. Saturday and continues into Monday morning as multiple storm systems interact with a surge of Arctic air pushing south.
Georgia drivers heading out for New Year’s celebrations will see a break from most roadwork slowdowns, as the Georgia Department of Transportation will suspend most construction-related lane closures beginning New Year’s Eve.
The Georgia Department of Transportation has released its official Thanksgiving holiday travel forecast and announced plans to suspend interstate and major state route lane closures to help ease congestion for millions of travelers hitting the road next week.