Official information about President Donald Trump’s planned visit to Rome today remains limited, but local residents are watching closely for updates on expected travel routes and traffic impacts.
The City of Summerville has been notified that First Avenue will be closed at the railroad crossing again today, Thursday, February 19, 2026, due to maintenance work.
City officials are asking drivers to use an alternate route during the closure and to allow extra travel time if you normally pass through that area.
Once again, Georgia and much of the Deep South appear headed for a round of winter weather this weekend, but like last weekend, the best chance for frozen precipitation looks to stay mainly east of Chattooga, Floyd, and Walker Counties. The National Weather Service says confidence continues to increase for measurable snowfall across parts of northeast and east-central Georgia between Friday night and Saturday night, prompting a Winter Storm Watch for those areas.
Much of Georgia is starting this Sunday morning, January 25, 2026, with freezing rain and sleet, but for folks here in Chattooga County and much of Northwest Georgia, the main issue early today has been heavy rain. Temperatures around daybreak were near to slightly above freezing, helping keep most roads wet instead of icy to start the morning. Even so, the steady rainfall can still create hazardous travel, especially with reduced visibility, standing water in low spots, and slick conditions where oil and debris collect on the roadway.
A cold front is pushing into Northwest Georgia this morning, bringing periods of light, hit-or-miss showers as it advances south and east. In Chattooga County, the pattern favors scattered rain that becomes more broken and less organized through the day, with rainfall amounts generally staying on the lighter side. Temperatures will remain chilly but typical for mid-January, with afternoon readings mainly in the 50s across much of Northwest Georgia outside of the higher terrain.
If you’re heading out early in Chattooga County and across Northwest Georgia, plan for slow, cautious travel this morning. Forecasters say dense fog is creating hazardous driving conditions through 10 AM.
Georgia State Patrol Troopers and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officers will be out in force this week as the Thanksgiving travel period begins. The 102-hour travel window starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 26, and runs through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, November 30. Officials say the goal is to reduce crashes and keep the record number of holiday travelers safe on Georgia’s roads.