Habersham County schools closed for students Tuesday

January 9, 2017

Icy road conditions lingering in bitter cold

Habersham County public school students will get to sleep in again tomorrow. Classes have been canceled due to icy road conditions caused by this weekend’s winter storm. Staff can report on a 3 hour delay if they feel safe traveling to work.

Habersham County Superintendent Matthew Cooper made the announcement shortly before 5 p.m. Monday after inspecting local roads. He says many of the roads across the county are still in “terrible” condition.

“We had hoped to have students return to school on Tuesday,” Cooper says, “but there are just too many roads throughout the county that are ice covered. One of our concerns is for our school buses, but our primary concern is always for our student drivers. We have hundreds of young drivers at Habersham Central who would be on the roads.”

"A picture's worth a thousand words." School superintendent Matthew Cooper sent Now Habersham this photo taken at Cornelia Elementary School on Monday afternoon. — “A picture’s worth a thousand words.” School superintendent Matthew Cooper sent Now Habersham this photo taken at Cornelia Elementary School on Monday afternoon.

Administrators hope to have students return to school sometime Wednesday but that will depend on how much ice melts on Tuesday.

Temperatures are expected to warm up tomorrow but there are still thick patches of ice in shaded areas.

Winter Weather Advisory

Winter Storm Helena dumped up to three inches of snow on Habersham Friday overnight into Saturday. Although there’s been no precipitation since, melted snow and ice continue to refreeze in the sub-freezing temperatures.

The National Weather Service has issued another Winter Weather Advisory for the Northeast Georgia mountains and Western Carolinas through noon Tuesday.

Drivers are urged to use extreme caution tonight and tomorrow morning. A statement issued by the NWS says, “While conditions on most interstate highways and many main roads have improved, many secondary roads and side streets remain snow and ice covered. Even in locations where conditions have greatly improved, there are lingering patches of black ice in shady and less traveled areas.”

Habersham County School officials will inspect the roads again Tuesday evening before making a decision about students returning to class. “We will have school when it is safe to do so,” Cooper says. “I want our parents to know that the safety of their children comes before everything else.”