Snow blankets Gainesville; deep freeze expected

Snow blankets Gainesville; freeze follows

Gainesville received about 4 inches of snow on Saturday. Many residents enjoyed the winter weather before a deep freeze sets in overnight. 

GAINESVILLE, Ga. -  A winter storm blanketed Gainesville with nearly 4 inches of snow Saturday, transforming the "Hallmark City" into a winter wonderland before dangerous freezing temperatures moved into the region.

What we know:

While the snow provided a scenic backdrop for residents, it created hazardous travel conditions throughout the morning.

The city of Gainesville, Hall County,  and the Georgia Department of Transportation worked nonstop to clean the roads.  

As of Saturday evening, the "feels like" temperature in the city has dropped to 1 degree.

While the snowfall has since ceased, a deep freeze has set in across the area.

Earlier in the day, heavy snow significantly reduced visibility on I-985, with snow nearly covering the lanes.

What they're saying:

"Roads are solid; Gainesville has done a good job," Kristian Martin said.

Martin, who lives in Gainesville, felt the snow only added to the area's charm. "Gainesville is a magical place—Hallmark city, you know? It's a snow day, definitely a snow day."

Local friends gathered outside early to take advantage of the rare accumulation.

"When you woke up and saw the snow, what did you think? Let's play," said Kalyn Columbo. Her friend, Emily Sauls, was equally impressed by the volume of snow. "I've never seen this much snow before, so I wanted to build a snow angel," Sauls said.

One resident, Brando Araujo, refused to let the weather stop his daily fitness routine.

"I'm doing a light little cool down and stuff," Araujo said. "Yesterday I had a good run, the weather was a lot better, but today I thought, you know what, let's go out and do a little run."

Despite the freezing air, Araujo opted for shorts during his workout.

"Well, really, for me it's a mobility thing, so it makes it a lot easier to run," he said.

To handle the cold on his exposed skin, he relied on a runner's trick. "They put on Vaseline before races, and it protects the skin from getting cold."