Augusta officials held an emergency weather briefing Tuesday to prepare for a winter storm caused by a polar vortex that could hit Augusta this week.
Augusta Emergency Management Director Kimber Keaton, who led the briefing, said city departments are checking off checklists to be prepared for any weather event.
While nothing is completely certain yet, National Weather Service meteorologist Pierce Larkin said the Augusta area could be hit by a winter storm this weekend.
“There’s still some uncertainty, but forecast models are showing that air mass, cold air moving out of Canada and into the Central Plains and allowing heavy precipitation to move over it could produce significant cold weather across the (Augusta area),” Larkin said.
Larkin said the potential timing for a winter storm could be Saturday and Sunday. He said the Augusta area could see sleet, freezing rain and snow through Tuesday, but the extent remains to be determined.
“It’s definitely something to watch,” he said.
Satellite image of the Southeast on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. National Weather Service.
Larkin said being prepared for winter storms is key.
“I would be paying close attention and reviewing your winter weather preparedness plans right now,” Larkin said. “Just review those plans and keep an eye on the forecast over the next few days. By the end of the week, we will continue to have greater confidence in one way or another.”
Keeton said Augusta is preparing for potential winter storms, including possibly salting roads and bridges and conducting equipment inspections.
“We’re bringing it all together,” she said. “We will continue to have meetings. We have been away for more than 72 hours. Everything is being prepared at this stage.”
Keaton said homeowners in the area should eliminate drafts in their homes before cold weather arrives.
“If there’s a cold draft, put some towels or pillows out and do whatever you can to stop the cold draft,” Keeton says. “Leave kitchen and bathroom faucets dripping before you go to bed. This will prevent pipes from freezing.”
EMA chiefs also recommend charging cell phones and battery packs before a storm to prevent power outages.
“During these events, when it snows or rains, sometimes ice forms, which creates weight on the power lines and on top of the wires,” she noted. “This can sometimes cause temporary power outages.”
What is a polar vortex?
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a polar vortex is an area of low pressure and a large mass of swirling cold air over the polar regions. The polar vortex in the Arctic sometimes expands, blowing cold air southward.
“We’ve got the perfect setup,” Larkin said. “We have a strong Arctic high pressure system moving into the northern United States. That’s our supply of cold air, and it’s coming down the east side of the Appalachians, keeping temperatures in the upper 20s to low 30s.
“Meanwhile, in the upper atmosphere, we have winds coming from the southwest, transporting moisture from the Gulf and Pacific Ocean to the southern United States. This combination tends to produce our winter weather events.”
Larkin said such incidents are not common in the Augusta area this time of year.
“It’s very unusual,” Larkin said. “This is a winter storm signal that we rarely see in the southern United States”
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Erica Van Buren is a climate change reporter for The Augusta Chronicle, a USA TODAY Network affiliate. Contact her at EVanBuren@gannett.com or @EricaVanBuren32.
This article originally appeared in the Augusta Chronicle: Augusta officials hold winter storm briefing, urge residents