Augusta officials held an emergency weather briefing Tuesday in preparation for a possible polar vortex that could be headed for Augusta this week due to a winter storm.
Kimber Keaton, director of the Augusta Emergency Management Agency, led the briefing and said city departments were going through checklists to prepare for any weather events.
Although nothing is set in stone, 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 the forecast model is showing that the air mass, cold air moving out of Canada, settling into the central plains and allowing heavy rain to pass over it could produce significant winter weather in the (Augusta region),” Larkin said.
Larkin said the most likely timeframe for the winter storm would be Saturday and Sunday. As of Tuesday, he said the Augusta area could be in for a mix of sleet, freezing rain and snow, though how much remains to be determined.
“It’s definitely something to keep an eye on,” he said.
A satellite image of the southeast on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. National Weather Service.
Larkin said being prepared is key in the event of a winter storm.
“I’ll keep an eye on it right now and review your winterization plans,” Larkin said. “Just review those plans and keep an eye on the forecast over the next few days. We’ll continue to be more confident one way or the other through the end of the week.”
Keaton said Augusta is preparing for a possible winter storm, potentially salting roads and bridges, and conducting equipment checks.
“We’re putting it all together,” she said. “We’re going to continue the meeting. We’re over 72 hours out. It’s all preparation at this stage.”
Keeton said area homeowners should try to eliminate drafts in their homes before the winter season.
“If you have a cold draft, put some towels or pillows on it to block the draft, whatever you can,” Keaton said. “Before you go to bed, run your kitchen and bathroom faucets. This will protect your pipes from freezing.”
The EMA director also recommended charging phones and battery packs before the storm in case of power outages.
“In these cases, when it snows or rains and sometimes it freezes, that creates weight on top of the wires and ropes,” he noted. “This can sometimes create 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, an extension of cold air that circulates over the polar regions. The polar vortex at the North Pole sometimes expands, sending cold air south.
“We have the perfect setup for this,” Larkin said. “We have a strong arctic high-pressure system moving into the northern part of the United States. This is our supply of cold air, which comes east of the Appalachians and lowers temperatures into the 20s and 30s.
“At the same time, we’ll have, in the upper atmosphere, winds that are coming from the southwest and transporting moisture out of the Gulf and into the southern United States from the Pacific. That kind of combination produces our winter weather events.”
Larkin said this type of incident is not typical for the Augusta area this time of year.
“It’s very unusual,” Larkin said. “This is a sign of a winter storm that we rarely see in the South America.”
This reporting material is supported by a number of funders and partnerships with journalism funding partners.
Erica Van Buren is a climate change reporter for the Augusta Chronicle, part of the USA Today Network. Connect with her at EVanBuren@gannett.com or X: @EricaVanBuren32.
This article originally appeared in the Augusta Chronicle: Augusta officials urge residents to hold winter storm briefing.
