From the airports to the yards, Winter Storm 2017 leaves its mark

ATLANTA -- There was plenty of activity throughout metro Atlanta from morning to night on Saturday.

You think about how many people woke up this morning disappointed because of the lack of snow, but plenty in the metro did catch a coating. Others felt the winter weather in other ways."

It started indoors at Hartsfield-Jackson where travelers saw hundreds of canceled flights. That meant passengers stranded through the night and into the morning.

Reese McCranie, Director of Communications, Hartsfield-Jackson Int'l Airport

"We want to ensure passengers can get out and take off as they want," Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport Communications Director Reese McCranie said.

But most of metro Atlanta felt winter outside.

In Cumming, a little snow over a little ice led to locking tires and near-crashes on the roads. And while Blue Ridge, Ga. was characteristically blanketed and beautiful, officials there were bracing for the dark.

"The sun's out. Everyone thinks it's going to go away but our worry is tonight, when things will re-freeze," one official said.

On this night, the cold conditions caused the opening of warming centers across DeKalb County.

"This is a blessing … got food, hot coffee to keep you warm,” a resident said. “It's too cold to be out there tonight."

In Midtown on Friday, the snow didn't pile up but the ice weighed down the trees. This tree uprooted and landed on a home. Most of the family got out quickly but a 3-year-old child couldn’t escape until rescue crews got involved.

But for most of the city, the roads required simply a little extra caution. And at Piedmont Park, those who had hoped for a snow day took their best shot at simulating one.

For Georgia Tech swimmers in Virginia, there was no pretending.

Rather than sit out the freeze, the Georgia Tech swim team dove in head-first.

And on one more note: Georgia Power restored power to nearly 70,000 customers who lost electricity during the weather event.

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