By Pat Donahue,

Special to the Herald

Coastal Georgia residents could be in for a weather phenomenon that hasn’t taken place in several years.

The National Weather Service’s forecast for early next week calls for a chance of snow on Tuesday, and some freezing precipitation could come as early as Monday, said a meteorologist with the NWS’ office in Charleston, S.C.

“It will be unseasonably cold next week, particularly beginning on Monday,” said meteorologist Jonathan Lamb. “As far as the potential for wintry precipitation, there is a decent chance we could see some snow or freezing rain next week.”

Lamb said Monday night through Tuesday night is the window with the most chance for snow or freezing rain, though some forecast models also call for precipitation at the end of next week.

There hasn’t been snow in Hinesville since 2018 and longtime residents may remember the “White Christmas” of 1989. The last measurable snow in Hinesville occurred January 3, 2018, according to the NWS.

But snow and freezing rain also bring dangers, especially to the roads. Bridges and elevated roads also run the risk of icing over.

“In the Southeast, we’re not accustomed to a lot of wintry precipitation,” Lamb said. “People overestimate their capabilities for driving. They kind of assume the roads are completely cleared. But there are so many places where patches of ice can form. If you hit one patch of ice and are braking or turning, you could completely lose control. Our number-one advice is to stay off the roads if you absolutely can.”