Shocking Pictures Of Icy Gridlock In Atlanta After Georgia Experiences Rare Wintery Blast | HuffPost

Shocking Pictures Of Icy Gridlock In Atlanta After Georgia Experience Wintery Blast

Paul Vale and Elliot Wagland— The Huffington Post UK

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Atlanta, better known for its blisteringly hot summers, experienced arctic temperatures and heavy snowfall earlier this week, leading to chaos as workers, emergency services and school buses all took to the roads at the same time. Unfortunately, the wintery blast was so sudden that few of the motorways had been treated with salt, resulting in dangerously slippery conditions and the inevitable pile-ups.

The congestion grew so bad that many drivers were forced to abandon their vehicles or sit in freezing temperatures without food or water. According to local news reports, more than 15,000 school children were slept on buses stuck in the traffic. The chaos has led to recriminations as to who was to blame for the icy gridlock, with politicians blaming the weather service and vice versa.

Atlanta Weather

(01 of18)

A truck blocks all east-bound lanes of Interstate 285 in Sandy Spring, Ga. after htting an icet patch of road. Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2014, in Atlanta. Some interstates remained clogged by jackknifed 18-wheelers Wednesday afternoon, more than 24 hours after snow began falling on the city. (credit:AP)

(02 of18)

Joe Galunas works to clear ice and retrieve the car he abandoned on an exit ramp along I-75 North during the winter storm January 29, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. Drivers and kids on school buses were stuck in their vehicles overnight as the wintery weather and accidents snarled roads and highways thoughout the region. (credit:Getty Images)

(03 of18)

Cars drive along Interstate 75 in icy conditions January 29, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. Thousands of motorists were stranded, many overnight, as a winter storm dropped three inches of snow, and ice made driving hazardous. (credit:Getty Images)

(04 of18)

Cars sit abandoned during a winter storm Tuesday, night, are parked along the shoulder of Interstate 75 in Atlanta. (credit:AP)

(05 of18)

A jackknifed truck blocks traffic on a bridge on interstate 475 in Macon in Atlanta. A winter storm swept through the South leaving many people stranded in vehicles. (credit:AP)

(06 of18)

Stranded motorists take shelter at a pharmacy store in Atlanta in the Governor's office at the State Capitol in Atlanta. A rare snowstorm left thousands across the U.S. South frozen in their tracks, with workers sleeping in their offices, students camping in their schools, and commuters abandoning cars along the highway to seek shelter in churches or even grocery stores. (credit:AP)

(07 of18)

The ice-covered interstate system shows the remnants of a winter snow storm in Atlanta. While such amounts of accumulation barely quality as a storm in the north, it was enough to paralyze the Deep South. (credit:AP)

(08 of18)

Traffic is snarled along the I-285 perimeter north of the metro area after a winter snow storm in Atlanta. (credit:AP)

(09 of18)

Abandoned cars at I-75 headed northbound near the Chattahoochee River overpass are piled up in the median of the ice-covered interstate after a winter snow storm. (credit:AP)

(10 of18)

Looking at I-75 north at Moors Mill Rd., some motorists leave their vehicles along the ice-covered interstate after a winter snow storm. (credit:AP)

(11 of18)

A good Samaritan on a four-wheeler patrols I-75 south at West Paces Ferry Rd. after a winter snow storm. (credit:AP)

(12 of18)

Cobb Parkway at I-285, abandoned cars are piled up on the median of the ice-covered road after a winter snow storm slammed the city with over 2 inches of snow that turned highways into parking lots creating massive traffic jams lasting through. (credit:AP)

(13 of18)

In this view looking at I-75 north at Mt. Paran Rd., abandoned cars are piled up on the median of the ice-covered interstate after a winter snow storm slammed the city with over 2 inches of snow that turned highways into parking lots creating massive traffic jams. (credit:AP)

(14 of18)

Traffic is sparse along Panola Road near I-20 Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2014 in Lithonia, Ga. Tuesday's storm deposited barely enough to qualify as a storm up North. (credit:AP)

(15 of18)

In this photo taken with a fisheye lens over the city's perimeter highway known as "Spaghetti Junction," the ice-covered interstate system shows the remnants of a winter snow storm that slammed the city with over 2 inches of snow that turned highways into parking lots when motorists abandoned their vehicles creating massive traffic jams (credit:AP)

(16 of18)

In this view looking south toward downtown Atlanta, the ice-covered interstate system is empty after a winter snow storm slammed the city with over 2 inches of snow that turned highways into parking lots (credit:AP)

(17 of18)

A Dekalb Police officer stops to check on Jesse Hatcher after he says another motorist caused him to lose control of his car and spin into the ditch off I-20 West near Conyers (credit:AP)

(18 of18)

Traffic inches along the Connector as snow blankets the Atlanta as seen from the Pryor Street overpass. Interstates were clogged as commuters ended their workday early. (credit:AP)

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