Freezing temperatures and rainfall could bring dangerous driving conditions Thursday night and Friday morning.

The National Weather Service in Charleston predicts a 50 percent chance of rain Thursday night, with lows dropping into the low 30s, according to www.noaa.gov.

Bulloch County Public Safety Director Ted Wynn warns county residents to be mindful of the weather and road conditions.

“We will know more about the upcoming weather” by Wednesday evening, he said on Tuesday.

He doesn’t expect the worst of the weather to last long and said that it could be over and gone by the time the temperatures rise a bit Friday. However, “Bulloch EMA is monitoring the weather forecast for later this week,” and there is a “possibility of some hazardous weather conditions early Friday morning.”

An “upper disturbance will move through the area Thursday and Thursday night while much colder air moves in,” he said. “A period of freezing rain is possible across southeast South Carolina and Georgia.”

As of Tuesday, predictions were that the threat of accumulating freezing rain was increasing.

“At a minimum, travel conditions will be hazardous Thursday through Friday morning. If more significant accumulations occur, power outages could be a concern,” he said.

Freezing nighttime temperatures are expected into next week. According to www.weatherforyou.com, snowfall is possible New Year’s night for the Bulloch County area. Weather Underground predicts a “wintry mix” of ice and snow, but Wynn said weather predictions could change over the next few days.

He advised residents to drive carefully if roads are icy, especially on bridges and overpasses, where ice is slower to melt.

There is no expectation at this time of a hard freeze or any significant accumulation of ice, he said.

Herald reporter Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912) 489-9414.