The 7.9 inches of rain recorded since New Year’s Day has helped recharge parts of West Point Lake, seen here near Highland Country Club. Photo by Jennifer Shrader | Daily News

 

The hot, dry conditions of the last half of 2016 have come to a swift and soggy halt.

 

LaGrange has recorded 7.9 inches of rain since New Year’s Day and there’s a threat of winter weather Friday night into Saturday.

 

A rain gauge near downtown recorded .8 inches of rain Jan. 1, 2.4 inches Jan. 2 and 4.7 inches on Tuesday morning. Heavy rains in the area prompted a flood watch for Troup County through 7 a.m. Tuesday, but no major flooding was reported.

 

“We had some ponding in low spots, but no actual flooding,” said Troup County Sheriff James Woodruff.

 

Attention now turns to a storm system that could bring wintry weather to the area Friday night and Saturday, although it’s still too early to tell the actual impacts.

 

“It’s worth watching, and one thing we can say is, the cold air will definitely be in place,” said Carly Kovacik, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Peachtree City. “We will have some kind of precipitation late Friday into Saturday.”

 

As of Tuesday, the official forecast for LaGrange calls for a 20 percent chance of rain and snow Friday, a 40 percent chance of rain and show Friday night and a 30 percent chance of rain and snow Saturday.