VALDOSTA —  South Georgia woke up to a rare winter wonderland Wednesday as a blanket of snow lay over the region.

Officially, 2.2 inches of snow fell in Valdosta overnight, dusting the landscape and coating car windshields, the National Weather Service in Tallahassee, Fla., said.

Overnight low temperatures across South Georgia dipped into the mid-20s Tuesday night and are threatening to remain there for the rest of the week, the weather service forecast shows. Daytime highs will only be in the 40s across the region.

Further west, the snow was heavier. The weather service said the snow ranged from 5-8 inches in a line from Thomasville to Moultrie.

Most schools and government offices will remain closed Thursday for safety on the frozen roads.

“(Thursday) will be worse than Wednesday,” said Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk. “The snow will melt some Wednesday afternoon, then refreeze on the roads overnight.”

Officials are asking the public to stay off the roads except for work needs, medical treatment and emergencies.

Paulk said cars on the interstate have caused more wrecks in the snow than rural traffic.

“Southbound on I-75 isn’t too bad, but the northbound traffic has been crazy,” he said. “We were working four wrecks at once on I-75.” There had been only minor injuries and no fatalities from icy wrecks in Lowndes County Wednesday, he said.

Perhaps the most unusual snow-related incident was when a patient stole an ambulance from South Georgia Medical Center, the sheriff said.

“By the time the law caught up with him on North Ashley Street, he had gotten out of the ambulance and laid down in the snow wearing only a hospital gown,” Paulk said.