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ATLANTA - Final preparations should be underway ahead of the massive winter storm set to coat parts of North Georgia, including metro Atlanta, in dangerous ice over the weekend.
An Ice Storm Warning has replaced the Winter Storm Watch in northeast Georgia. This is likely to happen for metro Atlanta as well. The counties included right now are Forsyth, Hall, Dawson, White, Rabun, Habersham, Franklin, Hart, Elbert, Madison, Banks, and Jackson. The Ice Storm Warning begins Saturday at 1 p.m. and runs through Monday morning.
Significant icing is expected. Total ice accumulations between a quarter of an inch and one inch are in the mix. The wind will also be a huge factor with gusts up to 25-30 mph. With gusts that high, combined with icing, it has the potential to bring down trees and branches.
Winter Storm Watches & Warnings
An Ice Storm Warning has been issued for parts of northeast Georgia from 1 p.m. Saturday through 10 a.m. Monday. Impacted counties include: Franklin, Habersham, Hart, Elbert, Stephens, Rabun, Lumpkin, Forsyth, Banks, White, Hall, Madison, Jackson, and Dawson. More counties, including metro Atlanta are likely to be added.
A Winter Storm Watch is in effect Saturday through part of Monday morning for most of the FOX 5 viewing area. Counties under the watch include:
- Northern Georgia (Watch starts 1 a.m. Saturday): Dade, Walker, Catoosa, Whitfield, Murray, Fannin, Gilmer, Union, Towns, Chattooga, Gordon, Pickens, Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Floyd, Bartow, Cherokee, Forsyth, Hall, Banks, Jackson, Madison, Polk, Paulding, Cobb, North Fulton, and Gwinnett.
- Metro Atlanta and Central Georgia (Watch starts 1 p.m. Saturday): Haralson, Carroll, Douglas, South Fulton, DeKalb, Rockdale, Walton, Newton, Morgan, Greene, Taliaferro, Coweta, Fayette, Clayton, Spalding, Henry, Butts, Jasper, Putnam, Hancock, Warren, Jones, Baldwin, Washington, Glascock, and Jefferson.
Should you lose power, you can still stream the latest forecast and get up-to-date weather information on this winter event in the FOX LOCAL mobile app.
Georgia State of Emergency
What we know:
Gov. Brian Kemp has declared a state of emergency Thursday morning, effective through next Tuesday ahead of the sprawling system.
Georgia Power has already begun to mobilize additional crews, preparing for ice accretion capable of taking down power lines and creating nearly impossible driving conditions.
The area northeast of Atlanta, up to Interstate 85, is likely to see ice accumulations exceeding 0.5 inches, which is devastating.
Ice threat for North Georgia and metro Atlanta
What they're saying:
The FOX 5 Storm Team is urging residents to take the threat seriously. FOX 5 Storm Team chief meteorologist David Chandley characterized the system as a major event.
"We’ve got a major ice storm for some in North Georgia. This is no joke," Chandley said. "If you have weight on trees and power lines due to the ice, this is just going to make that worse. It’s going to be windy all the way into your Monday."
Meteorologist Alex Forbes warned that the impact will be long-lasting.
"Our high-resolution models continue to call for a destructive ice storm," Forbes said. "Please continue to be prepared to lose power for several days... Just because liquid rain falls, does not mean all of our problems are solved. Think about how long ice sticks around in a glass of Coke that's 38 degrees."
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Georgia ice storm track update
Tracking a weekend ice storm followed by dangerously cold temperatures.
When will the ice hit?
Timeline:
Conditions will deteriorate as the weekend progresses. Residents are encouraged to complete all storm preparations by Friday night.
- Friday: Mostly cloudy with scattered rain showers. Temperatures remain above freezing.
- Saturday Morning: Cold air begins "nosing" in from the northeast. Wintry mixes may begin near the Georgia-Tennessee border.
- Saturday Afternoon: Freezing rain begins in Northeast Georgia and spreads into the metro Atlanta area.
- Saturday Night/Sunday Morning: The "main event." Steady freezing rain will cause ice to accrete on trees, power lines, and roads. Temperatures will drop into the 20s.
- Sunday Afternoon: A second wave of moisture arrives. While some areas may see a transition to rain, northeast of Atlanta is likely to remain frozen.
- Monday Morning: Precipitation tapers off, but dangerously cold air arrives.
PREPARE FOR THE STORM by knowing the different terms the FOX 5 storm team will use while forecasting
Crippling ice storm for the region
Why you should care:
This is not a snow event, but a significant ice threat.
- Power Outages: The combination of a half-inch of ice and wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph is a recipe for widespread, prolonged power outages as tree limbs and lines snap.
- Travel: Roadways are expected to become nearly impossible to navigate by Saturday night.
- Extreme Cold: Following the storm, temperatures will plummet. If you lose power, you may be without heat as temperatures drop into the single digits by Tuesday morning.
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Georgia Power warns: Brace for 3-day storm outages
Georgia Power is warning residents to prepare for potential two to three-day power outages as a winter storm bringing ice and downed trees threatens the state. Crews are already being mobilized to the northern regions, equipped with studded tires and snow chains to navigate treacherous roads.
What is closed or canceled?
Dig deeper:
FOX 5 has begun receiving closures related to weather. Make sure you stay up-to-date with the latest closures by clicking this link.
The Source: The FOX 5 Storm Team, FOX Weather, and the National Weather Service contributed to this report.