Winter storm watch issued, snow expected in metro Atlanta later this week

Rosana Hughes, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Jan 8, 2025

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ATLANTA — The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for Friday morning as North Georgia and metro Atlanta brace for snow later this week.

“Expect significant accumulations of snow, sleet and freezing rain that will lead to hazardous travel conditions,” the agency warned Wednesday morning.

The winter storm watch will be in effect from 7 a.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday.

North Georgia is projected to get at least four inches of snow Friday, according to Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan. In higher elevations, where below-freezing temperatures will linger, the snowfall could reach or exceed six inches, the NWS predicts.

Closer to the city, areas north of I-20 could see between two and three inches of snowfall, Monahan said, while those to the south are expected to get more of a wintry mix of snow and freezing rain with significant ice accumulations.

The timing of the snow’s arrival is still fluctuating. Monahan said flurries should start Friday morning and snowfall is expected to intensify as the day wears on. Highs then are expected to stay around 34 degrees, about 6 to 10 degrees lower than Wednesday’s and Thursday’s predicted high temps.

The NWS stressed residents should not focus on where exactly snow will turn to slushy rain because the forecast will be fine-tuned over the next couple of days.

“Plan on being at your house, your safe space on Friday morning, and plan to stay there,” WSB traffic reporter Mike Shields said. “The rest of the day, travel can be rough there on Friday.”

The governor’s office warned that hazardous conditions are expected, particularly on Friday and Saturday, with the greatest risks on bridges, overpasses and untreated roads.

Slick patches could persist until Sunday morning, as any remaining moisture from the wintry precipitation may freeze overnight Saturday.

The state and local governments have already been preparing for the snow as they hope to avoid another “snowpocalypse” that in 2014 left drivers stranded on the interstate and even forced some to abandon their cars. Warming centers have also opened across the metro area for those needing to seek shelter from the frigid cold.

Georgia Power said it’s monitoring the forecast, and crews stand ready to respond. And local stores are stocking up in anticipation of customers seeking winter weather supplies.

Local transportation departments have been readying their plan to prep roads for ice over the next few days.

Atlanta’s transportation department soon will start prepping city streets with 20,000 gallons of brine, 5,500 tons of salt. Plus, 200 employees are on call to get the job done.

Residents will start to see brine trucks and spreaders beginning at 1 a.m. Thursday through the early afternoon. Crews will first treat priority roadways, particularly bridges and overpasses which are the first to freeze due to elevation.

The department is also focused on making sure routes to medical facilities and police and fire stations are prepped in case of emergency.

“When the city is significantly impacted by weather conditions, ATLDOT operations will work continuously to ensure roadways are clear and passable,” the department said in a statement.

The winter weather system is the same one that is producing high winds that are fueling wildfires in California. High pressure associated with dry weather and windy conditions is clashing with a low pressure system there, which is making winds even heavier. That low pressure system will drift eastward and then up the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico, pushing moisture into the already cold air over the Peach State.

— Staff writers Alia Pharr and Riley Bunch contributed to this article.

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