Ice Storm Warning Expanded In GA: Latest Updates

Updated at 3:01 p.m.

An ice storm warning has been expanded to include metro Atlanta and surrounding areas, putting more residents on notice about a powerful, dangerous system heading Georgia's way this weekend.

The National Weather Service issued the extended warning for Pickens, Bartow, Cherokee, Polk, Paulding, Cobb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Barrow, Clarke, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Wilkes, Douglas, DeKalb, Rockdale, Walton, Newton, Morgan, Greene, Taliaferro, Clayton, Henry and Warren counties.

The warning had already been issued for a portion of northeast Georgia, including Gainesville and Cumming. Additionally, the alert was upgraded from a winter storm watch in metro Atlanta.

The weather service said ice could build up to 1 inch. The warning will take effect at 1 p.m. Saturday and will expire at 10 a.m. Monday.

Emergency management officials said Friday that this is the first ice storm warning for Georgia in 12 years.

"That is a lot of ice," said Will Lanxton, state meteorologist with the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency at a Friday news conference. "That is going to do a lot of damage to trees and power lines. Travel is going to be difficult to impossible for most areas."

Residents living in the ice storm warning area may not be able to travel between Saturday afternoon and Monday morning, he said.

"It's been 12 years since we've had an ice storm warning in Georgia, so this is not a product that we see issued every year," Lanxton said. "It's pretty rare, so I think that indicates the confidence in the forecast for this event and the need to take it very seriously."

Impacts could include Augusta but possibly not the Savannah or Columbus areas, Lanxton said. Counties in South Georgia may escape the storm's wrath.

"If you're in the southern half of Georgia, you really don't have anything to be worry about other than some heavy rain and maybe some thunderstorms on Sunday," he said. "It's really the I-20 corridor and north, and really Macon to Augusta and north that we're expecting to see those ice accumulations."

Gov. Brian Kemp has declared a state of emergency, activated the State Operations Center and has put 500 members of the Georgia National Guard on standby for storm recovery. Meanwhile, multiple school districts have told Patch they are either canceling or rescheduling weekend events.

The storm will start as rain showers before 1 a.m. Saturday night in the Atlanta area, then switching to freezing rain with an overnight low of 30 degrees. On Sunday, freezing rain will fall before 10 a.m., then rain or freezing rain between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., then rain showers after 1 p.m., the National Weather Service said. Some thunder is also possible with a high near 39.

Georgia officials asked people stay off of the roads as much as possible for safety.

This all comes a week after the central portion of the state faced its own winter storm, though it was weakened compared to what is ahead.

"This is completely different," Lanxton said. "Two or three inches of snow with roads pretreated, you can do a lot with. An inch of ice, it's pretty much impossible to do anything. Power's going to be out widespread. Travel's going to be impossible."

What Could Georgia Expect With Ice Storm?

The storm will stretch itself across the southern and eastern U.S., with AccuWeather reporting 200 million will be affected. As people dash to fill up tanks and heat their homes, the private weather service said natural gas prices are rising.

"It is rare that storms combine this much snow, ice and bitter cold over such a large area," AccuWeather Senior Vice President Evan Myers said in a report.

In Georgia, the shelves of grocery stores were empty, leaving the need to restock items, such as water and bread. Emergency management officials said Friday is the final day for running errands and making preparations.

As of Friday morning, there was a 70 percent chance of ice reaching at least a quarter-inch or more in metro Atlanta.

The weather service warned road traveling may be dangerous due to conditions.

• Related: GA Power Outages Could Last For Days: How To Cope

AccuWeather cautioned flights could be a problem for anyone looking to travel by plane.

“Air travel will likely be a nightmare this weekend into early next week," AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said. "Travel chaos may ensue, making it very challenging for air passengers to make their way to their destinations, perhaps for days on end, as the US air system is impacted by the major storm and then begins the slow recovery process."

Power outages could last for up to five days in some areas, NWS meteorologist Laura Belanger told Patch on Thursday. In some metro Atlanta counties, such as Gwinnett County, she said those residents could be left in the dark for up to three days.

This is because ice on the roads will make it difficult for crews to tend to utility lines. Due to bitter temperatures, ice may not melt until Tuesday morning, the weather service told Patch.

Lanxton said Tuesday should bring the coldest temperatures in years for Georgia.

"Tuesday morning is going to be brutal cold," he said. "Obviously, anything that remains on Tuesday morning is also going to be frozen."

He added if road moisture is not dry by Monday morning, it will freeze and make commuting challenging.

How Is Georgia Preparing?

As the storm nears, time is running out to get ready for it.

People should finish their preparations by Saturday afternoon, which is the "no-go line," at the latest, GEMA/HS Director Josh Lamb said during Friday's news conference.

"For all the work that GEMA and our state partners are doing to prepare for the winter storm, the best help we can get is for individuals to prepare for themselves," he said.

On Thursday, he noted readiness could aid recovery efforts and minimize the loss of life.

The Georgia Department of Transportation is "on point and ready to roll," Kemp said on a Thursday press call. He added GDOT will begin brining and treating roadways between midnight and early Saturday morning in areas north of Interstate 20.

Other agencies on standby include the Georgia State Patrol, the Georgia Forestry Commission and the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

Kemp said he has been in contact with Georgia Power, which has stated it is fully ready for the storm.

Georgia Power on Friday announced it is suspending disconnections for all unpaid utility bills until Thursday, when disconnections will resume.

The statewide power company advised the following tips for customers:

Before the storm

• Make a plan and check on loved ones.
• Build or update your emergency kit.
• Use generators safely—never indoors.

After the storm

• Slow down and move over for utility crews.
• Stay far away from downed power lines.
• Never pull tree limbs off of power lines yourself.

As bridges and overpasses are the first to freeze, Lamb suggested people carefully drive on them. He also advised people have emergency car kits that include ice scrapers, snacks, portable battery chargers and other crucial items.

Gutters should be cleaned, outdoor pipes should be covered and doors and windows should be sealed, Lamb said.

Residents may want to have enough nonperishable food and medication for at least three days in the case of power outages. Lamb also encouraged they have emergency preparedness plans and a safe way to heat homes that do not include the oven or having portable generators indoors.

People should keep their pets inside as much as possible and have a way to charge their phones, Lamb said.

Georgia officials have been in contact with the Georgia Department of Public Health to ensure nursing homes know how to seek assistance.

Lamb spoke against panic buying, asking people to purchase only what is needed.

With still quite a bit of time before the storm, Belanger advised people "don't wait too long" in making their preparations. Tips she provided included knowing where warm shelter locations are and notifying a family member or friend where you are staying if not at home.

"Once things get going, you’re not going to want to be venturing out," she said.

The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency offers tips for before and during winter weather.

Updates will be posted on the weather service's Twitter page, the weather service's Facebook page and its website.

What About Schools?

Multiple school districts, including Forsyth County, have told Patch they are monitoring conditions before deciding on school closures for Monday.

Some districts have promised to have notice to families no later than 5 p.m. Sunday.

However, on Friday, DeKalb County and Fulton County school districts announced their operational plans for Monday. DeKalb planned to close all of its schools, while Fulton chose to have an asynchronous learning day.

Cobb County Schools, DeKalb County Schools, Atlanta Public Schools, Marietta City Schools and Douglas County Schools have all canceled or rescheduled their weekend event schedules due to the weather threat.

This also includes Bartow County Schools, Paulding County Schools, City Schools of Decatur, Fulton County Schools and Cherokee County Schools.

The University of Georgia encouraged students to leave their residence halls and return home after classes end Friday.

"Given the latest forecasts, we anticipate being closed on Monday. However, we are continuing to monitor conditions and will provide an update to the UGA community early Sunday afternoon regarding our status for Monday, Jan. 26," UGA officials said in a news release.

For any students that remain on campus, the university said it will keep its residence halls open. However, officials warned there may be power outages and water line breaks, leaving staff to move students to "a limited number of temporary housing areas with emergency heat and meal services."

Dining halls will operate normally, and campus transit shuttles will offer regular service as long as weather conditions permit, UGA officials said.

"There is no time like the present to prepare for the potential impact of the storm this weekend," officials said in the release.

Emory University will be closing its campus on Saturday and Sunday. This includes the university's Oxford College, sporting events and classes.

University employees will work remotely, and other essential personnel were asked to contact their supervisors for guidance.

"Emory Healthcare employees should refer to communications from EHC for information," university officials said.

The Atlanta University Center Consortium will also close its campuses on Saturday and Sunday. The AUC consists of Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine and Spelman College.

There will be no athletic events, campus activities or meetings, Spelman officials said.

Dining information can be gathered from the individual school.

Reinhardt University is following suit, announcing Friday it is canceling its athletics and activities for Saturday and Sunday. Dining and staff will still be available students not able to leave the campus.

"Campus maintenance teams are prepared with road and sidewalk salt, as well as other operational safety precautions," university officials said.

Reinhardt plans to close its campus on Monday, they added. Updates will be provided through email, text messages and social media.

"Reinhardt encourages everyone to be prepared and stay safe," officials said.

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