Georgia braces for extreme cold and heavy snow this weekend
The National Weather Service has projected peak snowfall in Georgia between 7 a.m. Saturday and 4 a.m. Sunday as an Arctic cold front meets rain from the Gulf Coast. An extreme cold warning is in effect for the entire state from 7 p.m. Saturday to 1 p.m. Sunday, with wind chills expected to make temperatures feel significantly colder. Areas within the I-285 Perimeter could see between half an inch to 2 inches of snow, while places like Athens might receive up to 6 inches. The Georgia Emergency Management Agency activated its state operations center on Friday, and a state of emergency has been declared until February 6. As of 8 a.m. Saturday, about a third of Delta Air Lines' flights were canceled, with significant disruptions reported by its regional partners. Georgia Power and electric membership cooperatives are prepared for potential outages due to icy conditions. The Georgia Department of Transportation has been treating roads in anticipation of the winter storm, advising motorists to stay home as much as possible. Wind gusts of up to 35 mph are expected, which could lead to poor visibility and dangerous driving conditions. Residents are urged to stay indoors and dress in layers if they must go outside, as the cold temperatures pose risks of frostbite and hypothermia.
