Georgia Weather: Up To 2 Inches Of Snow, Dangerous Cold Tuesday

ATLANTA, GA — Temperatures in metro Atlanta were beginning to drop Tuesday afternoon, with increasingly dire forecasts calling for the bottom to drop out, bringing snow and dangerous wind chills to the area.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory starting at 5 p.m. in most of metro Atlanta and earlier in some areas further north. At 9 p.m., when a wind chill advisory goes into effect, the temperature could drop to 15 degrees and gusty wind could make it feel as cold as -5 degrees.

In an update shortly before 2:30 p.m., the weather service was calling for as much as two inches of snow. Earlier forecasts had predicted less than an inch.

The winter weather advisory lasts until 10 a.m. Wednesday — expanded from 7 a.m. earlier in the day — and the wind-chill advisory is in effect until 1 p.m. Wednesday.

Less than an inch of snow is expected. But the weather service warns that will be enough to limit visibility for drivers and that freezing temperatures will mean any precipitation that ends up on roadways is likely to freeze and stick there.

Wind chills will range from 20 to zero degrees — and could get all the way down to -10 in the north Georgia mountains. Those chills could cause frostbite and hypothermia with as little as 30 minutes of exposure to skin, the weather service warned. They urged anyone going outside in the weather to wear hats and gloves.

Tuesday's forecast calls for a high of 47 degrees, with a 30 percent chance of light rain starting around 4 p.m. A chance of rain and snow is forecast before 7 p.m., with a chance of snow after that. The overall chance of precipitation in metro Atlanta is 50 percent.

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By Tuesday night, northwest winds will be 10-15 m.p.h., with gusts as high as 25 m.p.h. There's a low of 15 degrees forecast Tuesday night, with the high on Wednesday getting up to only 28. Wednesday night's low is forecast to plummet back down to 18 degrees.

Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security offers the following cold-weather tips:

• Prepare a Ready kit of emergency supplies for your home. Include at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food, water, a flashlight with extra batteries, a NOAA weather radio, adequate clothing and blankets to keep you warm, as well as additional supplies for the unique needs of your family, such as medication or pet ready kits.
• Keep an extra ready kit in the trunk of your car. In addition to the basic essentials, consider adding a portable cell phone charger, ice scraper, extra blanket, sand for traction and jumper cables.
• Create an emergency communications plan so family members will know who to contact if separated during a storm. Designate at least one out-of-town contact who all family members can call. Determine a way to let family and friends know you’re OK if the power goes out. Create a customized plan for your family using the Ready Georgia website or mobile app.
• Make sure you have a way to stay informed about winter weather. Purchase a NOAA weather radio or other battery-operated radio to monitor changing winter weather conditions. Download the Ready Georgia mobile app, which includes geo-targeted severe weather and emergency alerts that will notify your phones before disasters strike.
• Winterize your vehicle and keep your gas tank at least half full to prevent your fuel line from freezing.
• Winterize your home by placing weather stripping around doors and windows. During cold weather, allow faucets to drip, and open cabinet doors to let heat reach uninsulated pipes under sinks and appliances near exterior walls.
• Identify an alternate heat source, like a fireplace or wood-burning stove, and stock sufficient heating fuel. You may become isolated in your home and regular fuel sources may be cut off. Store a good supply of dry, seasoned wood for your fireplace or wood-burning stove.

Image via National Weather Service