GA Weather Alert: Black Ice Possible Overnight

GEORGIA — Black ice is possible Thursday night and into Friday morning in north Georgia after rain and freezing temperatures moved into metro Atlanta earlier this week.

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook regarding the black ice. A winter weather advisory is also in effect through 1 a.m. Friday morning for the mountains of northeast and north central Georgia.

Across the far northern tier including Dade, Walker, Catoosa, and Whitfield, a transition to a mix of rain and snow remains possible before the precipitation exits late this afternoon. Initially temperatures will be too warm for any accumulations except the highest peaks where a dusting to up to a half an inch is possible.

Colder air will rush in behind the precipitation with temperatures dropping below freezing shortly after midnight for the far northern sections and the Atlanta metro sections a few hours later.

Winds will aid in drying roads but any residual water on area roadways could result in black ice. With the abundant rainfall over the last few weeks, there will be a higher than normal chance of black ice conditions especially where water flows through the higher elevations and across roadways. This will create hazardous driving conditions where it does occur through the rush hour Friday morning. Temperatures are expected to rise above freezing after 10 a.m. for most areas.

Additionally, there are a few weather model solutions that suggest some light snow is possible overnight in the Atlanta metro area due to cold air rushing over the warmer Lake Lanier, the NWS said. There is low chance of this occurring and any accumulations if at all would be very light.

A flash flood watch remains in effect through 1 a.m. Friday for Central Georgia.

Rain and snow is ongoing across portions of North Georgia and is expected to transition to all snow before ending by Thursday evening. Snow accumulations up to 2 inches are possible within the winter weather advisory, with isolated higher amounts possible over 2000 feet. Overnight, wintry precipitation will move out of the area as temperatures fall at or below freezing, and patchy black ice is possible, especially over bridges and overpasses. Wind chills will also dip into the single digits across the higher elevations of north Georgia on Friday morning. Those outside should take precautions from the cold.

Further south, soils remain very saturated and up to an inch of rain is possible and may lead to heavy runoff and ponding in low-lying areas and on roadways. In addition, many rivers are currently at very high stream flows with additional rainfall exacerbating the threat of flash flooding.

GDOT Issues Caution Warning for Black Ice

With winter weather and some expected accumulation of snow on roadways this afternoon and evening in north Georgia, the Georgia Department of Transportation crews are treating roads as necessary and will continue to monitor roadways, overpasses and bridges throughout the evening and into the morning for hotspot areas and the potential need for treatment to areas as temperatures drop heading into Friday morning.

As cold rain continues to fall over much of north and central Georgia this evening, there is a concern that overnight freezing of residual water (or slush) will result in a transparent coating of ice on the roadways. This coating is known as black ice. Temperatures could dip below freezing as far south as Atlanta. GDOT warns motorist to drive slowly and use caution, especially during the morning commute.

How to Drive on Black Ice

The first reaction when hitting black ice is to remain calm. The general rule is to do as little as possible and allow the car to pass over the ice. Avoid braking or pump the brakes and try to keep the steering wheel straight. Do not put your car in neutral, that is a myth.

If you do start to slide, remove your foot from the accelerator, and avoid slamming on the brakes. Steer away from the skid and don’t oversteer.

GDOT urges travelers to exercise caution and call 511 for updated information on roadway conditions before getting on the road during a winter weather event. Georgia 511 is a free phone service that provides real-time traffic and travel information statewide, including winter weather closures, and reports of icing or other hazardous conditions on interstates and state routes. Callers can transfer to operators to request assistance or report incidents 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More information is available at www.511ga.org.

See more:

• Cherokee County Schools Make Feb. 21 Weather Decision
• Cobb Schools Winter Weather Alert
• Paulding County Schools Make Feb. 21 Weather Decision
• Douglas County Schools Make Feb. 21 Weather Decision
• Forsyth County Schools Make Feb. 21 Weather Decision