Georgia News Today

The Future of Local News in Georgia

Good morning, Georgia! Pour yourself some coffee and settle in, because Winter Storm Fern is making herself at home. Yesterday was all about preparation and warnings, with officials across the state basically begging Georgians to take this one seriously.

Here’s everything that happened yesterday while you were stocking up on bread and milk.

The Ice Cometh: And It’s Bringing Friends

The National Weather Service isn’t mincing words about this one. Ice storm warnings are blanketing 32 Georgia counties from the Tennessee border down through metro Atlanta, with accumulations forecast between a quarter-inch and a full inch through Monday morning.

Everyone’s Closed (And We Mean Everyone)

If you were planning to get anything done Monday, cancel those plans. Schools across the state threw in the towel, with Gwinnett, Fulton, and Marietta going digital, while Hall County just called the whole thing off.

Forsyth and DeKalb county governments shuttered their doors through Monday, Gwinnett courts canceled all hearings, and Cobb libraries won’t reopen until Tuesday. Even the Fulton County Board of Education canceled its two-day retreat, because ice storms don’t care about your strategic planning sessions.

The Forecast That Launched a Thousand Confused Facebook Posts
The National Weather Service had to issue a clarification yesterday because, let’s be honest, this forecast is more complicated than your Aunt Harriet’s Jello salad recipe. Here’s the deal: North Georgia is getting hammered with ice, no question. But central Georgia? That’s where it gets weird.

Officials Deploy the Big Guns (And Beg You to Stay Home)
Gov. Brian Kemp activated 120 National Guard members to deploy to northeast Georgia, while Georgia Power mobilized 10,000 personnel to deal with the inevitable power outages.

But the real story yesterday was the chorus of officials—from the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office to Atlanta city leaders to Henry County police—all singing the same tune: Do. Not. Drive. The Forsyth sheriff’s office put it best: “Honestly y’all can’t drive in the sun! You definitely can’t drive on ice. Stay home!” Hard to argue with that logic.

Warming Centers and Wrong Information

Augusta activated warming shelters at the Augusta Rescue Mission and Salvation Army Center of Hope, with free transit service to get people there. But Floyd County Emergency Management had to warn residents that old warming center information from years ago is making the rounds on social media. Pro tip: Check the date before you share, and maybe don’t rely on that Facebook post from 2022 for life-saving information.

Stay safe out there, Georgia.

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