Gov. Brian Kemp declared a statewide state of emergency Thursday ahead of Winter Storm Fern, which is forecast to bring freezing precipitation to Georgia this weekend.
What’s Happening: The state of emergency runs through Jan. 29. Kemp directed the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency to activate the State Operations Center and mobilize resources. The Georgia Department of Transportation will begin treating roadways before the storm arrives Saturday.
What’s Important: A winter storm watch is in effect for much of North Georgia from late Friday night through Monday morning. The National Weather Service forecasts freezing rain across areas north of Interstate 20, with precipitation likely beginning Saturday afternoon and continuing through Sunday evening. Temperatures are expected to drop to the teens and 20s Monday morning and remain very cold through Tuesday.
How This Affects Real People: Dangerous travel conditions are expected beginning Saturday and could continue into Monday and Tuesday. Widespread power outages are possible in impacted areas. Prolonged freezing temperatures could prevent roads from drying and cause pipes to burst.
What the Order Does: The state of emergency allows the Georgia Department of Defense to provide up to 500 Georgia National Guard troops for preparation, response and recovery efforts. The order prohibits price gouging, suspends hours-of-service limitations for commercial vehicle operators involved in response activities, and temporarily increases weight, height and length limits for commercial vehicles transporting essential supplies.
State Response: GDOT is staging crews and equipment to pre-treat interstates, state routes, bridges and overpasses with brine. Crews will prioritize keeping high-traffic routes passable for emergency vehicles and first responders, as well as areas providing access to hospitals and urgent care centers. Department of Public Safety troopers and officers will be on standby statewide, with specific response teams stationed in areas most affected by the storm. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Forestry Commission and Department of Agriculture have response teams and chainsaw crews ready to clear road debris.
The Forecast: The current forecast calls for most precipitation to be freezing rain, though the presence of rain, freezing rain, sleet or snow will depend on exact temperatures. Gusty winds are expected to continue through Monday. Impacts for specific locations will continue to be refined as forecast confidence improves.
ON SNOWPOCALYPSE:
“Like most metro Atlanta residents at the time, I dismissed the warnings and scoffed at the meteorologists who cried “snow” at the drop of a thermometer. After all, in Atlanta, snow forecasts are as reliable as Hollywood marriages. The reflexive grocery stampedes for bread, milk, and eggs seemed like a seasonal ritual more for omelet enthusiasts than survivalists.”
