Governor Brian Kemp has declared a State of Emergency across Georgia as residents brace for severe winter weather. The order activates resources to ensure safety as freezing temperatures and icy conditions sweep the state.
🚨 What’s Happening: With the declaration effective immediately, state agencies are mobilizing to respond to expected snow and ice accumulation. The order empowers the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency to activate the State Operations Center and prepare up to 250 Georgia National Guard troops for assistance.
📉 Why It Matters: Meteorologists predict significant impacts from this storm. Snowfall could reach up to two inches across parts of South and Central Georgia, with icy conditions complicating road travel statewide. Power outages and black ice are also concerns for the coming days.
🛑 Take Action: Residents are urged to avoid nonessential travel as the Georgia Department of Transportation works to treat roads. If you must drive, be cautious and give road crews space. Meanwhile, families are encouraged to stock up on essential supplies and keep emergency kits ready.
🌡️ Current Weather Forecast:
- Snow is expected from the North Georgia mountains to South Georgia, beginning Tuesday.
- Up to one-tenth of an inch of ice is predicted in southern counties.
- Overnight temperatures will plummet to the teens and twenties through Thursday, creating hazardous conditions.
💡 State Response: GDOT has been pre-treating major highways since Sunday. The emergency declaration also suspends hours-of-service rules for truck drivers and increases load limits for vehicles delivering critical supplies.
🏠 What Residents Can Do: Check on neighbors, insulate pipes, and ensure pets are sheltered from the cold. For those in need, warming centers are being established statewide. Visit gema.georgia.gov/winter for more tips and resources.
📅 What’s Next: The State of Emergency remains in effect until Tuesday, January 28, with additional updates expected as the situation evolves.
🛑 Remember the Golden Rule: Stay safe, check on others, and lend a hand to neighbors who might need help.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
