Georgia’s emergency management team is preparing for a significant winter storm set to impact North Georgia starting early Friday. Chris Stallings, director of the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency GEMA, highlighted the potential for hazardous conditions, including snow, ice, and freezing rain, which could last 12 to 14 hours.
The primary concern is ice, which can form when melting snow refreezes on cold surfaces, especially on bridges and overpasses, making driving dangerous.
GEMA is closely monitoring the situation, with the state operations center shifting from its focus on supporting former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral to managing the winter storm.
Stallings emphasized the importance of staying off the roads, as local streets could remain blocked or icy for some time, despite efforts to treat major state routes and interstates.
The storm is expected to last 36 to 42 hours, and the Georgia Department of Transportation GDOT is preparing by laying down brine to mitigate ice accumulation.