A developing winter storm is heading our way this weekend.
It will start to the west of us Friday night into Saturday, going over parts of Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma.
This is an evolving weather situation. Severe Weather Team 2 is breaking down the updating models and timing LIVE on Channel 2 Action News.
It will spread east Saturday into Sunday, and that’s when we can expect it to have the greatest impact in metro Atlanta and north Georgia, said Severe Weather Team 2 Chief Meteorologist Brad Nitz.
How long it lasts before slightly warmer air changes it back into rain is one of the things Severe Weather Team 2 is watching carefully, and that will come into focus in the next couple of days.
The timeline is Saturday into Sunday for precipitation, but some impacts will linger into Monday.
It’s too soon to be precise on the amounts we will get, but it looks like parts of far-north Georgia could get up to 4 inches of sleet and snow.
For the rest of us, including parts of metro Atlanta, a quarter inch or more of freezing rain, which could have significant impacts.
A winter storm watch will be in effect starting Friday night until Monday morning for the following counties in north Georgia: Dade, Walker, Catoosa, Whitfield, Murray, Fannin, Gilmer, Union, Towns, Chattooga, Gordon, Pickens, Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Floyd, Bartow, Cherokee, Forsyth, Hall, and Banks.
The watch will likely be adjusted farther south later today or tomorrow as confidence grows in impacts.
WATCH VS ADVISORY VS WARNING
With winter systems, there are three types of alerts that can be issued: a winter storm watch, a winter weather advisory, and a winter storm warning. What do each of them mean and how are they different?
A Winter Storm Watch means conditions are favorable for a significant winter storm. A winter storm watch is typically used 12-48 hours before a combination of snow, sleet and freezing rain begins to fall.
As we closer to the event, it’s not about the forecast changing, but rather the timing of the event is changing.
A Winter Weather Advisory may be issued if enough snow, sleet and freezing rain will become inconvenient and cause traffic issues across north Georgia.
A Winter Storm Warning means it will be a significant winter weather event including snow, ice, sleet or blowing snow or a combination of them. Travel may become impossible in some situations.
FEMA MONITORING ‘MAJOR WINTER EVENT’ IN US
Department of Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem said Wednesday that they anticipate a :major winter event" impacting much of the U.S., especially the Midwest and East Coast.
People were urged to stay safe, stay informed and prepare. Readiness resources, including items for a supply kit, can be found on Ready.gov.
Please prepare and take precautions in the event of power outages, pipe-bursts, road closures, airport delays, flight cancellations and freezing temperatures," Noem said. “Federal emergency management is positioning to effectively respond to these conditions, and is prepared to provide aid across the affected areas.”
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