Winter storm moves out; snow, ice remain across Georgia

ATLANTA — The winter storm has moved out of Georgia but inches of snow and ice remain in metro Atlanta and north Georgia. Many schools have already announced closures for Thursday.

[Follow minute-by-minute coverage here]

There are reports icy roads in parts of metro Atlanta.

Severe Weather Team 2 Chief Meteorologist Glenn Burns said the back edge of the winter storm was moving through northeast Alabama at around 11:30 p.m.

“Temperatures actually have risen over the last hour they continue to rise, up from 35 to 36 degrees in Atlanta still maintaining 36 in Carrollton,” Burns said at 11 p.m. Wednesday.

Some counties south of the metro were removed from a winter storm warning Wednesday night.

The counties only saw rain and a little bit of winter mix earlier in the day.

“We can see those icy patches on what were once wet roads icy in spots tomorrow morning,” Meteorologist Brad Nitz said. “As far as additional snowfall, not but another inch or two on top of what's already fallen.”

Next week includes a warmup, Nitz said.

Watch Channel 2 Action News This Morning starting at 4 a.m. for the latest forecast models.

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GDOT CLEARING ROADS DURING STORM

Georgia Department of Transportation road crews are out treating roads in an effort to keep them clear.

Crews put brine on Interstates 285, 85, 75, 20, 575, 675 and Georgia 400 ahead of the winter storm Wednesday.

"We have 83 pieces of equipment, including eight brine trucks which have been added to the city of Atlanta fleet. We have the appropriate amount of brine ice and sand mix," Reed said in a news conference Wednesday.

Officials say when the snow starts to build up -- crews will plow the right two lanes of the highways first.

Please be patient as crews plow/treat the roads. This is a fast moving storm, it takes time to clear and plow these roads. #StaySafe

— Georgia DOT (@GADeptofTrans)

Hundreds of GDOT workers in plows and brine trucks have been working long hours preparing for the storm.

"You work on a little bit of adrenaline, but we have a lot of dedicated men and women that have been out there working," said GDOT commissioner Russell McMurry.

GDOT pulled crews from non-affected southern districts to work 12-hour shifts.

This mess will clear out before sunrise and before most have to hit the road Thurs. AM. Lingering slick spots likely. pic.twitter.com/RMW8JEzse9

— Katie Walls (@KatieWallsWSB)

GEMA is urging drivers to limit driving to emergencies or essential travel only during the storm.

Roads in north Georgia are starting to get slick. Please stay off the roads for your own safety and to let crews do their work.

— Georgia EMA (@GeorgiaEMA) SCHOOLS CLOSE DURING WINTER STORM
 
Several school districts canceled classes for Thursday as snow and sleet fell across north Georgia.

• Closings are updated here: REAL TIME SCHOOL CLOSINGS

Fulton, Cobb, Cherokee, Clayton, DeKalb, Douglas, Forsyth, Bartow, Jackson, Carroll, Paulding, Pickens, Lumpkin, Fannin, Gordon, Floyd, Habersham, Walton, White, Banks, Gilmer, Polk, Towns, Union and Chattooga counties, as well as Atlanta Public Schools, Cartersville and Calhoun City Schools will be closed Thursday.

Kennesaw State University is also closed Thursday.

Closings are updated instantly on the Channel 2 Action News Wake-Up app and can be accessed with a click of a button.

POWER OUTAGES

Utility companies said Wednesday they were preparing for the possibility of widespread power outages.

According to Georgia Power's website, about 1,000 customers around the state did not have electricity at 11 p.m. Wednesday.

They include about 200 people in Doraville and 450 in the Rome area.

North Georgia EMC activated its emergency restoration plan. That means crews are preparing trucks, equipment and warehouse supplies.

EMC officials say if power lines fall on your property -- do not touch them.

WARMING SHELTERS

Metro Atlantans can take shelter from the cold at several fire stations.

DeKalb County opened fire stations 6, 8, 21 and 25. They are available 24 hours.

The city of Atlanta also has a warming shelter open.

It is located at the Old Adamsville Recreation Center on Delmar Lane in northwest Atlanta.

There is room for 100 people.

The city said it plans to keep the shelter open until further notice.

GOV. DEAL DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY

In response to the Winter Storm Warning declared for 50 counties in the northern part of Georgia, Gov. Nathan Deal ordered state government offices in the affected areas to close at noon and declared a state of emergency for disaster preparedness that began at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
 
The 50 counties in the winter storm warning are Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Dade, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Fannin, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Fulton, Gilmer, Gordon, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Haralson, Hart, Heard, Henry, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison, Morgan, Murray, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Rockdale, Stephens, Towns, Union, Walker, Walton, White, Whitfield counties.
 
According to a news release by the governor's office:
 
"The Georgia Department of Transportation has moved 80 additional staffers into affected areas from other parts of the state. At midnight, DOT will mobilize 13 tanker trucks to apply brine to major highways. The State Patrol will deploy 174 troopers for rapid response to accidents, and it will mandate that all tractor trailers pull in to weigh stations to assure that trucks have the proper equipment for travel in snow/ice conditions. The Department of Natural Resources will place 15 strike teams across the 50 counties to aid in storm response and debris removal."

Reed asked people who work in Atlanta to leave the city to go back to their homes by 4 p.m. He said he doesn't want a repeat of drivers stuck on the roads like the 2014 ice storm.

Deal echoed that sentiment.

“To the public at large, let me thank you for your cooperation. We noted that even this morning there was a significant reduction in traffic coming here in the metro which means that the public is listening and paying attention,” Deal said in a news conference Wednesday.

Reed says he plans on reopening the city government at 10 a.m. Thursday, but he will be flexible depending on the weather. Deal is also planning to open state offices at 10 a.m.

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