Wind chill warning, advisory issued as coldest weather in nearly a decade on the way

ATLANTA — In just a few days, the metro Atlanta area will likely experience the coldest weather in nearly eight years.

Severe Weather Team 2 Chief Meteorologist Brad Nitz says a wind chill warning has been issued for far north Georgia from midnight Thursday through noon on Saturday. A wind chill advisory is in effect for metro Atlanta.

Nitz forecasts temperatures on Saturday morning to be the coldest since January 2015.

It will feel as cold as -5 in the metro and possibly as cold as -20 below in the North Georgia mountains. Nitz added that hypothermia is a major concern.

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According to Nitz, the arctic cold front will arrive Thursday night and will bring a few snow showers mainly over the mountains, with a little into the metro. A dusting is possible.

If there are any wet spots on the roads, it will freeze into ice, but we won’t get much rain Thursday, so that will be spotty.

“We’ll stay below freezing for about 80 hours, from early Friday to midday Monday. This long duration freeze significantly increases the threat of frozen pipes,” Nitz said. “Saturday morning will be the coldest in nearly 8 years if we get to the expected 11 degrees.”

Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency for all of Georgia that goes into effect Wednesday. He urged Georgians to stay home if they can on Friday.

Here’s what to know about the system:

• Wind chill will be as cold as -10 degrees in the metro area and -20 in the mountains
• Temperatures will be barely in the upper teens/low 20s on Friday afternoon
• Scattered snow flurries possible
• Less than an inch of snow is likely to accumulate in the mountains

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Temperatures in the upper 30s overnight and into the morning Temperatures in the upper 30s overnight and into the morning

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