Georgia winter weather | Temps will barely break freezing in metro Atlanta Wednesday

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FOX 5 News at Noon Weather

A gradual warming trend will bring temperatures into the 50s by the weekend. Prepare for rain early next week.

Georgia is about to begin to thaw out from the winter storm and freezing temperatures, but that doesn't mean the cold and threat of ice is behind us just yet.

FOX 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Joanne Feldman says that Atlanta broke a record for snowfall on Jan. 21, with over an inch reported at the airport.

Icy roadways continue to plague a good portion of the viewing area, causing major issues for drivers on Wednesday morning. Officials in many areas of metro Atlanta are asking drivers to stay off the roads as much as possible to avoid possible hazardous conditions.

Georgia remains under a State of Emergency declaration.

RELATED: 

Historic winter storm in Georgia

What we know:

A historic winter storm left much of Georgia shivering as temperatures plunged into the teens and single digits, with icy roads and burst pipe concerns dominating the forecast. Snowfall that blanketed areas of central and southern Georgia has largely moved out, but bitter cold remains the primary concern, according to FOX 5 Storm Team Chief Meteorologist David Chandley.

"The precipitation has moved out. That's well into middle and eastern Georgia. You can see the clearing line there with the clouds back up in northwest Georgia, where this area saw no snow—friends in Rome, Summerville, and Calhoun. Yeah, no snow at all up that way. Just cold, cold conditions," said Chandley.

The FOX 5 Storm Team is still compiling the snow and ice totals from across the area.

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Tuesday night forecast

The snow has moved out, but the icy continues will remain overnight. Here's the latest from the FOX 5 Storm Team.

How long does black ice last?

What they're saying:

Chandley also emphasized on Tuesday night that metro Atlanta had remained below freezing for more than 50 consecutive hours, with some areas expected to reach 60 hours before temperatures briefly climb above freezing. "We did not get above freezing today, nor do we anticipate that's going to happen by tomorrow in many areas," he said.

"We're all headed down into the teens by early tomorrow morning," Chandley warned, noting that areas with snow on the ground, like Thomaston and Barnesville, could experience some of the coldest conditions. "Up here in North Georgia, look at that slew of single digits—not wind chills, the actual temperature. Add a little wind, and those chills will feel like zero or below."

This will hamper melting any ice on the roadways.

While sunshine is expected on Wednesday, the warming will be minimal. "Temperatures, even with sunshine, will struggle to get above freezing," Chandley said. "Shaded areas will see very little melting, and icy roads will remain a concern."

Will it snow again Wednesday?

What's next:

While sunshine is expected on Wednesday, and temperatures should go above freezing, the warming will be minimal. 

"Temperatures, even with sunshine, will struggle to get above freezing," Chandley said. "Shaded areas will see very little melting, and icy roads will remain a concern."

Even with some improvements, anything melting will get icy again on Wednesday night when temperatures drop. The bitter cold snap is expected to persist through the week. Thursday and Friday will bring slightly warmer daytime highs in the 40s, but overnight lows will still drop back into the teens and 20s. A slow warming trend is forecast for the weekend, with temperatures climbing to the mid-40s by Friday and near 50 by Monday.

"The average high temperature for this time of year is 54," Chandley noted. "We’re nowhere near that until we get into the weekend, and even then, barely. This is going to be a very slow thaw."

As Georgians brace for continued icy conditions, Chandley offered a final piece of advice: "Keep the Chapstick and lotion handy. With air this dry, it’s going to take a toll."

Cold Weather advisory for metro Atlanta, North Georgia

What we know:

A Cold Weather Advisory has been issued for Dade, Walker, Catoosa, Whitfield, Murray, Fannin, Gilmer, Union, Towns, Chattooga, Gordon, Pickens, Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Floyd, Bartow, Cherokee, Forsyth, Hall, Banks, Jackson, Madison, Polk, Paulding, Cobb, North Fulton, Gwinnett, Barrow, Clarke, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Wilkes, Haralson, Carroll, Douglas, South Fulton, DeKalb, Rockdale, Walton, Newton, Morgan, Greene, Taliaferro, Heard, Coweta, Fayette, Clayton, Spalding, Henry, Butts, Jasper, Putnam, Hancock, Warren, Troup, Meriwether, Pike, Upson, Lamar, Monroe, Jones, Baldwin, Washington, Glascock, Jefferson, Harris, Talbot, Taylor, Crawford, Bibb, Twiggs, Wilkinson, Johnson, Emanuel, Muscogee, Chattahoochee, Marion, Schley, Macon, Peach, Houston, Bleckley, Laurens, Treutlen, Stewart, Webster, Sumter, Dooly, Crisp, Pulaski, Wilcox, Dodge, Telfair, Wheeler, Montgomery, and Toombs counties.

Timeline:

This is in effect from 10 p.m. on Tuesday until 9 a.m. on Wednesday.

By the numbers:

On Tuesday night, temperatures dropped to the single digits and teens with very cold wind chills 2-10 above expected north of I-20 and between 10-15 above south of I-20.

Wednesday will be sunny and temperatures could get above freezing, but they'll plunge again after sunset.

After that, things will start to warm up with highs in the 40s on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday before reaching the 50s on Sunday and Monday. 

Winter Weather Advisory for metro Atlanta, portion of North Georgia

What we know:

A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for Forsyth, Hall, Banks, Jackson, Madison, Cobb, North Fulton, Gwinnett, Barrow, Clarke, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Wilkes, Carroll, Douglas, South Fulton, DeKalb, Rockdale, Walton, Newton, Morgan, Greene, Taliaferro, Heard, Coweta, Fayette, Clayton, Henry, Hancock, Warren, Troup, and Glascock counties. Pickens, Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Bartow, Cherokee, Polk, Paulding, and Haralson counties have been removed from the warned areas.

Timeline:

This will be in effect from 10 a.m. on Tuesday to 7 a.m. on Wednesday.

What's next:

Snow is possible for residents in this area with accumulations anywhere between one and two inches. Local amounts could be higher.

Winter Storm Warning across central and South Georgia

What we know:

A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for Upson, Monroe, Jones, Baldwin, Washington, Jefferson, Harris, Talbot, Taylor, Crawford, Bibb, Twiggs, Wilkinson, Johnson, Emanuel, Muscogee, Chattahoochee, Marion, Schley, Macon, Peach, Houston, Bleckley, Laurens, Treutlen, Stewart, Webster, Sumter, Dooly, Crisp, Pulaski, Wilcox, Dodge, Telfair, Wheeler, Montgomery, Meriwether, Spalding, Pike, Lamar, Butts, Jasper, Putnam, and Toombs counties

Timeline:

This will be in effect from 10 a.m. on Tuesday to 7 a.m. on Wednesday. 

What's next:

Residents who live in this area will see heavy snowfall and some wintry mix. The total snow accumulations could be up to two inches and ice accumulations around a light glaze.

Winter weather death in Georgia

What we know:

At a press conference on Tuesday, Georgia Emergency Management Director James C. Stallings announced that one person had died due to the extremely cold temperatures.

Stallings said the victim was a critical needs patient who went outside on Monday night and suffered from hypothermia.

Officials did not say where the person was from, but emphasized that it was important that Georgians get updates from elderly loved ones who could have serious issues due to power outages.

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Gov. Kemp provides update on weather preps

Gov. Brian Kemp and other state officials provided an update on winter weather preps on Tuesday morning ahead of expected snow in the state of Georgia.

What they're saying:

Gov. Brian Kemp said officials are on high alert due to the wide reach of the storm.

"It is a statewide event," he said.

Kemp and other officials urged Georgians to stay off the roads as much as possible on Tuesday night to allow for crews to work and to stay safe.

Georgia Department of Transportation crews have pre-treated all the "critical routes" on the interstate with brine and were working to address other state routes, Commissioner Russell McMurray said.

The agency is moving brine tankers further south to deal with the dangerous chance that melting snow would quickly refreeze into ice on the roads.

Atlanta winter weather:

What you can do:

Georgia residents should monitor the FOX 5 Storm Team's weather updates for changes in the forecast, especially regarding the timing and impact of the expected snow and cold temperatures. Keep up with the latest by downloading the FREE FOX 5 Storm Team app and following @FOX5StormTeam on X.

The Source: This article is based on a press release from Gov. Brian Kemp's office and information from the FOX 5 Storm Team. This is a developing weather system. Check back for updates and changes to the forecast as they become available. 

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