A winter storm has slammed into several states, leaving a blanket of snow, sleet and freezing rain across the South. One of the hardest-hit places was Atlanta, where more than 220 vehicles were stranded on the side of the road and spun out on Friday. The region’s biggest snowstorm in years has also canceled more than 900 flights at the city’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
Metro Atlanta has seen between two to four inches of snow. But it could get worse now that the snow is transitioning into sleet and freezing rain. NWS’ Peachtree City, Ga., meteorologist Keith Stellman says that has him concerned about ice.
“Especially if the ice remains on trees into [Saturday],” Stellman says. “Because we are expecting winds to pick up tomorrow, [it] could cause a power outage concern as some of that ice is on trees and power lines.”
And ice is heavy, so depending on what falls on it, can break it, according to Andrew Dessler, a professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University.
“ Tree branches, you get enough ice on there, it’ll, the tree branch will collapse,” Dessler says. “The tree branch will take out whatever’s underneath it, if it’s a power line or a fence or anything like that.”
Georgia has a winter storm warning in place until Saturday morning, but state officials are urging people to stay home until Sunday. If you do need to get on the road, Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry says stay on roadways that are plowed and clear.
“Where it’s slushy, remember to slow down,” McMurry says. “Drive very conservatively. No hard braking, and no quick maneuvers of the steering wheel [be]cause it is slick.”
People needing shelter or warming stations can reach out to the state’s Department of Natural Resources. Gov. Brian Kemp says parks in the North Georgia Mountains are near capacity.
“So just a bit of advice there, if you’re looking for a place, you may want to go south versus north if you can,” Kemp said.
This is Georgia’s most significant snow storm since 2018, according to Stellman. That’s when just a little more than two inches of snow fell.
Little Rock and Southwest Arkansas were also thrashed by snow. More than 34,000 Arkansans have lost power after 15 inches of snow fell across southwest Arkansas. Little Rock saw nine inches .
Entergy Arkansas, the state’s largest electricity provider, says power should be restored by Saturday afternoon. That’s also close to when the state’s winter storm warning should end.
