East Cobb Weather

Cobb schools closed Monday; latest on road/tree/power issues, openings/closings and more

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East Cobb weather update

UPDATED, 1:05 P.M. SUNDAY:

Cobb schools posted this notice on its Twitter account just a few moments ago:

All Cobb County schools are closed Monday, December 11, for both students and staff, due to continued power outages at multiple schools and poor travel conditions on secondary roads in the northern part of the county.

ORIGINAL REPORT, POSTED 12:47 P.M. SUNDAY: 

By noon Sunday, East Cobb was still digging out of snowy and icy weather as temperatures gradually began to rise above freezing.

Work crews were out early Sunday morning, treating roads, removing trees and restoring power. Some areas of East Cobb were affected.

The only remaining road closure in the county is in East Cobb, at the intersection of Davis Road and Holly Springs Road, according to Cobb DOT. There, power lines were tangled with trees, and even after repair work is complete, motorists are advised not to travel through that area (where the roundabout is located).East Cobb weather update, Davis Road at Holly Springs Road

Bill Shelton, Cobb DOT’s road maintenance manager, said in a statement that “We hope to have the majority of trees cleaned up by mid-afternoon. We’ll spend much of the week picking up the debris off the right-of-way. It will be a long week, but we are up to the task.”

Cobb DOT crews treated roads overnight Saturday into Sunday, treating “black ice” on roads as temperatures dropped into the low 20s, refreezing melted snow and water. More than 50 locations were treated.

Cobb DOT crews also are dealing with tree removal issues on major roads and in county right-of-way areas today. A total of 55 calls were addressed by right before 8 a.m. Sunday, with another hundred or so remaining.

Send us your photos and news!

  • Share your winter weather pictures, and we’ll post them, as well as business or other closings or cancellations. E-mail editor@eastcobbnews.com.

Some East Cobbers were still without power this morning, some for more than a day since several inches of snow began falling on Friday afternoon.

East Cobb United Methodist Church, on Roswell Road near East Piedmont Road, did not hold services today because it’s still without electricity. The same was the case for St. Andrew United Methodist Church on Canton Road, which also cancelled a holiday concert scheduled for Sunday.

By mid Sunday morning, Cobb EMC reported that it was still working on repairing several broken utility poles in the county, including Ebenezer Road in East Cobb.

Around 5,000 Cobb EMC customers, some of them in East Cobb, were still without power by mid-morning. The agency said it cannot estimate the time when service might be restored.

As noted here Saturday, a good number of outages in East Cobb were above Sandy Plains Road.

Earlier this morning, Cobb EMC said it is still working in that area, and in portions along Paper Mill Road, to restore electricity. Here’s an outage map that indicates more detail; those who haven’t reported outages should call 770-429-2100.

Georgia Power offered some general time blocks for restoring power to affected areas, including by 3 p.m. in metro Atlanta and by 6 p.m. in Atlanta North.

Its latest outage map shows that most customers in metro Atlanta who have lost power have had it restored, with most remaining issues in north Georgia.

OPENINGS/CLOSINGS, ETC.

Here’s the latest on what we know, at around noon Sunday. Send your news/photos to: editor@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll add it here, or in future posts:

  • Lutheran Church of the Resurrection cancelled all Sunday services and is postponing today’s Christmas Pageant and Advent Dinner to a later date;
  • Cactus Car Wash is open from 12-6 today;
  • The Pope Showcase of the Arts that was scheduled for today has been postponed to Sunday, December 17th at 7:30 p.m.;
  • As of now (around 12:30 p.m. Sunday), the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony concert at 4 p.m. at the Lassiter HS concert hall is still going on as scheduled;
  • The Johnson Ferry Christmas Festival concerts at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. are still scheduled as of now, and a makeup concert from Saturday will take place at 7 p.m. Monday;
  • Sunday ChrisTeen classes at Transfiguration Catholic Church (4:30 and 7:30 p.m.) are cancelled;
  • The Carols for Christmas concert at Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church at 6 p.m. is still scheduled;
  • The St. Nicholas Holiday Market scheduled from 12-4 today at Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Catholic Church is being postponed to next Sunday, Dec. 17, as power at the church was only restored at midnight;
  • The Empty Bowl Brunch today at The Art Place-Mountain View also is being postponed a week, to Sunday, Dec. 17. If you have tickets and cannot make it next week, please contact The Art Place on Monday for a refund; the event is a benefit for MUST Ministries;
  • A Monday holiday concert of the Sprayberry High School chorus also is cancelled since there will be no school tomorrow;

Here are some social media postings yesterday and today from around East Cobb; we’ve also been iced in at East Cobb News and are going to try and get out a little bit today!

 

 

Send news of opening/closing/cancellations and photos of the snow near you to: editor@eastcobbnews.com.

 

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Winter Wonderland in East Cobb: Latest closings, cancellations, outages as cleanup continues

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East Cobb Winter Weather
Snowfall estimates in Cobb County range from two to eight inches, and freezing temperatures are in the Saturday night forecast.

UPDATED, 4:30 P.M. SATURDAY: 

Shortly after 3 p.m. Saturday, Cobb EMC indicated that around 16,000 customers were still without power combined in all of its five counties of service, with the following numbers of customers without power in the following East Cobb ZIP codes:

  • 30062: 1,624
  • 30066: 2,621
  • 30067: 536
  • 30068: 990
  • 30075: 1,620 (Cobb and Fulton)

In a Tweet sent out at 4:15 p.m., Cobb EMC said its hardest-hit areas that remained in East Cobb were along Lower Roswell Road, Little Willeo Road, Timber Ridge Road and Sandy Plains Road.

Here’s a Cobb EMC outage map to check for further updates.

Georgia Power doesn’t have a number of customers still needing power to be restored, and says it can’t give estimates on when the lights will go back on, but also has been updating an outage map.

Although temperatures have risen above freezing this afternoon, and combined with sunshine have caused some melting of snow, state and local officials are urging citizens to stay home for the rest of Saturday, since freezing temperatures will be in effect.

All of metro Atlanta and north Georgia has been subjected to downed trees and power lines, and work is underway to clear them.

At 3 p.m. Cobb government sent a message saying that the county DOT is undertaking tree removal tasks.

“Most main roads are considered to be in good shape,” the DOT message said, indicating that crews will be out again on Sunday “to make sure every road is open by the end of the weekend.”

Residents should report downed trees by calling Cobb County 911.

The Bethlehem Walk holiday event scheduled for 7-9 Saturday at Mountain View United Methodist Church has been cancelled, as it was on Friday.

SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICE UPDATES:

While some businesses—and especially restaurants—have decided to open today, at least for dinner service, many remain closed. The weather situation also is prompting some churches to call off or reschedule not only holiday events scheduled for the weekend, but also Sunday services. Here’s what we have thus far:

  • Piedmont Church will not be holding Sunday services after earlier cancelling its Christmas Festival that had been scheduled for Friday and Saturday;
  • Johnson Ferry Baptist Church has cancelled its Christmas Festival services that were scheduled for 4 and 7 today. The Sunday Christmas Festival services slated for 4 and 7 on Sunday are still on for now, and a service has been added for 7 p.m. Monday to make up for today’s cancellations. The 8:30 a.m. worship service and related Bible Studies or activities will be held on Sunday, but the 9:50 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. worship services and Bible Studies, and activities scheduled around them are still on;
  • Holy Trinity Lutheran Church is holding regular worship services Saturday and Sunday;
  • St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church is holding one combined service at 11:15 a.m. Church school classes and the 7:45 and 8:45 services are cancelled;
  • Mt. Zion United Methodist Church also is holding just one service Sunday, at 11 a.m.;
  • Catholic Church of St. Ann will have most regular Sunday services and events as scheduled, except for hospitality hour;
  • Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church will have an 11 a.m. service only at its Lower Roswell campus. Here’s more, per the church’s Facebook page: “Nursery will be available, but all Sunday school classes and breakfast are cancelled, and shuttles will not run. Carols for Christmas is still planned for 6pm. North Campus will hold its 10:30 service only. All other NC activities are cancelled.”

We’ve got other openings/closings/cancellations listed below that we posted earlier, with some additions.

Send us your photos and news!

  • Share your winter weather pictures, and we’ll post them, as well as business or other closings or cancellations. E-mail editor@eastcobbnews.com.

ORIGINAL REPORT, POSTED AT 11:37 A.M. SATURDAY:

By mid-morning Saturday, the sun was starting to sneak out in East Cobb, and some of Friday’s record snowfall was starting to melt away.

But citizens throughout metro Atlanta and north Georgia are being asked to stay off the roads if at all possible today as work crews travel to repair downed electrical lines and trees, restore power and prepare roads for sub-freezing temperatures tonight.

So you’re being asked to enjoy this holiday winter wonderland at home, at least for another day.

As was the case on Friday, many East Cobb businesses are closed, holiday and other events have been cancelled or postponed all day Saturday.

There are still some Georgia Power and Cobb EMC customers without power in East Cobb, although western and more northern portions of the county were harder hit.

Georgia Power has been posting most of the morning that it is not able to give estimated times for restoration of power. It is updating on its outage map.

Cobb EMC is reporting “high volume with our outage reporting channels,” and also is tracking via an outage map that is working intermittently.

More than 30,000 Cobb EMC customers in the county are without power, including an estimated 7,500 customers in the East Cobb area.

Of those East Cobb outages, around 3,200 have been reported in the 30066 ZIP Code of Northeast Cobb. Cobb EMC has asked for outside help from crews in middle Georgia and other parts of the state as it works to restore power.

Cobb EMC is asking those without power to call 770-429-2100. If the call volume is high (you’re likely to get a constant busy signal), e-mail your outage to memberservices@cobbemc.com. While you won’t get a reply, Cobb EMC said it is logging all e-mails.

Traffic accidents have been reported just about everywhere, with vehicles stranded beside roads, and the hazards of downed trees and power lines are widespread. Here’s what Cobb DOT issued right before 10 a.m. Saturday:

  • Major roads are mostly passable, but avoid traveling unless absolutely necessary;

  • Reports of 100 trees down countywide, crews are still in the process of clearing 50 of those;

  • Another 1.5 inches of snow fell overnight. Reports of 7+ inches in parts of the county are common.

Here’s another update from Cobb DOT, sent at 11:20 a.m.:

Cobb DOT crews working 12-hour shifts have kept most of the main roads passable, but the 911 center has taken hundreds of calls about trees down many blocking roads. Cobb DOT is calling in extra tree-cutting crews at noon to help PARKS crews already dealing with the increasing amount of calls.

Cobb residents that encounter trees blocking roadways or on power lines should report those locations to Cobb County 911.

“We’re hoping the sun stays out and the breeze helps clear the moisture off the roadways,” said Bill Shelton, Cobb County Road Maintenance Division Manager. “If the roads can dry up before temperatures drop back below freezing that would be the best-case scenario.”

Most of the main roads closed by downed trees had been reopened by 11 a.m., but other calls were coming in. Road sensors across the county were reporting temperatures several degrees above freezing.

Here’s else what we know, as of 10:30-11 a.m. or so, about what’s open and what’s not in East Cobb, and what’s been cancelled. Some of this information is obviously very fluid and subject to change. We’re getting e-mails and monitoring social media traffic for most of these items, so please let us know if we need to make a correction/update.

We will be posting significant updates at the top of this post if/when they become available:

CLOSED/CANCELLED

  • All Cobb public library branches, Cobb Linc service also will be out of operation;
  • Piedmont Church Christmas Festival is cancelled and is not being rescheduled;
  • All Upward Basketball games and pictures have been cancelled at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, as have today’s Christmas Festival services. They’re still on for Sunday at 4 and 7 and a 7 p.m. Monday service that’s been added;
  • Righteous Que restaurant is closed;
  • Montrose Animal Hospital is closed, Saturday appointments will be rescheduled starting Monday, dropoff for pets with boarding reservations accepted until 2 p.m. today around the back;
  • Chattahoochee Nature Center is closed all day;
  • All Saturday services at Transfiguration Catholic Church are cancelled, as well as the 8 a.m. Sunday Mass;
  • C’est Moi is closed all day Saturday.

OPENINGS/DELAYED STARTS

  • Loyal Q and Brew restaurant opening at 11 a.m. with limited staff on hand;
  • The WellStar East Cobb Urgent Care is open from noon to 7 p.m. today;
  • Simply Fresh Market is open from 12-4 today;
  • Chick-fil-A Lassiter is tentatively opening between 11:30 a.m. and noon with a limited menu;
  • Rose and Crown Tavern is closed for lunch and is tentatively planning to open for dinner service at 6 p.m.;
  • Seed, Stem Wine Bar and Drift are opening for dinner service at 5 p.m.;
  • Bradley’s Bar & Grill and Zeal Restaurant & Bar are both open Saturday;
  • Frankie’s Italian Restaurant on Roswell Road opened at 12 pm.;
  • WZ Tavern on Shallowford Road is open Saturday;
  • GTC Merchants Walk Cinema is open Saturday;
  • Both locations of Moxie Burger and La Novia Taqueria will be open until 8 p.m. Saturday;
  • Black Swan Tavern opening was delayed to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Some East Cobb social media postings to share below, illustrating the depth of the snow, and the danger of the ice underneath that will be freezing again tonight:

Didn’t see that one coming! Wow!! Consistent 9.5-10″ at my house❄☃⛄#snowday#snowpocalypse2017pic.twitter.com/bFtGsiwT5x — Peter Giles (@_WHSPrincipal) December 9, 2017

 

Send news of opening/closing/cancellations and photos of the snow near you to: editor@eastcobbnews.com.

 

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EAST COBB WEATHER CLOSINGS: Schools, government, roads, businesses, holiday events and more

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East Cobb weather closings
The start of Friday’s snow in East Cobb, which got between 2-4 inches in two waves of storms. A winter storm warning is in effect for Cobb County, metro Atlanta and most of north Georgia until 10 a.m. Saturday. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)

UPDATED, 8 P.M. FRIDAY:

The National Weather Service has extended its winter storm warning that includes Cobb to 10 a.m. Saturday, as a second wave of snow and winter weather passed through metro Atlanta and north Georgia late Friday afternoon.

Cobb was expected to get between 2-4 inches of snow overall, but those amounts are likely to vary.

Roads in Cobb and elsewhere are becoming increasingly treacherous, as Cobb DOT, Georgia DOT and other crews work to brine roadways, bridges and overpasses overnight Friday. Temperatures have generally dropped below freezing in Cobb and Saturday’s high is expected to be only 40 degrees.

The chance of “black ice” is one of the major concerns, as well as the possibility of falling trees and reduced visibility on roads due to the unexpectedly heavy amounts of snow.

Cobb libraries will be closed on Saturday, after closing at noon on Friday along with other Cobb government offices and facilities.

The second blanket of snow came through metro Atlanta later Friday evening, behind early afternoon storms that prompted school, government, business and many other closures, and as commuters, buses and other vehicles created an early, messy rush hour.

Check the Georgia DOT 511 Navigator for updated conditions, including closures and accidents.

Georgia DOT is urging motorists to treat an intersection with traffic light outages as a four-way stop. They should also call 511 to report outages when they reach a safe destination.

Georgia Power and Cobb EMC were reporting scattered outages. As of 6:30 p.m., Cobb EMC reported that its outage reporting channels were down and they’re working to fix the problem.

Cobb EMC customers who have lost power can download an outage on the Cobb EMC app or call 770-429-2100. The web link still wasn’t working as of 7:30 p.m. but an link can be found here that will link to detailed outage information when it’s available online.

(At 9 p.m. Friday an East Cobb News reader called to say that the Cobb EMC power outage phone number was down, and had been down for about an hour.)

Most of the estimated 5,500 Cobb EMC customers without power as of 8 p.m. were in western and north Cobb, with outages also being reported in several parts of Northeast Cobb.

Georgia Power is asking its customers to consult its outage map but has indicated it is not able to estimate when power may restored to an affected area.

Some closings for Saturday to report are below. E-mail us at: editor@eastcobbnews.com with your news of closings, and any weather photos to share. We’ll keep updating as long as we’re in a pre-Christmas Winter Wonderland:

  • Holy Trinity Lutheran Church has postponed Saturday’s Breakfast With Santa until next Saturday, Dec. 16, at 9 a.m.;
  • All events/classes at Studio 348 for Women have been cancelled for Saturday;
  • East Cobb Pediatrics will be closed Saturday;
  • Club Pilates East Cobb is closed Saturday;
  • St. Andrew UMC is postponing its Christmas concert to 6:30 p.m. Sunday (updating information below in this post about a 2 p.m. start);
  • All parish activities at Transfiguration Catholic Church will be postponed until noon Saturday. The Saturday 9 a.m. Mass will be held if weather permits.

Original report, with some updates from earlier Friday afternoon:  

We’re keeping an updated tab on East Cobb weather closings for Friday, with the announcements earlier today of the early release of Cobb schools and the closing of Cobb government at noon.

Here’s what Cobb DOT sent out around 1:15 p.m. Friday:

“With conditions on Cobb County roadways deteriorating faster than expected, Cobb County Department of Transportation called in crews early and began treating trouble spots.  By 12:30 traffic slowed to a crawl on many of the county’s roadways and crews manned trucks with salt to head out to the worse areas.

“DOT’s Road Maintenance Division planned on running full shifts until 2 pm Saturday, concerning falling temperatures could cause icing.  Some crews concentrated at areas around schools where Cobb’s Elementary Schools, the last to dismiss early, would send buses out at 1:30 pm.

“The division’s full complement of trucks, 15 vehicles in all, will run predetermined routes treating much of the county’s 2500 miles of roadways, including state highways.

“Traffic maps at cobbcommute.org showed many of the county’s thoroughfares either running very slow or at a standstill. Officials urged people not already on the roads to avoid going out until the system moves away.”

Temperatures in Cobb and metro Atlanta are staying around freezing all day, and will be plummeting below that by Friday evening.

Information about closings is coming via e-mail, social media posts and other sources. If you know of closings (schools, businesses, churches, organizations, etc.), and especially planned activities, please let us know and we’ll share it with the community. E-mail news, photos, etc. to: editor@eastcobbnews.com.

Related coverage:

Cobb schools are on early release, with the last phase elementary school students at 1:30 p.m. There will be NO extracurricular activities, including the ACT testing, which will be rescheduled

Most private schools in East Cobb are either under an early release or have closed.

Cobb government closed at 12 p.m., including libraries, which will be monitoring road conditions to determine whether to open on Saturday.

The Cobb government closures also include The Art Place-Mountain View (3330 Sandy Plains Road), and tonight’s Center Stage North performance of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” has been cancelled.

East Cobb weather closings
Roswell Road at WellStar East Cobb Health Park, shortly after 12 p.m. Friday (From Georgia 511 camera)

Send us your photos and news!

  • Share your winter weather pictures, and we’ll post them! If you know of school, church, business or other closings or cancellations too! E-mail editor@eastcobbnews.com.

Here are the latest updates about openings/closings for local businesses, organizations, churches (especially for holiday events):

  • The Piedmont Church’s Christmas at Piedmont festival scheduled for 5-9 Friday has been cancelled; updates about Saturday’s 10-5 session will be posted on its Instagram account;
  • Mt. Zion United Methodist Church has postponed its Breakfast With Santa, which was to have been from 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Saturday;
  • All Fidelity bank branches were closing around noon Friday;
  • The Lockheed-Georgia Credit Union also closed Friday around noon;
  • Tonight’s Christmas concert at St. Andrew United Methodist Church (3455 Canton Road) is being postponed until Sunday at 2 p.m., with a reception to follow;
  • Friday’s Bethlehem Walk from 7-9 at Mountain View United Methodist Church is cancelled; the final session of the holiday event is still on for the same time on Saturday;
  • At The Avenue East Cobb, carriage rides from 4-7 have been cancelled, but Santa Claus will be in the Santa Suite next to J. Jill for visitors and photos during that time;
  • The Carols for Christmas program Friday at Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church has been cancelled. In its place will be a service at 6 p.m. Sunday
  • East Cobb Pediatrics closed at 1 p.m. Friday;
  • All J. Christopher’s locations closed before the normal 2 p.m. closing time;
  • Olde Towne Athletic Club has closed and will delay Saturday opening until 12 p.m.;
  • Chicago’s Steak & Seafood is closed Friday;
  • Seed, Stem Wine Bar and Drift are closed Friday;
  • The British Swim School of North Atlanta is cancelling Friday lessons and offering free makeup lessons;
  • Book Exchange is closing early Friday, but an author open house is still scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday;
  • Righteous Que is closing at 3 p.m. and is not accepting any more phone orders Friday;
  • Johnson Ferry Baptist Church offices have closed for Friday, and all Friday activities are cancelled. As of 2 p.m. Friday, the Christmas Festival services at 4 and 7 Saturday and regular Sunday worship services are still scheduled;
  • Big Peach Running Co. closed at 2 p.m. Friday and will update Saturday opening based on weather conditions;
  • WellStar Medical Group offices closed by 2 p.m. Friday. All WellStar Urgent Care locations were closing at 3 p.m. and are scheduled to open at 10 a.m. Saturday;
  • All CobbLinc public transit services will be suspended at 8 p.m. Friday and will open Saturday, with service times TBA.

Cobb DOT is urging motorists not to get on the roads if they don’t have to. Conditions are deterioarating and crews will be working to treat the roads as the day continues. To monitor the latest conditions visit the Cobb Commute site.

East Cobb weather closings
Sandy Plains Road at East Piedmont Road, also around 12 p.m. Friday (Georgia 511 camera)

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Cobb schools releasing early Friday; all weekend activities cancelled

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Cobb schools releasing early, NWS Winter Storm Warning
Cobb County was placed a winter storm warning area early Friday morning by the National Weather Service.

The Cobb County School District announced right around 10 a.m. Friday that it will be releasing classes early today and cancelling all weekend activities, due to winter weather conditions.

The early release schedule is as follows:

  • High schools, 11:30 a.m.;
  • Middle schools, 12:30 p.m.;
  • Elementary schools; 1:30 p.m.

In addition, all after-school programs are cancelled on Friday, as are extracurricular events scheduled for Friday and Saturday.

Those activities include ACT test sites at Cobb schools, which will be rescheduled.

Not long before Cobb announced early release times, Paulding County schools also announced they would be releasing early. Marietta, Bartow County, Douglas County and Cherokee County schools also were releasing students early.

Here’s what we have thus far for private school closings in East Cobb:

  • Both campuses of Mt. Bethel Christian Academy will be releasing students at 12:30 p.m., although after-school programs will be operating. Extracurricular activities will operate at the discretion of the coach or sponsor;
  • The Walker School is closed Friday for all classes and activities;
  • Faith Lutheran School is releasing all students at 1:30 p.m. Friday;
  • The Catholic Church of St. Ann preschool is releasing at 11:30 a.m.;

All Cobb County government facilities are closing at noon today, including all public library branches.

The closures also include The Art Place-Mountain View (3330 Sandy Plains Road), and tonight’s Center Stage North performance of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” has been cancelled.

A few church-related items to share:

  • The Piedmont Church (570 Piedmont Road) announced around 11 a.m. that its Christmas at Piedmont holiday festival is going on as scheduled from 5-9 tonight, and from 10-5 Saturday;
  • Tonight’s Christmas concert at St. Andrew United Methodist Church (3455 Canton Road) is being postponed until Sunday at 2 p.m., with a reception to follow.

Send us your photos and news!

  • Share your winter weather pictures, and we’ll post them! If you know of school, church, business or other closings or cancellations too! E-mail editor@eastcobbnews.com.

Cobb schools began as scheduled on Friday, although Cobb was placed in a winter storm warning area around 6 a.m. by the National Weather Service.

However, by mid-morning, what had been rain was turning into snow or snow mixed with rain, including some areas in East Cobb. Here’s a view of the football field at Lassiter High School, posted on the school’s Twitter feed:

Temperatures in Cobb and metro Atlanta are expected to reach only into the high 30s on Friday, with freezing temperatures forecast for the evening and into overnight. Accumulated snowfall is expected to be less than in inch in most of Cobb, but more in northern and western parts of the county.

The winter storm advisory, which includes Cobb, Paulding, Douglas, Cherokee and Bartow in metro Atlanta and most of mountainous north Georgia, where 1-2 inches of snow has been forecast.

Winter weather has stretched across unexpected areas of the South, with snow falling in San Antonio and parts of Texas, before that storm front headed toward Georgia.

Temperatures aren’t expected to get much warmer in metro Atlanta over the weekend, with Saturday and Sunday highs in the low 40s. There is a 30 percent chance of snow on Saturday, with lows in the low 20s, but the sun also is expected to come out.

Sunday’s high will be around 40, with clear skies. Lows are expected in the low 20s.

 

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Cobb schools open on Friday; Cobb included in winter storm warning area

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The Cobb County School District posted the following message on its Twitter feed shortly after 6 a.m. Friday:Cobb schools open on Friday“All Cobb County schools open as normal today, Friday, December 8. Temps forecast to remain above freezing throughout the day with road temps a few degrees warmer.”

After-school programs also will operate on schedule but extracurricular activities are cancelled for Friday and Saturday.

Schools in Marietta and most of metro Atlanta also are open as the line for winter weather notifications issued by the National Weather Service is running northwest of Marietta and Cobb.

The National Weather Service has revised the areas to be included in a winter storm warning, and that includes Cobb, Paulding, Douglas and Cherokee counties.

Being in the storm area means that “periods of snow” are expected during the designated warning period, through 7 a.m. Saturday.

A social media message issued by Cobb government around 6:30 a.m. Friday said that the Cobb Emergency Management Agency and Cobb DOT are “watching situation carefully” but offered no other information.

A number of school districts in north Georgia have cancelled classes due to freezing rain and snow, but they are well north of metro Atlanta.

Early Friday morning the precipitation in most of metro Atlanta was rain, with temperatures just above freezing. The highs in the area for Friday, including Cobb, are forecast to be in the high 30s, with freezing temperatures expected by Friday evening.

Cobb DOT reported early Friday morning, also around 6 a.m., that most road temperatures in the county along the Interstate 75 corridor were above freezing.

UPDATED, 7:12 a.m.: Shortly after 7, Cobb schools tweeted this information:

“We will continue to monitor conditions and confer with forecasters and public safety officials throughout the day. We will continue to keep you informed via our website.”

That link can be found here.

NWS Winter Storm Warning
Cobb County was included in a winter storm warning issued by the National Weather Service shortly before 6 a.m. Friday.

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Winter weather advisory issued for Cobb, north Georgia

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Winter Weather Advisory, Cobb weather, National Weather Service

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for most of north Georgia and metro Atlanta, including Cobb County, starting early Friday morning.

The advisory, which was issued around 3 p.m. Thursday, lasts from 5 a.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday and includes the possibility of between a half-inch to an inch of snow or rain mixed with snow throughout the advisory area.

What’s expected to start out as rain could become rain mixed with snow or sleet in the pre-dawn and morning commuting hours of Friday.

Earlier Thursday afternoon, Cobb DOT trucks were out pre-treating bridges and overpasses with a brine mixture.

“You can pretreat with the brine up to 48 hours ahead of the storm,” said Bill Shelton, Cobb DOT’s Road Maintenance Director, in a statement issued by Cobb County government. “The cost to do the whole county, every bridge and overpass, is probably $100 worth of salt. It is worth it to be proactive and keep our roads safe for the traveling public.”

The NWS advisory area runs north of a line from LaGrange to Jonesboro to Lawrenceville to Hiawassee.

The likelihood of rain or snow will be strongest after 5 a.m. Friday, according to the weather advisory. Temperatures in the Cobb area are expected to be in the high 30s, and the chance of precipitation is 90 percent.

As of 5 p.m. Thursday, the Cobb County School District had not announced whether school activities will take place on Friday.

UPDATE: Here’s what the CCSD posted on its Twitter account around 10:40 p.m. Thursday:

“@CobbSchools has been monitoring and discussions with meteorologists throughout the day and evening. As of 10:30 pm Thursday schools are open Friday 12/8. We’ll be up at 3:30 am to check roads and forecasts to make an announcement, if anything changes.”

More rain and snow are likely before late Friday night, with lows dropping into the high 20s. The chance of precipitation is 60 percent Friday night.

On Saturday, temperatures are forecast to be in the 40s, with partly sunny skies as the winter weather clears the metro Atlanta area. The low Saturday is expected in the mid 20s, and Sunday’s high is expected to be in the low 40s.

Cobb officials said that as of late Thursday afternoon there were no road closures in the county.

 

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Thanksgiving Week weather in East Cobb: Sunny days, chilly nights

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Whitaker Park, East Cobb Thanksgiving week weather
In Whitaker Park, off Scufflegrit Road, dog-walkers and others enjoyed a sunny but crisp mid-November afternoon. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)

Sunday’s sunny, but brisk conditions, and very cold evenings offered a prelude for Thanksgiving week weather in East Cobb.

Skies will be generally sunny throughout the week (with the exception of Tuesday, with rain in the forecast most of the day), and temperatures in the high 50s and near 60.

At night, temperatures won’t get quite as low as the freezing conditions from overnight Sunday, mostly dipping into the 40s and in the high 30s for most of the week.

Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, is expected to be mostly sunny, with highs in the high 50s and lows in high 30s.

Post-Thanksgiving weather will be similar, with highs Saturday and Sunday in the low 60s. Sunday night is when the temperatures hover back below freezing, with lows around 30.

Next week, daytime highs for most of the week will be in the low-to-mid-50s and lows around freezing several days.

 

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A rainy end to Daylight Savings Time in East Cobb

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Daylight Savings Time
Westbound on Roswell Road, near East Lake Shopping Center. )East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)

Rainy weather, including some late-afternoon rain showers, ushered out Daylight Savings Time in East Cobb on Saturday.

The change to Eastern Standard Time, which went into effect at 2 a.m. Sunday, provided an extra hour. But that also means it’s going to get darker earlier.

Temperatures will remain summery for the rest of the weekend and into early this week. Rainy and overcast weather will continue for most of the week, with highs in the mid-to-late 70s through Wednesday.

Temperatures will drop by Wednesday, with highs only in the mid-60s and into the mid-50s on Thursday. Lows will fall to the mid-to-high-50s by the end of the week, with partly sunny weather in the mid-60s by next weekend.

East Cobb weather returns to sunny, warm conditions after Irma

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Little Willeo Road near Johnson Ferry Road, East Cobb weather
Crews work on a power line on Little Willeo Road near Johnson Ferry Road Tuesday afternoon. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)

As work crews repaired power lines and cleared tree and other debris from roads Tuesday, East Cobb started to return to normal after riding out Tropical Storm Irma. Although partly cloudy skies and some rain are expected Wednesday, by the end of the week East Cobb weather will pick up where it left off before Monday’s storm.

Cobb County was spared the worst of the powerful storm’s damage that has crippled much of Georgia and other parts of metro Atlanta.

Cobb EMC reported no power outages as of late Tuesday afternoon, while several hundred Cobb customers of Georgia Power, mostly in South Cobb, were still without electricity.

Cobb officials said fewer than 100 trees were reported down throughout the county, and no major roads or streets were closed as a result of that or other damage.

Little Willeo Road 9.12.17, East Cobb weather
An AT & T service truck flashing caution lights to passing motorists on Little Willeo Road on a rainy Tuesday afternoon. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)

The Cobb County School District is the only major school system to return to classes Wednesday (East Cobb News post here), as sizable areas of metro Atlanta remain without power and have road hazards.

There are still plenty of minor branches and light debris scattered about East Cobb. In addition to electric crews, trucks from AT & T, Comcast and other utility companies were repairing lines, cables and other connection points that experienced lost service.

Irma carried sustained winds of more than 30 mph in many places around metro Atlanta, and gusts in some cases exceeding 50 mph, but those winds never got as strong in Cobb.

In nearby Sandy Springs, wind damage knocked down trees along many major roads, and a falling tree killed a man sleeping in his home. Motorists were advised not to travel to Sandy Springs from East Cobb via those affected areas (East Cobb News post here).

As Cobb students return to classes and business fully open on Wednesday, the rain will gradually dissipate and warmer temperatures will return. A 30 percent chance of showers is forecast for East Cobb, mainly in the afternoon, along with partly sunny skies. The high temperature should be around 75 (here’s the 7-day local forecast by the National Weather Service).

Thursday also is expected to be party sunny, with a high near 79, and Friday will be mostly sunny with temperatures in the low 80s.

By the weekend, with the East Cobber Parade & Festival on Saturday and the East Cobb Garden Tour and a Sunday Funday event at East Cobb Park on Sunday, mostly sunny skies are forecast and temperatures will be in the mid-80s.

Cobb cleans up after Irma; travel alert issued for Sandy Springs

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Johnson Ferry Road at Princeton Lakes Drive
A northbound view of Johnson Ferry Road at Princeton Lakes Drive, at 11 a.m. Tuesday. (Georgia 511 photo)

Cobb County got plenty of rain and high winds and power outages on Monday as Tropical Storm Irma engulfed metro Atlanta and Georgia, but it could have been a lot worse.

Cobb schools and government remain closed today as the cleanup continues following the passage of the large storm, which has been downgraded to a tropical depression.

Two people died in metro Atlanta and more than 1.5 million customers in Georgia lost power during Irma, whose arrival prompted a statewide declaration of a state of emergency.

Some motorists are out on the roads and some businesses are open today, but local and state officials are warning of downed trees and power lines, debris and standing water.

Compared to other communities in metro Atlanta, Cobb dodged the worst of Irma. As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, Georgia Power reported around 50 power outages in the county remaining (after several thousand initially), compared to several hundred in Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett and Clayton (here’s more).

Georgia Power outage map
In this Georgia Power outage map as of 11 a.m. Tuesday, the red colors indicate power outages between 5k-15k, orange 500-5k and green under 500.

Cobb EMC reported late Monday evening that fewer than 200 customers were without power, but hasn’t updated that figure this morning.

Many of the dozens of roads in Atlanta, Fulton County, DeKalb and elsewhere that closed Monday still hadn’t reopened as of late Tuesday morning. Cobb DOT as yet hasn’t identified any road closures but all major East Cobb thoroughfares are open; we’ll be getting out soon to take a look around.

Also hard-hit in Monday’s storm was Sandy Springs, adjacent to East Cobb, where a man died when a tree fell on his house while he was sleeping.

Several major roads in Sandy Springs remain closed this morning, and Cobb officials urged motorists who may be headed there to seek alternative routes.

Trees were reported down on Johnson Ferry Road in Sandy Springs, not far from the Chattahoochee River and the border with East Cobb. Here’s the advisory sent out by Cobb government this morning:

“The City of Sandy Springs is asking all motorists to stay off the roads on Tuesday. Georgia Power is not able to begin repairs on any down power lines until Tuesday morning.

“Sandy Springs has more than 30 roads impacted by down power lines. Of those, ten roads are major connections for residents throughout the metro area as part of their daily commute including: Spalding Drive, Riverside Drive, Johnson Ferry Road, Powers Ferry Road, Lake Forrest, Northside Drive, High Point Road and Glenridge Road.

“There is no timeline on when to expect roads to reopen. The City has closed its offices on Tuesday and encourages other businesses within the city to do the same.”

And as we noted here yesterday, the Cobb Board of Commissioners meeting scheduled for today, including the final public hearing and adoption of the fiscal year 2018 budget and passage of the Cobb 2040 Comprehensive Plan has been postponed to Sept. 22.

How did you fare during the storm? Let us know! Send your news, including photos if you have them, to: editor@eastcobbnews.com.

We’ll post another update later today after we take a drive around the community.

East Cobb motorists stay off roads as Tropical Storm Irma arrives

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Johnson Ferry and Roswell Road, East Cobb motorists
The intersection of Johnson Ferry Road and Roswell Road, one of East Cobb’s busiest, shortly after 10 a.m. Monday. (Georgia 511 camera photos)

The typical morning rush hour was anything but on Monday, as East Cobb motorists heeded the warnings of Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and other officials to stay off the roads as Tropical Storm Irma pushed into metro Atlanta.

With schools and government offices closed (previous East Cobb News coverage here), as well as a growing number of businesses, what normally would be traffic bottlenecks around East Cobb took on the appearance of lonely stretches of backwater roads.

For most of Monday morning, moderate to heavy rain from Irma engulfed the entire state of Georgia, although the center of the storm was passing through central Alabama.

(At 10:40 a.m. Monday, Cobb County government announced all offices and services, including courts and libraries, would be closed on Tuesday.)

The rain began overnight, along with winds around 15-20 mph, but they were expected to pick up substantially into Monday afternoon. Up to 5-7 inches of rain are being forecast by the National Weather Service throughout the metro area into Monday evening, and sustained winds of 35-40 mph and gusts possibly surpassing 60 mph.

Because of the low temperatures—in the mid-to-high 50s late Monday morning—the likelihood of tornado weather has been drastically reduced.

Powers Ferry Road at Windy Hill Road, East Cobb motorists, Tropical Storm Irma
Powers Ferry Road at Windy Hill Road.

Deal declared a statewide state of emergency on Sunday afternoon, and tropical storm warnings issued by the National Weather Service on Saturday were to continue indefinitely.

Cobb, metro Atlanta and most of Georgia also remain under a flash flood watch until early Tuesday. The potential wind damage to trees and power lines, as well as debris and glass falling from buildings, has prompted some rare actions. MARTA bus and rail service has been suspended for Monday. As of 11 a.m. Monday the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport remains open, although hundreds of flights have already been cancelled.

Roswell Road at 120 Loop
Roswell Road at the 120 Loop.

After tearing through Florida on Sunday, Hurricane Irma entered south Georgia Sunday night as a Category 2 storm, and was expected to be downgraded to Category 1 and tropical storm status as it traveled north.

But the power of the storm has caused plenty of serious damage to Georgia already. State emergency officials and law enforcement agencies have been reporting big trees and power lines being down in roadways, and damage from buildings and other debris endangering motorists, pedestrians and emergency crews.

By mid-morning Monday, those reports included locations in the metro Atlanta area.

Hundreds of thousands of Georgians are already without electricity, and those numbers figure to skyrocket as the effects of Irma move through the state and into Alabama and western Tennessee by Monday evening.

Georgia citizens are being urged to stay where they are for the remainder of Monday. However, Georgia DOT is advising that “if you are out and about and come to a traffic light out—treat as four way stop.”

Terrell Mill Road at Paper Mill Road
Terrell Mill Road at Paper Mill Road.

Cobb residents are being urged to acquaint themselves with safety information provided by the Cobb Emergency Management Agency. The basics include having flashlights, batteries, fully-charged cell phones, mobile devices and portable radios ready, along with procedures for moving to a safer part of a home or other building if necessary.

To prevent against being injured by falling trees, broken glass or other debris from high winds, move to a room without windows.

You can track CEMA updates here.

If you lose power, know the emergency phone number and procedures for contacting for your service provider.

Georgia Power is asking customers to report outages at its outage information link. (At 11:30 a.m., Georgia Power reported that about 330,000 customers statewide were without power, including around 85,000 in metro Atlanta, numbers that were “growing fast.”)

If you are a Cobb EMC member, report outages on its free app or call. 770-429-2100. Do not report outages to its social media channels.

Sandy Plains at Shallowford Road
Sandy Plains at Shallowford Road.

Cobb braces for Irma with heavy rain, high winds; school closed Mon. & Tues.

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    Cobb braces for IrmaNational Weather Service projection as of 11 a.m. Sunday.

It may not seem like it today, but East Cobb, metro Atlanta and the state of Georgia are about to get major tropical storm weather.

On Sunday it’s been beautiful, with sunny skies and temperatures rising to the low 70s, and humidity levels around 40 percent. But those conditions will change dramatically on Monday.

Late Saturday night, the National Weather Service in Peachtree City issued a tropical storm warning for the metro Atlanta area that is expected to last until early Tuesday.

The NWS is forecasting heavy rains and high winds as what’s left of Hurricane Irma pushes into Georgia, after the powerful Category 4 storm made landfall in south Florida Sunday morning.

Shortly before 1 p.m. on Sunday, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency for the entire state, and said state government offices will be closed on Monday and Tuesday. Many local governments and school districts quickly followed suit.

Tropical storm conditions are expected all day Monday in Cobb and metro Atlanta, with between 1-2 inches of rain possible (and likely more), as well as winds possibly gusting to 55 mph and even higher.NWS Atlanta Irma rainfall

The possibility of flash flooding is also in the forecast, and already some metro Atlanta school districts and colleges, including Kennesaw State University, have cancelled all classes and activities. A flash flood watch is in effect for Cobb until 8 a.m. Tuesday.

UPDATED: Cobb County School District officials announced at 1:40 p.m. Sunday that there will be no school on Monday or Tuesday; all other activities also will be cancelled on those days and the school system’s main offices will be closed as well.

UPDATED, 7 PM SUNDAY: Cobb County government offices will be closed on Monday. Libraries also will be closed, and the Cobb Board of Commissioners work session scheduled for Monday has been cancelled.

In a Facebook message to Cobb school parents Saturday night, deputy superintendent John Adams said the district was considering possible power outage concerns as well as rain and wind conditions affecting travel.

Atlanta Irma wind speed
National Weather Service rainfall and windspeed estimate maps as of 1 p.m. Sunday.

“We are also interested to see if the Governor expands the State of Emergency to include metro Atlanta. Rest assured that we will always err on the side of student safety and will seek to make a decision about school on Monday as soon as reasonably possible.”

On Friday, the CCSD issued a message urging parents to visit its website homepage for updates, and to refer to the school system’s inclement weather page for details.

Already some brisk winds are whipping up in the East Cobb area. By early Sunday afternoon, the winds were reported at around 15 mph, and they’re expected to get even stronger as tropical storm-like weather approaches north Georgia.

The rain in metro Atlanta is expected to arrive overnight, with thunderstorms most likely after 7 a.m. Temperatures are expected to be only in the mid 60s, but the chance of precipitation is 100 percent.

On Monday night, tropical storm conditions are expected to continue, with more showers and the possibility of thunderstorms. The low temperature is expected to drop to 60.

On early Tuesday morning, as the tropical storm warning is projected to end, more showers are in the forecast, with highs in the high 60s. Winds between 15-20 mph could gust to 30 mph, and the chance of rain is 80 percent.

Over the weekend, Cobb County government urged residents to take safety measures and provided a page with emergency links and other related information.

Starting to feel a little like fall—or an Indian summer—in East Cobb

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Hyde Farm
The pond at Hyde Farm. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)

Labor Day has come and gone, and with it perhaps the worst of the summer heat. Although Labor Day in East Cobb was hot—temperatures ranged in the high 80s, and if you were at the Holy Smoke Festival yesterday as were (photos here), sitting out in the sun wasn’t a good idea for too long of a spell. An Indian Summer in East Cobb? We’ll take it.

Yet the forecast for this week in East Cobb and metro Atlanta calls for moderate temperatures—only surpassing the 80-degree mark a couple of times—and even milder humidity levels. East Cobb News weather widget

In fact, today, Tuesday, figures to be the hottest and most humid day of the week, with temperatures in the low 80s and humidity around 60 percent.

After that, high temperatures should stay in the 70s, for the most part, and the mugginess also is expected to decrease. Low temperatures will drop into the 50s at night, and sunny skies are forecast through the weekend.

By the way, if you ever want a quick check of the current weather conditions, and a glimpse of what to expect over the next few days, check out the weather widget on the top left rail on East Cobb News.

It gives you the temperature, humidity and wind levels, and a mini-five-day forecast. Keep in mind that those long-term temperature forecasts are always subject to change.

Have a great week East Cobb, and enjoy what’s shaping up to be some fantastic weather!