Major winter storm forecast includes most of north Georgia

NWS Forecast map for moderate impacts Friday and Saturday.

Updated, Thursday: Cobb is now included in the winter storm watch area, and a state of emergency has been declared.

Updated, Tuesday: A winter storm watch has been issued for North Georgia.

Original post:

Cobb government said Tuesday that plans are being put in place to prepare for a major winter storm that is forecast for this weekend to include most of north Georgia.

A social media message about those preparations said that “forecasters believe some form of winter weather could fall over Cobb County this weekend, with a good chance it may be ice.”

The National Weather Service is forecasting a large storm to cut across the lower Midwest, Kentucky and Tennessee and into the mid-Atlantic by the weekend.

“There is significant uncertainty on the track and intensity of this storm system and the forecast should be monitored closely this week,” the NWS forecast said.

Locally, a wintry mix is being forecast for north Georgia and the metro Atlanta area in a window from Friday night through Sunday.

While high temperatures through most of the week are expected to reach into the low 50s, lows from Saturday-Monday night could dip into the low 20s.

Precipitation is forecast for Saturday and Sunday, according to the forecast. In the Cobb area, there’s a 90 percent chance of rain during the day Saturday and 100 percent Saturday night.

The rain is forecast to drop to a 30 percent chance by Sunday night, but lows could fall into the teens.

Cobb DOT is urging motorists to be prepared to adjust weekend plans, complete weekend errands early, if possible and keep weather apps and information sources updated.

“The forecast could change, but there’s nothing wrong with preparing early,” the Cobb government message said.

For more local weather information, click here.

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