Hurricane Dorian is gathering speed as it moves over the Bahamas and toward the Florida Atlantic Coast, and south Georgia is bracing for the storm.
The metro Atlanta area isn’t expected to be affected by the storm, which the National Weather Service is rating at Category 3 as it’s about 600 miles from Florida. The map above was released by the NWS Friday morning.
Dorian is expected to make landfall Tuesday morning in a wide projection cone that’s prompted a state of emergency for 12 counties in south Georgia.
Gov. Brian Kemp issued the declaration Thursday afternoon for the following counties: Brantley, Bryan, Camden, Charlton, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Pierce, and Wayne.
The Jacksonville NWS map below, also from Friday morning, shows increasingly wet and windy conditions along Florida’s First Coast and the Georgia coast.
The NWS forecast for Cobb and metro Atlanta doesn’t call for much in the way of any impact from Dorian. The weekend and Labor Day will be dry, hot and sunny, with highs in the low 90s.
There’s 30 percent chance of rain on Sunday, and a 20 percent chance returns Tuesday and could remain for the rest of the week.
Lows will hover around 70 and highs are forecast for the high 80s and low 90s next week.
The state has issued a number of links that are good in the case of any kind of emergency:
View updates from Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency here.
Visit Ready Georgia for weather alerts and emergency preparedness tips.
Follow Georgia 511 for real-time traffic information.
Learn what to do before, during, and after a flood here.
Report power outages by contacting your power provider. The two main providers in Georgia are:
Georgia electric membership cooperatives (EMCs) (find your local branch here)
Call your local non-emergency police line to report a downed tree in a main road.
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
The end of 2018 is going to be soggy in Cobb, metro Atlanta and north Georgia, as thunderstorms are underway and will continue through most of the weekend.
A flash flood watch has been issued by the National Weather Service in Atlanta from 7 p.m. Thursday through 7 a.m. Saturday. Cobb could get two inches of rain and possibly more in that time, with heavier rains forecast for other parts of north Georgia.
A wind advisory also is in effect for Cobb and north Georgia through 7 a.m. Friday, with wind gusts expected to average between 10-20 mph, and as high as 40 mph in some areas.
A flash flood watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding. The NWS forecast calls for thunderstorms through much of Friday, with the highest chance of flooding on Friday evening.
The chance of rain in Cobb Friday is 100 percent, with highs expected to be in the mid 60s and lows in the mid 40s.
Saturday will be mostly sunny with a slight chance of showers. The forecast high is in the high 50s, and an 80 percent chance of rain is expected Saturday night, with lows forecast to be in the mid 40s.
More strong rains are projected for Sunday, an 80 percent chance, with highs reaching into the mid 50s and lows in the high 40s.
New Year’s Eve on Monday, New Year’s Day on Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to have around a 50 percent chance of rain each day, and will be mostly cloudy.
On Wednesday it will start to get colder, with highs in the high 40s. The sun is expected to return on Thursday, with highs in the low 40s.
Lows both Wednesday and Thursday are forecast to be in the 30s.
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
The rain lightened up on Tuesday, but more is expected before a flash flood watch is due to expire Thursday morning.
At 4 p.m Tuesday, the National Weather Service in Atlanta expanded the watch for most of central and north Georgia, including Cobb County.
The area under the watch could get between an inch to three inches of rain through Wednesday and into Thursday, worsening already-soggy conditions that include flooding of rivers, streams and some roads.
In Cobb, Sope Creek was flooding during Tuesday’s heavy rains, and some roads were affected.
Cobb DOT said today that the heavy rains were clogging drains, including an area of Davidson Road in East Cobb.
The possibility of more flooding of roads remains for the rest of the week, after the watch expires.
The NWS said another two or three inches of rain is possible on Wednesday, with the heaviest rainfall expected in the afternoon and evening.
In Cobb, the chance of rain will be between 60 to 100 percent on Wednesday, mainly after 11 a.m.
For now, the local forecast is between three-quarters of an inch to an inch of rain. On top of that, it’s going to get colder, with highs expected in the high 40s and lows Wednesday night in the high 30s.
The rain is expected to continue into Thursday morning, with a 60 percent chance of remain. Cold temperatures will linger, with highs only in the mid 40s and lows hovering near freezing Thursday night.
Friday is expected to be sunny and warmer, with highs in the low 50s, but wet conditions and flooded areas may not recede by then.
The rest of the weekend and the early part of next week also are forecast to be clear and warmer than this week.
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Cobb government officials said late this afternoon that Cobb County is now under a flash flood WARNING, and some areas, including Sope Creek in East Cobb, are experiencing some flooding.
The warning was due to expire at 10:30 p.m., but heavy rains are expected the rest of the evening and into Tuesday.
Here’s the message that was sent out around 5:30:
Cobb’s EMA is watching the situation that includes at least 6 roadways with flooding reports and Allatoona and Sope Creeks reporting minor flooding.
The rain is expected to continue for several days.
IF YOU LIVE IN A FLOOD ZONE please review your emergency plans and take precautions for continued rainfall.
Do not attempt to drive through a flooded roadway.
A message from the Catholic Church of St. Ann said that due to the rains, parts of Bishop Lake Road are under water, between entrances to the Chimney Lakes neighborhood.
Cobb DOT is reporting flooding on a number of roads throughout the county, including Davidson Road in East Cobb. Downed trees also are affecting traffic.
If you notice flooding, power outage or other weather-related issues where you are, let us know (and send photos too): e-mail editor@eastcobbnews.com or phone/text 404-219-4278.
ORIGINAL POST, 12:30 P.M. MONDAY
The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch from 3 p.m. Monday through 7 a.m. Wednesday that includes Cobb and much of North Georgia, as a heavy downpour soaks a good bit of the state.
A watch means that conditions exist for flooding based on weather forecasts.
The metro Atlanta area and Cobb have already gotten between 2-3 inches of rain, according to the NWS. Creeks and rivers could rise out of their banks and possibly close roads and impact homes and other buildings.
Thus far we have not heard any reports of any such issues in Cobb but we will update this story with pertinent information.
The Cobb area could ultimately get around four inches or more through the end of the week, as we’re not likely to see the sun until late in the week.
It’s also expected to be cold, with highs reaching 50 only on Tuesday. Lows most nights this week could get into the 30s.
Monday’s forecast into the evening calls for 100 percent chance of rain, and it’s going to rain into Tuesday morning, with patchy fog and highs only in the high 40s. There’s a 40 percent chance of rain Tuesday night.
Heavier rain is forecast on Wednesday, with a 70 percent chance during the day and 90 percent by Wednesday night.
Thursday is expected to be mostly cloudy, with the rain tapering off Thursday night.
The sun is expected to come out by Friday, and the weekend should be clear and sunny as well, with high temperatures rising back into the 50s.
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
The heavy rains and storms that began late Wednesday night and have continued today may not quite be over. Cobb County is included in a thunderstorm watch that is covering most of north and central Georgia until 8 p.m. tonight.
Officially the National Weather Service in Atlanta is calling this a severe thunderstorm watch, and the Cobb area has experienced some severe weather since last night.
Sporadic thunderstorm warnings have been issued in the watch area, but one has not been issued for Cobb.
In a watch situation, conditions are present for potential severe storms to emerge, including heavy rainfall, lightning, thunder and high winds.
Today’s high in the East Cobb area is expected to be near 90, with lows tonight in the low 70s. The chance of severe thunderstorms is expected to be reduced from 70 percent this afternoon to 40 percent tonight.
On Friday, the forecast calls for a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms with highs in the low 90s and lows in the low 70s.
Similar weather is on tap for the weekend and into Monday, with a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms Saturday and Sunday.
The stormy weather could be around into the July 4 holiday next Wednesday.
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
The National Weather Service has included Cobb County in a flash flood watch until Wednesday morning due to rains stemming from Subtropical Storm Alberto.
The watch was to begin at 2 p.m. Monday and covers most of north and central Georgia. The heavy rains could cause flooding in rivers, lakes, streams and other low-lying areas.
Alberto was making landfall on the northwest Florida Gulf Coast early Monday afternoon, according to the NWS, which also included this information in its watch alert:
Subtropical storm Alberto will continue northward into eastern Alabama through this evening bringing abundant moisture and rainfall along and east of its track. This will allow for increased rainfall potential across the area. Although average rainfall totals will average 2 to 3 inches, some areas could see as much as 4 to 5 inches through Tuesday night. Creek and river levels are already above average and will not take much additional rainfall to cause levels to rise above bankfull.
Several creeks and rivers will rise out of their banks closing roads and impacting homes, businesses and farms. High water may not recede until well after the rain has ended.
The chance of rain in Cobb and metro Atlanta is expected to increase later on Monday afternoon and overnight and through Tuesday, possibly up to a 90 percent chance. We could get up to three-quarters of an inch of rain Tuesday night.
In addition to the rain and possible flash floods, foggy conditions may also be present.
The watch period ends at 8 a.m. Wednesday.
On Wednesday, thunderstorms are likely, especially on Wednesday evening, with the chance of storms tapering off as the week continues.
High temperatures Monday and Tuesday will be in the high 70s and lows in the high 60s. From Wednesday through Thursdays, highs could reach into the mid-to-high 80s with lows in the low 70s.
Sunny skies are not expected to return until Saturday.
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Winter’s not quite over yet. Tonight’s for bundling up, including your beautifully blooming seasonals, as a freeze warning has been issued for most of north Georgia, including Cobb.
The National Weather Service says the warning will be in effect from midnight to 10 a.m. Sunday, and the area covered runs along a north from Carrollton, Marietta and Cleveland.
Temperatures in Cobb are forecast to hover at, or just above the freezing mark overnight and into daylight Sunday.
On Sunday afternoon, however, it’s going to warm up again, with high temperatures expected around 60. Sunday night’s low is expected in the mid-40s, and highs are expected in the mid-to-high 60s at the start of the week. There will be a chance of rain through Tuesday.
By the end of the week, it’ll really feel like spring again, with temperatures possibly reaching near 80, and a fully sunny forecast.
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
NWS low temperature projections Friday night and early Saturday morning for north Georgia.
The National Weather Service office in Atlanta has issued a freeze watch from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m. Saturday for several counties in northwest Georgia, including Cobb.
The watch is part of a larger hazardous weather outlook for most of the weekend in north and central Georgia.
Mild but rainy weather this week helped trees and other vegetation that have been blooming.
The sun will be out for the weekend, but temperatures are forecast to be around freezing for the next few nights.
The possibility of freezing temperatures Sunday and Monday nights are also included in the hazardous weather outlook.
After temperatures Friday ranged into the high 50s, Saturday, Sunday and Monday daytime weather will be warmer, in the low-to-mid 60s. Lows will fall back into the 30s and 40s for most of the coming week.
Wind gusts that were as high as 20 mph today will continue through the weekend, and are expected to be calm by the start of the week. Stronger winds are expected in the mountainous areas of northeast Georgia.
As the work week begins, cloudy skies and rain will return to metro Atlanta, with a 50 percent chance of showers Monday night, and a 30 percent chance on Tuesday night.
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
The rain that began Friday night is not expected to let up for most of the weekend, and as a result Cobb County and much of metro Atlanta are under a flood watch.
The watch began at 7 a.m. today and continues through 7 p.m. Sunday, with Cobb possibly getting between 2-4 inches of rain.
The usual areas in East Cobb that are prone to flooding—along the Chattahoochee River and Sope Creek, as well as the Noonday Creek area—are susceptible to this weather pattern, which includes the possibility of thunderstorms.
The National Weather Service issued the watch for most of north and central Georgia, from a line north of Columbus to Griffin to Athens.
In addition to the rain, dense and heavy fog is expected to linger in the watch area throughout this afternoon, and visibility could be reduced between a quarter to a half-mile.
The chance of rain in East Cobb is 50 percent today and 80 percent tonight, with rain and patchy fog returning overnight. Highs are expected in the low 60s, with lows in the same range.
On Sunday, the chance of rain is 90 percent, with fog returning during the day and temperatures reaching the high 60s. The lows Sunday are expected to be in the high 50s as a high chance of rain continues.
The chance of rain continues into the start of the week, but a rainy and overcast week is expected as warm temperatures continue.
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for Cobb and most of north Georgia that begins at 4 p.m. Tuesday and continues through 7 a.m. Wednesday.
Cobb and Marietta are included in an area outlined in white in the map below, at right, that could get up to an inch of snow, starting late Tuesday afternoon. In addition, temperatures are expected to fall between five degrees above zero to zero Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning, in what the NWS refers to as wind chill values at “dangerous levels.”
Original report, posted at 1:06 p.m.
In addition to really having to bundle up again—below freezing temperatures are back, along with wind chills that will make it feel like it’s in the single digits—there’s a chance of light snow for Cobb, metro Atlanta and most of northwest Georgia Tuesday afternoon.
The National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement that up to an inch of light snow is possible across an area above a line from LaGrange to Conyers to Commerce
as early as Tuesday afternoon and into Wednesday morning.
While Tuesday’s daytime highs could reach into the 50s, it’s in the late afternoon and evening hours that the precipitation is most likely to occur, and temperatures are expected to plunge into the high teens in metro Atlanta.
Wednesday’s temperatures are not expected to reach freezing, with lows also in the teens. Skies will be sunny, but the wind chill factor will linger at least through Wednesday.
Here’s more from the NWS advisory, which was issued early Monday morning:
Although forecast amounts will mainly be less than 1 inch, temperatures will be well below freezing Tuesday night. Any snow that falls, no matter how light will likely remain on the roads and ground through Thursday morning.
Low temperatures Wednesday morning will range from 12 to 20 degrees with wind chill readings from 10 above to near zero.
Temperatures are expected to drop into into single digits, so any snow that falls will stick.
We will update this forecast if it changes, which the NWS said is likely, including possible school closures.
The weather will get warmer for the weekend, with highs in the 50s and possibly even into the low 60s on Sunday, when a light chance of rain is in the forecast.
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
If you think the end of 2017 was cold, the first week of the New Year is going to be the coldest weather sequence of the winter.
The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill advisory from 7 p.m. tonight until 10 a.m. Tuesday for most of northwest Georgia, including Cobb County.
Not long after 2018 rang in, the temperatures dropped dramatically. At around noon today the temperature in East Cobb hovered around 20 degrees, and the high isn’t expected to get beyond the mid 20s.
But it feels a lot colder than that, and it will for the rest of New Year’s Day and into Tuesday.
The wind chill is the real issue. At around 8 a.m. the NWS estimated the wind chill in the Marietta area was 3 degrees above zero.
There was a chance of light snow flurries this morning as well, although nothing has been reported to have fallen in the Cobb area.
It’s after the sun goes down tonight that even colder weather, aided by the wind, could drop into the mid teens. The projected wind chill in the advisory area—a line running roughly north from Carrollton to Canton to Cleveland—could be between 5 degrees above zero and zero.
The wind chill means that it’s precarious to go outside with skin exposed. Frostbite and hypothermia can occur quickly, so individuals are advised to wear heavy coats, hats and gloves and to bring outdoor pets inside.
Tuesday will be sunny with a high just above freezing, with lows in the high teens.
Wednesday and Thursday won’t be much warmer, with highs also around freezing. By the weekend, there may be something of a thaw, with highs in the low 40s for Sunday.
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Forecast map issued by the National Weather Service Atlanta around 3 p.m. Tuesday.
The National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement for Cobb County and much of central and north Georgia, and includes the possibility of a “wintry mix” of light sleet and rain in the early morning hours of Wednesday.
Shortly after 3 p.m. the NWS office in Atlanta said brief periods of light rain and possibly sleet are most likely along and north of Interstate 20. Accumulations are not expected, according to the NWS forecast, which indicates that the precipitation is most likely to take place between midnight and 6 a.m.
The chance of rain or sleet after daybreak Wednesday is 30 percent, and the highs tomorrow are expected to be in the mid 40s. A slight chance of rain or freezing rain could return on Thursday, when temperatures are expected to reach in the mid 30s and lows could reach into the mid 20s.
Friday and Saturday will be sunny, with highs in the mid 40s and lows in the 20s.
On Sunday, New Year’s Eve, more winter weather is a possibility, with snow and sleet possible before 1 p.m. Lows could dip into the low 20s.
On New Year’s Day, the sun will return but it will still be cold, and may not get above freezing.
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
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.
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 pmSaturday, 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.
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.
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.
Sandy Plains Road at East Piedmont Road, also around 12 p.m. Friday (Georgia 511 camera)
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
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.
“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.
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
