ATLANTA – A weak winter weather system is moving through Georgia, bringing the chance for light snow mainly south of metro Atlanta, while much of north Georgia remains largely unaffected.
Who could see snow?
What they’re saying:
“It’s not an overly strong system,” said FOX 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Greg Majewski. “We’re going to be watching this kind of an hour-by-hour thing, but by tomorrow afternoon, we’re done with this. It’s all done — looking pretty good.”
Current winter weather advisories are focused south of the metro, while areas farther north are in better shape.
“You folks up here on the north side are looking pretty good,” Majewski said. “Not to say you may not see a snowflake or two, but everything’s really down toward the south.”
A Winter Weather Advisory is in place for parts of central Georgia, where a dusting up to one inch is possible. Farther south — including areas near Macon and Warner Robins — a Winter Storm Warning is in effect, with 1 to 3 inches of snow possible.
“The models are all kind of congregating down here to the south,” Majewski said. “The big question mark is going to be the actual air temperature — that’s going to be a big player as we go into tomorrow morning.”
Cold morning Sunday
What they’re saying:
That mild air won’t last. Overnight, colder air will surge in, sending temperatures into the 20s and 30s by morning.
“The temperatures are going to get really cold come tomorrow morning,” Majewski said. “And it’s going to be a struggle all day to warm up.”
By tomorrow afternoon, the system will move out, leaving behind cold but improving conditions.
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Weekend winter weather
Timeline:
- Saturday Night: Temperatures drop. Rain transitions to a slight chance of rain and snow showers after 3 a.m.
- Sunday Morning: The best window for snow. Transition to wintry mix or wet snow is expected around sunrise, primarily south and east of a line from Columbus to Griffin to Madison.
- Sunday Afternoon: The system exits, leaving behind clear but very cold air.
North Georgia weather forecast
By the numbers:
Metro Atlanta:
- Sunday: Mostly sunny, high 40. West winds gusting to 20 mph.
- M.L. King Day: Sunny, high 47. Low 21.
- Tuesday: Sunny and cold, high 40. Low 23.
- Wednesday: Mostly sunny, high 52.
- Thursday: A 20% chance of showers, high 56.
North Georgia Mountains:
- Sunday: High 33. Low 18.
- M.L. King Day: High 40. Low 11.
- Tuesday: High 35. Low 17.
A bitterly cold start to the week
What’s next:
Once the weekend system clears out, the story shifts from precipitation to “dangerously dry” cold.
Monday through Wednesday will remain dry, but relative humidity is expected to “tank,” prompting concerns for fire danger on Tuesday and Wednesday as winds pick up. Temperatures will struggle to rebound, staying well below average until a slight warming trend and a return of rain chances on Thursday.
What does wintry mix mean?
The backstory:
To help you navigate the forecast, here is a breakdown of the most common winter terms:
- Snowfall: This occurs when the entire atmosphere, from the clouds down to the ground, remains at or below freezing (32°F). Snowflakes are collections of ice crystals that cling together as they fall.
- Graupel (Snow Pellets): Often mistaken for hail or “Dippin’ Dots,” graupel forms when supercooled water droplets coat a snowflake, creating a soft, opaque, and crushable pellet. Unlike hard ice, graupel will easily disintegrate if you touch it.
- Sleet (Ice Pellets): Sleet starts as snow, melts into rain in a warm layer of air aloft, and then refreezes into hard ice pellets before hitting the ground. You’ll know it’s sleet because it bounces when it hits your windshield or the pavement.
- Freezing Rain: This is perhaps the most “sinister” type of weather, according to FOX 5 reporting. It falls as liquid rain but freezes instantly upon contact with surfaces that are at or below freezing. This creates a glaze of ice on trees, power lines, and roads.
- Ice Storm: Per the National Weather Service, an official “Ice Storm” occurs when freezing rain results in at least 1/4 inch of ice accumulation. This is the threshold where significant damage to trees and power lines typically begins.
- Icy Roads: These occur when any form of frozen precipitation—sleet, freezing rain, or melted/refrozen snow—bonds to the pavement. Freezing rain is particularly dangerous because it creates “Black Ice,” a transparent coating that makes the road look merely wet when it is actually a skating rink.
- Snow Flurries vs. Showers: FOX 5 Atlanta defines flurries as light snow falling for short durations with little to no accumulation. Snow showers, however, fall at varying intensities and are more likely to leave a dusting or coating on the ground.
These are not all the terms that may be used this weekend.
Preparing for snow
What you can do:
Here are some things you can do now to prepare:
- Restock emergency supplies. Check flashlights and batteries, and buy shelf-stable food. Ensure all prescriptions are filled, as ice storms often cause power outages.
- Prepare for communication outages. Internet and cellphone service may fail, particularly in heavily wooded areas prone to storm damage.
- Winterize plumbing. Insulate outdoor pipes and locate the main water shutoff valve. Frozen pipe incidents are most common in January and February.
- Use heaters safely. Inspect generators, fireplaces and space heaters to ensure proper venting. Never run a generator indoors; doing so creates a risk of fatal carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Test detectors. Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Replace batteries before increasing the use of heaters or fireplaces.
- Check on neighbors. Contact older residents, people with disabilities or those using powered medical equipment to establish an assistance plan.
- Protect animals. Bring pets inside during freezing temperatures. Ensure livestock and outdoor animals have shelter and unfrozen water.
- Pack a car kit. If travel is necessary, keep blankets, chargers, a shovel, snacks and sand or kitty litter for traction in the vehicle.
- Stay informed. Download the FOX 5 Storm Team weather app and enable notifications for real-time updates.
- Monitor closings. Check the FOX 5 Atlanta closings page for school and business updates. Administrators should verify their registration status to post updates quickly.
The Source: This article contains an original forecast by the FOX 5 Storm Team. The National Weather Service contributed to this report. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also used. It has been updated to show the change in forecast models.
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