Rough Draft will provide regular storm updates on our website throughout the weekend, as well as on our Facebook and Instagram pages. For weather updates, visit WSB-TV.
Closures and cancellations • MARTA service updates
Hartsfield-Jackson flight delays/cancellations
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5:25 p.m.
We’re wrapping up our coverage of Winter Storm Gianna as the snow moves out. While the core of metro Atlanta only saw a dusting of snow today, parts of North Georgia took a walloping, with some areas getting more than 7 inches of snow. Northern Gwinnett County was hit particularly hard. Officials are asking residents to stay off the roads as crews work to clear them, while Auburn Road from Dacula Road to Charles Road is closed because of ice.
Now, attention is turning to the brutally cold temperatures. The thermometer has been falling all day and will slip to 17F before sunrise on Sunday with dangerous sub-zero windchills.
The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency is urging people to take steps to keep their pipes from bursting as the weather remains below freezing this weekend:
- Allow a faucet to drip overnight to keep water moving and reduce freezing risk.
- Open cabinet doors in kitchens/bathrooms to circulate warm air around plumbing.
- Keep thermostat consistent day and night; avoid lowering the temperature overnight.
City of Atlanta warming centers are open now through 11 a.m. on Feb 2. Locations include:
• Central Park Recreation Center, 400 Merritts Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
• Selena S. Butler Park and Recreation Center (Women and children only), 98 William Holmes Borders Dr. NE, Atlanta, GA 30312
• An overflow site at Old Adamsville Recreation Center, 3404 Delmar Ln NW, Atlanta, GA 30331.
Warming centers in DeKalb are open at these locations:
• Exchange Park Intergenerational Center, 2771 Columbia Drive Decatur
• Frontline Response International, 2585 Gresham Road SE, Atlanta
• St. Vincent de Paul, 2050-C Chamblee Tucker Road, Chamblee
• Tobie Recreation Center, 593 Parkdale Drive, Scottdale
Once again, from all of us at Rough Draft, thank you for following our live weather blog.
3:15 p.m.
The National Weather Service in Atlanta is forecasting that further snow is unlikely inside I-285 and will taper off soon. Little to no further accumulations are expected in the core of metro Atlanta.
The City of Sandy Springs reported that one tree fell in the city today along River North Drive near the Chattahoochee River. Crews are currently clearing it, according to the city’s dashboard.
Snow began sticking in Sandy Springs and Buckhead just after noon. There is a very light blanket of snow sticking to cars, roofs, and plants. Temperatures remain a few degrees below freezing and will stay there until tomorrow afternoon.
2:08 p.m.
WSB-TV reports that a frozen pipe has burst at the Fulton County Jail causing flooding conditions. Fulton Commissioner Mo Ivory confirmed the burst to Channel 2 Action News.
Rabun County is winning the snow accumulation total with 7.3 inches. In North Gwinnett, Buford has 4 inches, and Dacula has 2. Road conditions along I-85 and I-985 have deteriorated significantly, with Gravel Springs at I-85 shut down in Gwinnett.
GDOT once again urged drivers to stay off the roads as they continue to treat with brine and salt.
2 p.m.
A hazy shade of winter. Another band of snow was making its way through the metro during the 1 p.m. hour. Our contributor, Jacob Nguyen, filmed the King and Queen buildings in Sandy Springs, shrouded in snow and haze. Meanwhile, snow was sticking again to trees and grass, but high winds were keeping it from accumulating in any significant way. In Midtown, the streets around Georgia Tech were thronged with basketball fans bundled up against the cold and making their way to McCamish Pavilion for the Tech vs. North Carolina game.
1 p.m.
A post from GEMA/HS shows the impact Gianna is having in Northern Georgia.
12:40 p.m.
What a difference a few miles makes. A reader in Buford shared a photo (above) showing snow on the ground and continued precipitation.
The Georgia Department of Transportation reports that additional bands of snow are expected to move farther south and east as the storm continues to evolve.
“Updated forecasts suggest that some locations previously expected to receive heavier snowfall may see little to no snow or reduced accumulations, while other areas remain at risk for winter weather impacts,” the GDOT release said.
Alerts have been issued for several locations in Gilmer, Murray and Towns counties due to icy conditions. GDOT plow crews are actively plowing roads in north and northeast Georgia as snow continues to fall and accumulate on interstates and state routes.
Whiteout conditions have been reported in North Gwinnett and Forsyth County, while the metro Atlanta area is seeing gusty wind, but little or no flurries.
Noon
In Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Tucker, Buckhead, and Brookhaven, swirling snow can be seen with little accumulation. Interior roadways are clear, and I-285 is moving well. The main concern with residents seems to be more focused on the falling temperatures, rather than the snow.
The Kroger store in Sandy Springs was uncrowded, with plenty of produce, milk and bread on shelves.
11:10 a.m.
While the snowstorm appears to have fizzled in the city, drive a short distance to Dacula and North Gwinnett, and you’ll find an inch or more of accumulation. We’ve also seen reports of more significant snowfall in Hall and Forsyth counties. Continue to monitor WSB-TV for updates.
WSB meteorologist Brad Nitz said there will continue to be periods of heavy snow and accumulation from Forsyth, eastern Gwinnett and Walton counties and eastward.
Most of the metro area and west of there will see some periods of snow, but the accumulation and impact will be less widespread.
10:50 a.m.
We have confirmed reports of light snow falling in Decatur and other areas around the city. In Midtown, the light snow that fell and stuck to rooftops and grassy areas melted away pretty quickly as sunshine peeked through the clouds. More snow is expected in the next hour, but it appears that a large part of the metro has escaped any significant snowfall. However, winds are picking up and temperatures will continue to dive throughout the day. Tonight, temperatures will be in the teens with possibly subz-zero windchills.
9:45 a.m.
A band of light snow began falling in the city and accumulating on grassy areas and untreated surfaces at 9:15 a.m. The temperature has also fallen to around 25 degrees and will drop into the teens and lower 20s overnight. Metro Atlanta is under an extreme cold warning from 7 p.m. Saturday until 1 p.m. on Sunday. Wind gusts between 30 and 40 mph are expected later this afternoon, ushering in dangerously cold wind chills that could be in the single digits.
9 a.m.
Flight Aware is reporting that 578 flights in and out of Jackson-Hartsfield International Airport have been cancelled, with 55 total delays so far.
8:25 a.m.
Snow is falling across parts of North Georgia, and there’s already a dusting in Milton. Our colleagues at WSB-TV report that just before 8 a.m., a heavy snow band was moving through Buford, Suwanee, and Sugar Hill in Gwinnett County.
6 a.m.
Snow was expected to be moving into the metro Atlanta area this morning, with the potential of one to two inches. Be sure to check in with our media partner WSB-TV for the latest on the weather.
Along with the snow, the National Weather Service said it will be bitterly cold, with windchills on Saturday night into Sunday morning possibly below zero.
Both the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Atlanta Department of Transportation began pre-treating interstates and roadways with brine on Thursday night. Those operations are expected to continue through at least midday Monday. Both agencies advise motorists to stay home, but if travel is necessary, drive slowly and watch for black ice. Express Lanes on I-85 and I-75 are closed for the duration of the storm.
MARTA rail plans to operate Gold/Red lines on 20-minute single-tracking schedules, while Blue/Green lines will operate on normal weekend schedules. A determination about bus routes was expected this morning. Visit itsmarta.com for the latest updates before you venture out.
As expected, there are many closures and cancellations today, and we’ve got a roundup here. Be sure to visit our Instagram stories for even more.
Winter Storm Gianna comes exactly one week after Fern, which caused icy conditions and power outages around the metro.