Winter Weather - December 2022

The National Weather Service has forecasted some of the coldest air the state has seen in five to eight years to move into Georgia on Friday and continue throughout the weekend.

State of Emergency

On Wednesday, December 21, 2022, Governor Kemp issued a State of Emergency for all 159 counties in Georgia due to the potential for severe winter weather. The SOE will be in effect through Monday, December 26. The declaration makes state resources available to local governments and entities statewide to assist in preparation, response and recovery activities throughout the affected areas.

GDOT Activities

The Georgia Department of Transportation has begun brining roads and operations will continue through Friday. Crews will prioritize treating interstates, state routes, bridges and overpasses, with priority routes including I-20, I-85 and I-75 north of metro Atlanta, I-75 south of metro Atlanta to Macon, and I-85 south of Atlanta to Columbus.

Georgia DOT will be closing all Georgia Express Lanes at midnight Thursday into Friday. Motorists in affected areas should limit travel Thursday into Friday morning. If necessary to travel, be aware of brine trucks. They must travel 40 mph to properly apply treatment, so be vigilant and stay back at least 100 feet from these vehicles. Also, give GDOT crews room and space on the roads to help ensure they can do their jobs safely.

Warming Stations

Several counties will be opening warming stations as early as 4 p.m. on Thursday.

  • Baldwin County
    • Freedom Church – Opens December 23 at 7 a.m.
    • All county-manned fire stations – Open until December 23 at 10 p.m.
       
  • Chattooga County
    • Horizon Baptist Church,1216 Highway 114, Summerville, Ga. 30747
    • Trion Recreation Center, 90 Dalton St, Trion, Ga. 30753
    • Chattooga High School, 989 Highway 114, Summerville, Ga. 30747
    • Summerville Middle School, 200 Middle School Rd, Summerville, Ga. 30747
       
  • Fannin County
    • Fannin County Family Connection – Open from December 22 at 7 p.m. to December 25 at 7 a.m.
       
  • Polk County
    • Community Share Ministry, 770 Huntington Road, Cedartown, Ga. 30125 – Open from December 22 at 4 p.m. to December 25 at 12 p.m.

To find out if there is a warming station in your area, contact your local EMA. Click on the following link to find your local EMA here: https://gema.georgia.gov/locations.

 

Georgia State Parks are opening warming stations across the state for those who may lose power or motorists who may be stranded. The ParkPass fees will be waived. To find a full listing of warming stations and their availability, visit gastateparks.org/Alerts.

Preparedness Tips

As the cold weather approaches, here are some things to keep in mind:

General

  • Check on elderly/disabled relatives and neighbors.
  • Stay hydrated, dehydration occurs more in cold weather, and people less suspect it because they are not sweating.
  • Stock food that needs no cooking or refrigeration, and store water in clean containers.
  • Keep water in clean bathtubs or pots to have for drinking and personal hygienic use if you are on a well.
  • Plan on bringing your pets inside during the winter weather event.
  • Listen to NOAA Weather Radio to stay informed of winter weather watches and warnings. Also monitor trusted news sources for more information.

Home Safety

  • Open cabinet doors to allow heat to get to uninsulated pipes under sinks and appliances near exterior walls.
  • Allow faucets to drip a little during cold weather to avoid freezing.
  • If traveling out of town for the holidays, please have someone you trust to check on your home to ensure you have not lost power.
  • Use electric space heaters with automatic shut-off switches and non-glowing elements. Remember to keep all heat sources at least three feet away from flammable items such as furniture and drapes.
  • If you have a wood burning fireplace, consider storing extra wood in your garage to keep you warm if winter weather knocks out your heat.
  • Don’t use an oven to heat your home.
  • Never use a generator, camp stove, charcoal grill, gasoline or propane heater indoors.
  • Keep generators outside at least 20 feet away from doors, windows and vents.

Power Outage

  • In case of power loss:
    • Use flashlights during instead of candles to prevent the risk of fire, and have plenty of extra batteries on-hand.
    • Have at least one of the following heat sources in place:
      • Extra blankets, sleeping bags and warm winter coats
      • Fireplace or wood-burning stove with plenty of dry firewood, or a gas log fireplace.
      • Kerosene heater, with proper ventilation.
      • Utilize your vehicle as a heating source. Be sure it is not in an enclosed space, i.e., garage.
    • People who depend on electricity to operate medical equipment should have alternate arrangements in place in case power is out for an extended period of time.
    • Have a battery-operated or NOAA radio to receive information
    • Notify someone if issues arise regarding heat or the need for assistance during winter weather event. Contact your local EMA.
    • Reach out to local EMAs for list of warming stations.

Additional Information

To discover what the weather would be like in your area on an hourly basis, go to www.weather.gov/ffc/, and in the 'Local forecast by “City, St” or ZIP code' box in the top left-hand corner, enter and select the location that you need.

Once selected, scroll down on the new page and you will be able to select the 'Hourly Weather Forecast' option for the most hourly up-to-date forecast data from the National Weather Service.

For more information on how to safeguard yourself and your family from the winter weather, visit https://gema.georgia.gov/plan-prepare/storms-disasters/winter.