4 PM: Hundreds Still Without Power

800 customers are still without power two days after a winter storm swept through northern parts of the state. Georgia Power expects people around Athens to have power by 7p, with customers in Hartwell restored to power by 10 pm. In all, the storm knocked out power for about 100,000 customers. At least seven school districts in northeast Georgia are closed again today. 50 districts closed yesterday.

4 PM Power Outage Update

20,000 metro Atlantans and north Georgians are still without power right now after snow and ice damage yesterday and overnight. Hardest-hit are Jackson and Madison counties, where up to 7 inches of snow fell. At the height of the storm, approximately 45,000 customers were without power due mainly to the weight of snow and winds causing trees to fall on power lines. The Georgia Electric Membership Corporation has 70 crews working around the clock to restore power. It could take well into tonight to restore all power. Students in at least 50 school districts across central Georgia are enjoying a snow day.

Ga. Power: Snowstorms Cut Electricity to Over 40,000 (photos, video)

Snow falling on construction equipment in midtown Atlanta, at the uncompleted 14th St. bridge over the I-75/85 connector on Sunday, Mar. 1, 2009. (Photo: Dave Bender)

Metro Atlanta, and much of northeast, and southwest Georgia were blanketed with several inches of snow on Sunday that caused aggravation for many.

Georgia Power spokesman Jeff Wilson said the snowstorm cut electricity to tens of thousands of homes and businesses across a major arc of the state:

"We have about 42,000 customers statewide without power, about 30,000 of these are in the northeast part of the state - the Athens and the Winder areas. About 7,000 current outage in Metro Atlanta, and the rest scattered from Columbus to Rome."

Wilson says high winds and fallen trees are hampering repairs, and wasn’t able to estimate when power would be fully restored.

"Time lapse of March 1, 2009 Georgia snow. Video was taken from a security camera in Hiram, GA."
(Courtesy YouTube member: Zacwin)

The FAA says Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport had upwards of two-hour waits for some flights, and cancellations of others.

On the ground, the Georgia Department of Transportation says about a 1,000 people were working to clear roads.

Officials at the University of Georgia said Sunday they planned to delay classes on Monday until noon.

Six Flags amusement park, which had been scheduled for its spring opening on Saturday, remained closed all weekend, due to the snow and rainy weather.

Click here for the latest National Weather Service advisories.

Click here for more GPB News coverage and photos of the sudden stormy weather.

Rare Snow Blankets South as East Braces For Storm (Photos)

A powerful March snowstorm blanketed much of Alabama and then marched across Georgia on Sunday, forcing some flight cancellations in Atlanta as the East Coast braced for a potential pummeling.

Peachtree Ave., midtown Atlanta on Sunday afternoon, Mar. 1, 2009. (Photo: Dave Bender)

The weather service said winter storm warnings are in effect from northern Georgia and the Carolinas through the Mid-Atlantic states into New England.

At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Delta Air Lines and AirTran Airways canceled some Sunday flights and a Federal Aviation Administration Web site said flights to
Atlanta were experiencing average delays of nearly two hours.

AirTran spokesman Tad Hutcheson said flights out of Atlanta into the Northeast may also be canceled Sunday night as the messy, developing storm took aim at walloping at wide swath of the East Coast up through Maine.

"I expect the Northeast will be hit pretty hard tonight so our expectations is that people flying into Washington, D.C., and Boston will need to call or check our Web site for possible cancellations," Hutcheson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Delta spokesman Brian Kruse said the airline is monitoring the weather and asking customers flying to, from or through Atlanta to call Delta or check its Web site for updates.

Georgia Tech students A.D. Barfield, Lily Manavi, and Candace Farr discuss the merits of their snowman. (Photo: Dave Bender)

Despite above-freezing temperatures, a heavy flurry of snow fell on downtown Atlanta, blanketing cars and creating slushy streets and sidewalks. It hadn't snowed in Atlanta for more than a year — the area received 1.4 inches of snow in January 2008, said Laura Griffith of the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Ga.

I-75/85 connector, near 14th St. bridge construction. (Photo: Dave Bender)

Georgia transportation officials warned of potential icy conditions on roadways in middle and northern counties through Monday morning. No icing on roadways, bridges or other overpasses had been reported through midday Sunday, but as temperatures drop Sunday night, officials warn motorists that ice could be a threat.

Outside the CNN Center in downtown Atlanta, Flori Kwon of Claremont, Calif. took pictures of her son Jake, 5, playing in the snow.

"He wants to make a snowman but I don't think there's enough snow," Kwon said while large snowflakes landed in her hair. "We're kind of surprised it's snowing."

The late Southern snowfall brought back memories of a large storm in 1993 that forecasters nicknamed the "Snowfall of the Century," affecting the region from Alabama to north of Washington, D.C. on March 13, 1993, Griffith said. In that storm, Atlanta received 4.2 inches of snow and 13 inches of snow fell on Birmingham, Ala.


Pedestrians and snowmen at an overpass in midtown Atlanta. (Photo: Dave Bender)

Meanwhile, tornado watches were in effect from northern Florida into coastal Georgia and southern South Carolina.

Crossing Peachtree Ave., in midtown Atlanta, as the snow blows around. (Photo: Dave Bender)

Despite above-freezing temperatures in downtown Atlanta, a heavy curtain of snow fell on cars and caused traffic accidents on slushy streets. The unusual weather prompted 26-year-old Jessi Prahl and Max DiPace to take their dog, Cooper, on a walk through snow-covered Piedmont Park in Atlanta.

Says Prahl: "You know us Southerners, we all freak out when it snows."

(AP)
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Send us your snow photos (in standard .jpg format), and we'll post the best ones here: dbender at gpb dot org (replace the "at" with @ and "Dot" with .)

Click here for more GPB News coverage of today's wintry weather.

NWS Snow Updates, Photos

Click on the image for more local details. (National Weather Service)

A steady snow has been falling across metro Atlanta, as well as other areas in the west and north of the state, through most of the afternoonaccording to the National Weather Service office in Peachtree City:

...MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW IS EXPECTED ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH AND
CENTRAL GEORGIA THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS...

.AN UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WILL TRACK ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN
GEORGIA THROUGH THIS EVENING. PRECIPITATION HAS CHANGED FROM RAIN
TO A MIXTURE OF RAIN AND SNOW TO ALL SNOW ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA
AS COLD AIR ALOFT FILTERED IN FROM THE WEST. ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2
INCHES ARE ALREADY ON THE GROUND IN THE WARNED AREAS:

FORSYTH-HALL-BANKS-JACKSON-MADISON-COBB-NORTH FULTON-GWINNETT-
BARROW-CLARKE-OCONEE-OGLETHORPE-WILKES-CARROLL-DOUGLAS-
SOUTH FULTON-DEKALB-ROCKDALE-WALTON-NEWTON-MORGAN-GREENE-
TALIAFERRO-HEARD-COWETA-FAYETTE-CLAYTON-SPALDING-HENRY-BUTTS-
JASPER-PUTNAM-TROUP-MERIWETHER-PIKE-UPSON-LAMAR-MONROE-HARRIS-
TALBOT-MUSCOGEE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...GAINESVILLE...MARIETTA...ATLANTA...
LAWRENCEVILLE...ATHENS...CARROLLTON...DOUGLASVILLE...EAST POINT... DECATUR...CONYERS...COVINGTON...NEWNAN...PEACHTREE CITY... GRIFFIN...COLUMBUS

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST TONIGHT FOR AREAS SOUTH OF A LINE FROM CARROLLTON TO GAINESVILLE AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM COLUMBUS TO WASHINGTON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST TONIGHT. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

AT THIS TIME...ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS OF ONE TO 2 INCHES ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WINTER STORM WARNING AREA...WITH A TOTAL ACCUMULATION OF 2 TO 4 INCHES EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THIS EVENING.

PERSONS IN THE ADVISORY AREA ARE URGED TO MONITOR THE LATEST CONDITIONS AND FORECASTS ON TELEVISION... RADIO...THE INTERNET OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO. IF THE STORM SYSTEM OR COLD AIR INTENSIFIES FURTHER...A WINTER STORM WARNING MAY BE ISSUED FOR PARTS OF THE AREA.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW... SLEET...AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING AND WILL CAUSE HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. TRAVEL SHOULD BE AVOIDED.


Snow over midtown Atlanta at noon on Sunday, Mar. 1, 2009. (Photo: Dave Bender)

Send us your snow photos (in standard .jpg format), and we'll post the best ones here: dbender at gpb dot org (replace the "at" with @ and Dot with .)
(Photo: Dave Bender)

Snow Likely for North Georgia

Cold weather is blanketing the state and snow is likely tonight in North Georgia. The National Weather Service says areas above 2,000 feet could get up to two inches of snow overnight. And much of the northern part of the state is likely to get at least a dusting. Flurries could extend as far south as Atlanta. You can link to the National Weather Radar to the right of this page.

(Associated Press)

Snow coming to Stone Mountain Park

Snow Mountain finally will get its premiere at Stone Mountain Park.

The controversial attraction was canceled last year when critics balked at the event in the midst of a crushing drought in the state.

This year, organizers say they are using borrowed water from Stone Mountain Lake that does not tap into city water.

(Associated Press)

Forecast: Cold and Clear After Saturday Snows

These were common suburban scenes across greater Atlanta early Sunday morning: remaining clumps of snow falling off roofs and slick, cracking ice on roads, as temperatures hovered in the mid-teens. (Dave Bender)

Snow, rain and sleet spread across parts of the South on Saturday, dusting lawns and shrubs with flakes and leading airlines to cancel several hundred flights.

All five runways at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport were reported open, but an automated Internet report from the Federal Aviation Administration said some flights bound for the airport were delayed by more than four hours.

Delta Air Lines Inc. had about 260 flight cancellations Saturday, spokeswoman Betsy Talton said. AirTran Airways spokesman Tad Hutcheson said 78 flights were canceled by afternoon and more cancellations were expected.

"We do have flights but with delays due to deicing, customers need to bring patience with them," Hutcheson said in a statement.

Snow fell as far south as southwestern Mississippi, with totals of as much as 3 inches, although the ground was too warm to allow it to accumulate. It was that area's first snowfall since 2001, the National Weather Service said.

Meteorologists in Georgia warned that the area's mixture of rain and snow could make roads icy Sunday morning, after overnight temperatures only in the upper teens and low 20s.

"We're really stressing people should, especially in the north metro area, stay off roads as much as possible," said Laura Griffith of the weather service office in Peachtree City.

Click here for National Weather Service warnings and alerts for Georgia.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the wintry weather.

(The Associated Press)

Second dose of snow likely for north Georgia

The National Weather Service says north Georgia should brace for another round of winter weather.

Precipitation will be moving into the northeast Georgia mountains early Saturday morning. With a wedge of cold air in place by then, a switch to mainly snow will occur, primarily north of a line from Cartersville to Cleveland. Accumulations of 1-3 are possible by Saturday afternoon.

Metro Atlanta can expect some snow as well. Forecasters say late Saturday morning, a rain/snow mix is likely mainly north of a line from Franklin to McDonough to Lexington. Highs Saturday are expected in the 30s.

Send Us Your Best Georgia Snow Photos!

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Clarkesville, GA: Residents awake to nearly four inches of fresh, wet snow (Claudia Lacy)

Make sure to include your full name, location, and contact information, including an email address.

Snow, ice blanket north Georgia

Demorest: Walking Through Woods on a Snowy Morning (M.J. Kneiser)

With temperatures hovering around freezing, snow, sleet and ice fell across much of north Georgia overnight. The northeast Georgia mountains received the most snowfall, with some spots getting up to 3 inches.

The National Weather Service reports that snowfalls across the region ranged from near three inches in Lumpkin and White counties to around an inch in Gilmer, Banks and Forsyth counties. Snow also fell in Atlanta and as far south as Peachtree City.
DOT spokesman Mark McKinnon said that trucks were still spreading sand and salt on major roadways in northeast Georgia this morning and monitoring conditions across the state.

McKinnon says driving to work should not be a problem for most Georgians: “As long as they’re careful, [drivers] will be fine. Roads are wet with a possible icy patch here or there.”

Still, many school systems across north Georgia have cancelled classes today because of the potentially dangerous conditions.

Officials expect conditions to improve as temperatures climb into the upper 30s and lower 40s during the day today.

Snow in north Georgia

Snowing is coming down tonight in parts of Georgia right now, including downtown Atlanta. Three north Georgia counties are under a Winter Storm Warning through 11:15 tonight. They are Stephens, Habersham, and Rabun counties. There are weather advisories for much of north Georgia overnight as storms move through the state.

Winter weather rolls into north Georgia

Winter weather is moving into north Georgia today, with possible effects to be felt well into Thursday.

Several counties in the extreme northeast portion of the state are under either a winter weather advisory, or winter storm warning. The watch/warning period extends from 7pm Wednesday to 7pm Thursday. Starting this afternoon, there is the chance of rain with either a mix of sleet or snow to fall in these areas. Lows in north Georgia tonight are expected in the 20s and 30s.

Coldest temps of season--and snow--into Georgia

A cold blast of air and for some Georgians, a thin blanket of snow, settled on the state this 2nd day of the New Year.

Snow showers fell in many areas of north Georgia overnight, including most of an eight-county stretch along the state line with Tennessee getting 1-2 inches of snow. Snow showers are possible for many of those areas until early afternoon. Temperatures for much of north Georgia this morning were in the 20’s.

The weather has closed Union County schools today, on what would have been the first day of the new semester.

The state forecast includes a wind advisory for much of Georgia, and hard freeze warning for south Georgia through the evening. Highs today expected in the 30s and 40s across the state.

Drought=no snow at Stone Mountain Park

Stone Mountain Park officials have halted production of a snow-attraction that would have used more than a million gallons of water every 30 days. The Park had begun making a mountain of artificial snow this week—on the same day Governor Perdue urged Georgians to take “shorter showers” to conserve water. Stone Mountain park officials said they had received approval to develop the snow attraction, but understand the concerns of residents in the midst of a historic drought.