GEORGIA, (WALB) - A state of emergency has been issued for all of Georgia ahead of possible winter weather expected to impact the state this weekend.

State leaders are urging drivers to stay off the roads in North Georgia, where icy conditions are most likely. Governor Brian Kemp says crews are on standby across North Georgia to prepare roadways, but ongoing rain is delaying treatment efforts.

Because of the rain, Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) crews cannot begin treating roads until precipitation ends. Officials say GDOT will start prepping roadways north of Interstate 20 beginning tonight, once conditions allow.

Governor Kemp also says Georgia Power resources and assets are being strategically positioned in areas that could be hit hardest by the winter weather to respond quickly to any outages.

The governor emphasized that people should avoid travel unless it is an emergency.

“Folks need to start getting off the road Saturday night. If it’s bad where you are on Sunday, just do us a favor, do the State Patrol, DOT, all the other folks, the utility crews that are out there working. If you can just stay off the roads. That would be a big favor to us and help keep everybody safe”

Current Weather Forecast:

• The presence of rain, freezing rain, sleet, or snow will depend on the exact temperature at any given time.
• The current expectation is for most of that precipitation to be freezing rain.
• Prolonged freezing temperatures could prevent melting and drying on roads and potentially cause pipes to burst.

As always, stay tuned to forecast updates from your local National Weather Service office and reliable media outlets.

‘Im urging all Georgians to take necessary precautions now to ensure their families and pets can stay safe, warm, and fed over the coming days."

State Action and Preparation:

• The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is actively staging crews and equipment to respond to the current winter weather threat. They will soon begin brining operations to pre-treat interstates, state routes, bridges, and overpasses in needed areas of the state.

For more winter weather preparedness tips, visit gema.georgia.gov/winter.

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