Wintry mix ahead for Monday night, winter weather advisory issued for numerous north Ga. counties.

[3PM MONDAY UPDATE]

Get ready for the temperatures to take a major tumble over the next 24 hours!

In addition, a ribbon of light rain showers may transition over to a light wintry mix/freezing rain overnight into early Tuesday morning.

As a result, a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for north and western Georgia.

>>CLICK HERE for a list of school closings and delays for Tuesday, January 16th

As of Monday afternoon, the the Winter Weather Advisory has been extended further south and now includes Carrol, Douglas, Paulding, Cobb, Fulton and Forsyth counties.

This extension goes into effect at 4am Tuesday and ends at 12pm Tuesday.

In the western half of Metro Atlanta, a very small amount of sleet and freezing rain is possible early Tuesday morning, but it may be enough to create slick spots on untreated roads.

Be aware that bridges and overpasses are usually the first areas to become slick in these conditions.

Precipitation will end before 9am Tuesday, however a surge of frigid air will arrive before Tuesday afternoon.

The animation below illustrates the Futurecast Radar for late Monday night into early Tuesday morning.

Futurecast Radar Imagery for late Monday into early Tuesday morning. Futurecast Radar Imagery for late Monday into early Tuesday morning.

There is up to 0.1″ of ice accumulation possible in advisory counties – primarily on untreated and elevated surfaces.

The image below illustrates the areas where potential freezing rain accumulations may occur.

Futurecast Total Freezing Rain Amounts Futurecast Total Freezing Rain Amounts

The National Weather Service states there is a winter storm warning for Dade, Walker, Catoosa, Whitfield, Murray and Fannin counties, where there’s a better chance for accumulating snow, up to about 1 inch.

Get Set for a Blast of Bitterly Cold Air

All of Metro Atlanta will experience a blast of bitterly cold temperatures, similar to what was experienced during the “Christmas Arctic Blast” in December 2022.

The animation below illustrates the Futurecast temperatures between Tuesday morning and Wednesday afternoon.

Futurecast Temperatures through Wednesday morning Futurecast Temperatures through Wednesday morning

It is possible that many locations in the Metro Atlanta area will experience below-freezing temperatures for 48 hours, between Tuesday morning and Thursday morning.

Monitoring the 4-Ps: Pipes, Pets, Plants, and People

Frigid temperatures pose a great risk to 4-Ps, and it’s best to mitigate cold-weather impacts as early as possible.

Pipes: Let the faucets drip in both the hot and cold water taps beginning Monday night, continuing into late Thursday morning. Running water takes longer to freeze over compared to still water, and you may prevent thousands of dollars in frozen pipe damage by allowing the faucet to drip. Also open the cabinet doors to allow warmer air to flow around the pipes. Make sure garden hoses are disconnected from your home as well.
Pets: Even with a fur coat, animals are susceptible to cold temperatures. Do not leave pets outdoors when the temperatures drop below 32 degrees -- they can suffer from frostbite, or even succumb to hypothermia. Make sure adequate shelter is provided for outdoor pets and animals.
Plants: Plants that are not cold hardy will need to be covered and protected.
People: Anyone working outdoors will need to monitor for both frostbite and hypothermia. In addition, very young and very elderly people are more susceptible to extreme temperatures. Individuals with circulatory issues will also need to check for cold fingers, toes, ears, and nose, since these areas may freeze due to poor heat circulation within the body.

Everyone is at risk from the dangers of extreme cold, but these groups are more vulnerable than most. Age and certain conditions make the body less able to regulate temperature.
Learn more about cold safety: https://t.co/RneP7zRmmz #gawx pic.twitter.com/QfHHoccAaR
— NWS Atlanta (@NWSAtlanta) January 14, 2024

Prepare for Dangerously Low Wind Chills

Cold temperatures by themselves are tough enough, but with wind gusts as high as 20 to 30 mph, the “feels like” wind chill temperatures will be even lower.

Wind gusts as high as 25 mph on Wednesday morning may produce wind chill values as low as -5 to 5 degrees. The animation below illustrates the Futurecast wind chill values Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning.

Futurecast Wind Chill Values from early Tuesday morning into Wednesday morning.

Wind chill values this low is dangerous for anyone spending more than 15 minute outside, particularly if they are not prepared for the weather and lack warm clothing.

As a result, hypothermia can set in, causing body temperatures to drop to dangerous levels. “Body temperature that is too low affects the brain, making the victim unable to think clearly or move well,” states the CDC. “This makes hypothermia especially dangerous, because a person may not know that it’s happening and won’t be able to do anything about it.”

Science of Wind Chill (Courtesy: NOAA/NWS)

Another Arctic Blast This Weekend?!

As temperatures thaw out on Thursday and Friday, don’t put away the heavier winter coats! Another frigid blast will arrive early Saturday morning, dropping sunrise temperatures into the teens again in Metro Atlanta.

ECMWF Temperature Trend ECMWF Temperature Trend. Notice the hard freeze temperatures return to the forecast this coming weekend, January 20 and January 21.