‘Heavy’ snow could impact parts of central Georgia, metro Atlanta mostly spared

Accumulations could range from a quarter to an inch, while up to 3 inches is possible in isolated areas.

“There are a lot of moving parts. Ample uncertainty remains with respect to snow amounts and potential footprint of snow on Sunday morning,” the Weather Service said.

A winter weather advisory is in place from 3 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday for mostly parts of central and South Georgia. The advisory includes parts of metro Atlanta, such as Henry and Spalding counties. Total snow accumulation in these parts could reach up to an inch.

A winter storm warning is in place from 3 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday for portions of central and west central Georgia, including Macon, Americus, Dublin, Warner Robins and Cordele. The Weather Service said heavy snow is expected and could lead to 1 to 3 inches of accumulation.

Models indicate an onset of rain in central and southwest Georgia shortly before midnight as a cold front moves in from the northwest. Showers will then spread north and east through Sunday morning.

Between 4 and 8 a.m., the Weather Service said temperatures will drop below freezing south of the metro area and the rain will transition to a wintry mix or wet snow as the moisture encounters cold air behind the front. That pattern is expected to persist as the front moves through South Georgia.

Light snow or a wintry mix should hold until around 1 p.m. Sunday. The most impactful snowfall will occur between 6 and 11 a.m.

Though conditions favor snow in areas south of the I-85 corridor, the Weather Service said it’s possible that snow could be seen as far north as the south Atlanta metro to Athens.

“Changes in the movement of the cold front could make the difference between a location seeing snow, or all rain before precipitation comes to an end,” the agency said.

Regardless of where the snow falls, the Georgia Department of Transportation said it is closely monitoring forecasts for icy road conditions.

“GDOT crews are prepared to mobilize more focused regional pretreatment and response efforts should the need arise,” spokesperson Natalie Dale said in a statement. “A focused activation and treatment plan can be mobilized and executed quickly as conditions warrant.”

During all of that, Atlanta should remain mostly cloudy. Sunday afternoon is expected to be sunny, chilly and windy in the city. Highs will cap at 40 degrees.

Temperatures Monday morning will drop into the 20s, with some teens in the North Georgia mountains. Any precipitation that did not dry will have frozen overnight and become black ice.

A freeze watch is in place from late Sunday through Monday morning for southeast Georgia and parts of Florida. Subfreezing temperatures as low as 24 are possible early Monday morning.

Temperatures will rebound Monday with highs in the 40s and 50s across the state.

Atlanta will see a high of 47 degrees.

Dry conditions will then prevail Monday through Wednesday.