County governments in metro Atlanta are preparing for winter weather that could pummel much of Georgia this weekend, and grocery stores are getting ready for another kind of storm in the forecast — the mad dash of shoppers trying to stock up before the weather hits.
The National Weather Service on Wednesday issued a winter storm watch for Georgia counties north of a line from Rome to Gainesville and over to Elbert County. The area does not include metro Atlanta’s core counties but is likely to expand as the weekend approaches, forecasters say.
The storm watch is in effect from late Friday through Monday morning. The National Weather Service is expecting “significant” impacts from snow and dangerous icy conditions throughout much of Georgia.
City of Atlanta officials are urging residents to stay off the roads, charge their electronic devices and stock up on non-perishable food and other essentials like water and batteries. Residents also are being asked to bring their pets inside and check in on senior or vulnerable neighbors.
“The administration’s primary goal is to keep our residents safe and informed,” said Michael Smith, deputy chief communications officer for the mayor’s office.
The Atlanta Department of Transportation is planning to use 21 salt spreaders carrying 2,500 tons of salt, and 22 brine trucks loaded with 15,500 gallons, during the storm.
Beginning Saturday morning, crews will pre-treat roadways, prioritizing more than 160 areas including main arterials and high-traffic roads and bridges, according to the mayor’s office.
The Department of Water Management also will monitor water pressure throughout the city, while the Department of Parks and Recreation will help with fallen trees along with a dedicated team from the fire department.
Emergency operators will begin working 12-hour shifts on Friday, and the city will open four warming centers.
In DeKalb County, spokesperson Quinn Hudson said workers have been compiling materials and equipment for the past two weeks in preparation for foul winter weather.
Hudson said crews will distribute calcium chloride and tools to spread it to fire stations on Thursday, making sure their driveways are clear. On Thursday and Friday, crews will start treating roads with calcium chloride.
All of the road and drainage employees will be available on Saturday and Sunday, he said.
“We could have upward of 100 employees that will be working 12-hour shifts during this episode,” Hudson said.
DeKalb has the following supplies and equipment on hand: 2,500 tons of salt, 50 tons of calcium chloride, 7,500 tons of sand, 800 tons of pre-mixed salt-sand, 12 to 15 “chained chain saws,” and seven salt-sand spreaders, among other tools of the storm-fighting trade.
In Cobb County, the Department of Transportation constructed a new brining system allowing workers to “manufacture the material they need in real time,” a county spokesperson said. “They stockpiled the ingredients near the tanks and can generate a significant amount of product as needed.
“We can share material with neighboring jurisdictions should they request it.”
Gwinnett County officials also are closely monitoring the evolving weather forecast and convening for daily briefings by the National Weather Service.
“The county is making sure generators and fleet vehicles are ready to go and developing staffing plans to ensure continuity of operations at critical facilities throughout the duration of the storm,” a spokesperson said.
The Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency has been monitoring weather conditions carefully and coordinating with Fulton County cities, said Fulton spokesperson Jessica Corbitt.
“We are also working with departments to evaluate the impact of a weather event on any operations over the weekend,” Corbitt said. “We will provide additional updates as we get closer.”
She also noted that Fulton County’s Department of Community Development will provide transportation for residents from the Gateway Center to warming centers.
Fulton only has 1 square mile of unincorporated area and is only responsible for the roads around Fulton County Executive Airport at Brown Field. Cities and the Georgia Department of Transportation are responsible for clearing the other roads.
Grocery stores ready
Fear that an ice storm could make roads impassable, or nearly so, is certain to propel Atlantans to grocery stores in droves.
Two major grocers with stores dotted across metro Atlanta say they are preparing for winter weather.
Publix said it has stocked up on key items, such as water, canned goods and batteries. Many Publix stores have generators in place should they lose power, or there are plans to bring portable generators onsite, a spokesperson said in a statement.
Kroger said it has a plan in place to keep shelves stocked. The grocery chain intends to have all its stores open during normal hours. But a spokesperson noted “stores may close early on a case-by-case basis” and said customers should check the Kroger app for updates.
The Publix spokesperson encouraged customers to prepare early to help ease last-minute rushes for supplies.
“There is no reason to ‘panic-buy,’” the Kroger spokesperson said. “We encourage customers to purchase only what they need.”
Staff writers Amy Wenk and Alia Pharr contributed to this article.
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