NWS Weather Watch In Effect Until 7 a.m. Tomorrow
Georgia is bracing for freezing temperatures, snow and ice as a winter storm, which has now been dubbed Cora by The Weather Channel, stands to impact a 1,400 mile-long section of the country.
The National Weather Service (NWS), which, by the way, does not participate in the naming of storms, has issued winter storm watches, warnings, and/or winter weather advisories throughout an 18-state region stretching from New Mexico to Virginia.
In a side note, the name Cora has been used for one tropical cyclone in the Atlantic Ocean, eight in the western Pacific, and one in the South Pacific. The Weather Channel chose the name Cora shortly after the storm cell formed over Texas yesterday.
At 10:45 p.m. last night, The National Weather Service upgraded the Winter Weather Watch that Northeast Georgia was under to a Winter Weather Warning. A Winter Storm Warning will be issued in advance of the storm and indicates that heavy snow of at least 6 inches in 12 hours, or at least 8 inches in 24 hours, is expected. It can also be issued if sleet accumulation will be at least half an inch. As the event becomes imminent, a watch will be upgraded to a warning if conditions pose a threat to life or property, and that travel will become difficult to impossible.
According to the NWS Forecast for Stephens County, the Winter Storm Warning will remain in effect from 7 a.m. this morning to 7 a.m. tomorrow morning, Jan. 11. Heavy mixed precipitation is expected, and while the national weather service shifted their forecast to predict less snowfall than originally anticipated, the forecast also now is predicting more ice accumulation than originally forecast. According to the latest updates from the National Weather Service, Stephens County residents should be prepared for anywhere between 1 to 3 inches of snow and sleet, and approximately 2/10ths of an inch of accumulated ice. The region for this forecast includes Northeast Georgia, the Piedmont and western regions of North Carolina, and Upstate South Carolina.
As noted by the National Weather Service, snow and ice accumulations will make many roads treacherous or even impassable. The weight of the snow and ice on tree limbs and power lines could produce scattered outages. This morning’s snowfall is expected to shift to freezing rain later in the day.
Stephens County Emergency Management Director Danielle Rhodes recommends that residents remain off the roads unless travel is absolutely necessary, both for citizens safety, and to keep the roadways clear for Emergency crews, first responders and any power and road crews out working to restore power and open roadways.
Locally, officials announced yesterday that all non-essential city and county departments, offices and buildings will be closed today, including the Stephens County Recreation Department. The Road Department will still be working to keep the roads clear. All County convenience sites will be closed, to reopen on Monday the 13th. Also, Stephens County School Superintendent Dr. Connie Franklin also announced yesterday afternoon that all Stephens County Public Schools and administration offices would be closed today. This includes all extracurricular activities, practices, and events scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
In other closure notices, all Franklin, Hart, Banks Habersham and Rabun county schools are also closed, as are all North Georgia Technical College facilities, Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School and Tallulah Falls School. Toccoa Falls College also announced that they would not operate today, as did Truett-McConnell University. Toccoa-Stephens County Public Library will be closed Today, Jan. 10, and tomorrow, Jan. 11. Stephens County State Court scheduled, originally scheduled for Friday, has been moved to 9 a.m on Wednesday, Jan. 15. Stephens County Hospital announced yesterday that Stephens County Hospital’s Orthopedics Clinic, WorkWell Immediate Care, General Surgery Clinic, Primary Care and Internal Medicine Clinic and the Wound Care Center will be closed today. WNEG News was also advised that North Georgia Credit Union and First Citizen Bank will be closed today.
Also, the Georgia Department of Labor Toccoa Career Center will be closed today, Jan. 10, and will reopen Monday, Jan. 13, at 8 a.m.
Group Shelter #1 at Tugaloo State Park has been designated as a warming station for public use today, with Park Pass fees waived for homeowners who may lose power and stranded motorists. All other programs at Tugaloo State Park have been canceled for today. A list of other parks participating in the warming shelter effort is included in this story on wnegradio.com.
Also, WNEG News has confirmed that the Hope Center, at 158 South Broad Street in Toccoa, will open at 5:30 PM this evening as a warming center and remain open and operating with normal services through Saturday morning (subject to change based on weather conditions) for those in need of shelter for their safety.
Also, WNEG News would like to note that the Hope Center is in need of donations of warm hats (stocking caps) and winter gloves. Donations can be made at the Hope Center.
Stephens County Emergency Management and all local first responders urge citizens to stay home and off roadways as much as is possible, and also ask that citizens remember that 911 should be used for emergency calls only.
Call your power company to report power outages. This is also true for TV, phone, and internet outages.
For outages with Georgia Power, call 1-888-891-0938 or use this website to report an outage via the internet or to see current outages. https://outagemap.georgiapower.com/external/default.html
For outages with Hart EMC call 1-800-241-4109. You can view current outages at https://www.hartemc.com/outage-center/
For outages with Habersham EMC call 706-754-2114. You can view their current outages at http://outageview.habershamemc.com/#viewer-menu-parent
For Windstream outages call 1-800-347-1991
For TruVista Outages call 706-886-2727
And Don’t forget you can check Toccoa time and temperature by calling 706-886-1414
And in a procedural note from WNEG News … The morning reports this morning will include closures as listed above. Added closures and non-emergency storm announcements will, in most cases, not be included in later broadcasts. Visit wnegradio.com and the wnegradio Facebook page for the most up-to-date information on closures and scheduling changes due to Winter Storm Cora. Citizens can also comment on the pinned winter storm post at the top of our Facebook Page to advise other citizens of power outages, downed trees, closed roads and other storm-related information.