ATLANTA — As winter weather moves closer, officials across Georgia say they are preparing for potentially dangerous ice conditions expected this weekend.

The effort begins with the Georgia Department of Transportation, which is gearing up to keep roads safe. GDOT crews will begin pre-treating roads with brine starting at midnight going into Saturday, working from Macon north to the state line.

“We’re going to get out and work continuously until the storm gets here,” said GDOT spokesperson Natalie Dale. “We’re going to throw everything we have at it.”

Despite those preparations, Dale says there are limits to what road crews can do during an ice storm.

“We cannot plow ice. Brine can only be effective up until certain circumstances,” she said.

Dale is urging drivers to heed warnings and stay off the roads this weekend, noting that GDOT crews will also prioritize their own safety.

“When it gets dangerous, they’ll be off the roads too,” she said.

GDOT crews are preparing for a large-scale brining operation across metro Atlanta. Dale says the department has about two million gallons of brine available statewide.

“We have just about 2 million gallons of brine statewide at our disposal, and we make that as we use it,” she said. “So even though we’re spreading it, that doesn’t mean that number is going down. We can continue to make and store up to 2 million gallons of brine at any time.”

Beginning early Saturday, GDOT crews will work rotating 12-hour shifts as they pre-treat roads.

“We are going to make best use of our people, best use of our materials, and best use of our equipment for what Mother Nature brings us,” Dale said. She added that even with the current plans, “there are limitations to what any winter weather equipment or material can do in an ice storm situation.”

Georgia’s utility companies are also preparing for the possibility of widespread power outages.

Georgia Power spokesperson Matthew Kent says the company is deploying teams to areas expected to be hardest hit.

“Brine crews throughout the state are making sure they have the appropriate equipment with whatever might need to be replaced in the event of outages,” Kent said. “We’re ready for something like this to happen.”

Kent says line crews are loading trucks with extra power poles and transformers in advance, but he’s asking customers to be patient if outages occur.

“Even though you may not see a truck on your street, know that we are somewhere down the line, working to restore power,” he said.

Kent also warned that ice can cause significant damage to utility lines.

“About a quarter of an inch can add about 500 pounds to a line,” he said.

Georgia EMC spokesperson Kim Broun says EMC crews are also ready and are preparing resources ahead of the storm.

“Lineman, I mean it’s in their blood. They want to get power back to members as quickly as possible, but they’re going to do it as safely as possible too,” Broun said.

Broun says communication with mutual aid partners is already underway.

“Communication with mutual aid partners both in and out of the state is underway. We’re planning for mobilizing additional crews,” she said.

Both Georgia Power and Georgia EMC say icy conditions must be safe before linemen can begin repairs. Utility officials are reminding the public to prepare now by buying flashlights and batteries and charging phones, and to call 911 immediately if a downed power line is spotted.

Governor Brian Kemp has declared a state of emergency, which will run through next Thursday, though officials say it could be extended depending on how conditions develop over the weekend.

WSB Radio’s Jonathan O’Brien contributed to this story.