ATLANTA — Freezing rain and sleet are moving through the entire metro Atlanta area early Sunday morning, creating hazardous conditions on roads and elevated surfaces.
Temperatures across the metro remain below freezing. Officials say any precipitation falling is likely freezing rain or sleet and is already accumulating on metal surfaces such as signs and streetlights, as well as bridges and overpasses.
Emergency management coordinators across the metro began sharing updates as ice continued to build Sunday morning.
FULTON COUNTY
Officials reported untreated elevated surfaces and sidewalks freezing over at the county’s emergency operations center. Measurements showed between one-sixteenth and one-eighth of an inch of ice accumulation in parts of the county.
Johns Creek and Alpharetta reported roadways rapidly icing over, with slush confirmed on roads in Alpharetta.
The City of Decatur has measured about one-eighth of an inch of ice on raised surfaces.
A trained spotter later reported up to 0.15 inches of ice accumulation near the intersection of Westside Parkway and Old Roswell Road in the Roswell area of Fulton County.
Grass was holding ice, while residential roadways and sidewalks remained wet but free of ice at that time.
GWINNETT COUNTY
Officials reported sleet mixing with freezing rain in Lilburn early Sunday morning.
COBB COUNTY
A trained spotter reported approximately 0.20 inches of ice accumulation near the intersection of Brooks Drive and Fessenden Avenue in Austell.
Earlier, light glazing was reported on elevated surfaces in the Sweat Mountain area of Marietta, with temperatures near still slightly below freezing.
CHEROKEE COUNTY
Officials said roads were slowly worsening, mainly in northern and eastern parts of the county. They reported a few downed trees and power lines as temperatures remained in the mid to upper 20s.
Wind gusts between 20 and 30 miles per hour were also reported. In Canton, officials measured just over two-tenths of an inch of ice accumulation at the county’s emergency operations center.
DOUGLAS COUNTY
Officials reported ice accumulating on trees and vehicles at the county’s emergency operations center, with temperatures still below freezing.
County DOT officials said no ice had been reported on roadways as of early Sunday morning. Georgia State Patrol reported U.S. 278 and Georgia 61 from Dallas to the Douglas County line remained clear with moderate rain.
DEKALB COUNTY
Officials reported no major roadway issues early Sunday morning after travel through Midtown, Decatur and Lilburn.
Some small trees were observed beginning to droop.
BARTOW COUNTY
Georgia State Patrol reported a glaze of ice forming on elevated surfaces, measuring around one-tenth of an inch. Troopers said ice could be heard crackling on trees due to strong winds.
FORSYTH COUNTY
Trained weather spotters reported worsening winter conditions on the Forsyth County side of Lake Lanier Sunday morning.
Around 8 a.m., trained spotters reported about 0.20 inches of ice from freezing rain and up to 0.75 inches of sleet near Shady Grove Road and Lanier Drive, north of Lake Lanier.
PICKENS COUNTY
Officials reported Highway 53 east of Jasper was iced over with at least one vehicle in a ditch. Ice was accumulating on trees and power lines, and secondary roads east of Jasper were becoming coated.
Several streets in the City of Jasper were closed due to ice, and power outages were reported affecting more than 600 customers. Temperatures across the county remained in the 20s.
HENRY COUNTY
Officials reported vehicles glazed over in Hampton early Sunday morning.
ATHENS-CLARKE COUNTY
Emergency officials said sleet started to pick up early Sunday morning, with visibility decreasing on roadways due to ice accumulation.
Officials continue to urge drivers to stay off the roads if possible and to travel with extreme caution if travel is necessary.
