Gov. Deal Declares State Of Emergency Ahead Of Winter Storm

Georgia's governor has declared a state of emergency ahead of a winter storm that's moving into the region.

Gov. Nathan Deal said in a release that the state of emergency spans 50 counties in north Georgia beginning at 2 p.m. Wednesday. Deal says state offices will close at noon to avoid traffic jams during afternoon and evening snowfall like the ones that crippled the Atlanta metro area during a January 2014 storm. Motorists were stranded in their cars for hours as they attempted to leave work as the snow and ice fell.

Despite the emergency declaration going into effect Wednesday afternoon, Deal says state resources being deployed to address the storm will also be available overnight.

Deal says 80 additional Georgia Department of Transportation workers and 15 "strike teams" have been moved into areas expecting to see snow and freezing rain. The agency is also dispatching trucks to apply brine to major highways.

Meanwhile, schools and businesses issued closure notices in anticipation of the winter weather. Find a list of closings here.

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