Wet streets

Gov. Nathan Deal says he feels ‘very confident’ in Georgia's preparations for winter weather forecast for the northern part of the state.

Deal said at a news conference on Wednesday that state agencies are cooperating well and thanked Georgia residents for listening to their advice.

He says they learned a lot from the ice storm that shut down metro Atlanta and the snowstorm that ravaged Augusta in 2014 and have made adjustments.

"We have made the necessary changes, with additional equipment, with additional stockpiling of materials to treat the roadways. And of the sectioning off of the major interstates into quadrants where we have our strike teams that are available and in place and ready to respond,” he said. “I think that is a huge difference and it will make a big difference."

Deal previously has ordered a state of emergency starting at
2 p.m. Wednesday for 51 counties in north Georgia and ordered state government offices in affected areas to close at noon. He says state offices will delay opening Thursday until 10 a.m.

State officials say hundreds of employees have pre-treated interstate roadways and are ready to clear any ice or snow, help motorists and advise semi drivers traveling through affected areas.

In a separate news conference, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed outlined his preparedness plan.

He urged parents to pick up their children from daycares centers by 2 p.m. Wednesday and advised employers to release their staff by
4 p.m. to allow for everyone to get home safely before the storm is full blown.

He asked residents to be off city streets in the evening hours so that crews could clear snow and ice.

Reed says the city has pre–treated over 150 miles of high priority roads.

The city has also opened a warming center for residents without any heat.

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