Atlanta weather | Snow, ice hit the metro area

By Alexis Stevens

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Current forecast: An average of 2-3 inches of snow and sleet is expected for most of the metro area, according to Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brad Nitz. The snow is expected to turn into freezing rain and ice in the early-morning hours.

Return to ajc.com throughout the evening for the most updated information available. Send your weather photos for ajc.com. For closings, go to wsbtv.com. Follow @ajc on Twitter. In the morning, tune to AM 750 and now 95.5 FM News/Talk WSB for the latest on traffic conditions.

2:10 a.m.: MARTA will delay the start of bus service until 7 a.m., instead of the regular 5 a.m. The rail service will operate on its normal schedule and will begin at 4:45 a.m.

2 a.m.: Temperatures will stay in the 20s Monday, Meteorologist David Chandley said. Snow continues to fall in the northern suburbs.

11:44 p.m.: Tune in to an extended edition of Channel 2 Action News from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m. for the latest on the weather and road conditions.

11:32 p.m.: Roads in Cherokee County are treacherous, the sheriff's office said. Highway 140 at the Cherokee-Fulton line is shut down.

11:20 p.m.: Northeast Georgia mountains could get 6 inches of snow.

11:12 p.m.: All roads in Paulding County are now considered impassable, the sheriff's office said.

11:06 p.m.: I-75 northbound near the 120 loop is blocked, Capt. Herb Emory with WSB Radio reported.

11:05 p.m.: More snow on the way overnight, Brad Nitz said.

10:42 p.m.: Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed on CNN, reporting on city's efforts to clear roads.

10:32 p.m.: The Georgia Aquarium will be closed Monday.

10:29 p.m.: There are too many wrecks to list here. Police agencies are asking motorists to get off the roads if possible.

10:17 p.m.: Gwinnett County police are working numerous wrecks due to people traveling too fast and too close to other vehicles for the conditions.

10:11 p.m.: Large sections of interstates are currently blocked due to wrecks. All lanes of the Downtown Connector are blocked between I-20 and Langford Parkway.

10:02 p.m.: Snow totals are at 2 to 3 inches across the metro area and is sticking to roadways. "Do not travel," meteorologist Brad Nitz said.

10 p.m.: Gwinnett County schools will be closed Monday.

9:54 p.m.: Steady snowfall reported in Johns Creek, Kennesaw and Paulding County.

9:49 p.m.: Small groups of people are venturing out onto the snowy sidewalks in downtown Atlanta. In Walton Spring Park, outside the Westin at Andrew Young International Boulevard, a family was spotted making snow angels. They were joined by others and seen building a snowman.

9:45 p.m.: All lanes of the Downtown Connector southbound are closed at Abernathy Boulevard and University Avenue.

9:37 p.m.: Zoo Atlanta will be closed Monday.

9:27 p.m.: Wrecks are being reported around the metro area. There are three crashes on I-20 between the Cobb County line and Post Road, according to Capt. Herb Emory with WSB Radio.

9:24 p.m.: Snow and ice are falling in the northern suburbs, too. Expect the snow to switch to ice and freezing rain over the next several hours, meteorologist Brad Nitz said.

9:15 p.m.: The Gwinnett County school system is monitoring the weather, but has not yet made a decision on Monday classes, the district spokeswoman told the AJC.

9:05 p.m.: Atlanta public schools will be closed Monday, the district spokesman told the AJC. Clayton County has also announced it will be closed.

9:02 p.m.: Temperatures are continuing to drop and ice is accumulating, Meteorologist Brad Nitz said.

8:51 p.m.: Snow and ice are now being spotted in DeKalb County and Sandy Springs.

8:34 p.m.: The temperature has dropped to 28 degrees in downtown Atlanta, Chief meteorologist Glenn Burns said. Temperatures in the northern suburbs will continue to drop quickly.

8:26 p.m.: Other school closings include Fulton County, Southern Polytechnic State, and Clayton State University.

8:22 p.m.: UGA and Kennesaw State have also canceled Monday classes.

8:15 p.m.: The downtown Atlanta area is getting a steady snowfall.

8:04 p.m.: Cherokee, Cobb, Paulding counties are among the latest school districts to close, along with Georgia State and Georgia Tech. Updated closings here.

7:58 p.m.: Cobb County CCT will not offer express bus service Monday, the county spokesman said.

7:50 p.m.: Our Twitter followers are reporting sleet and snow in the southern and western counties. But if it's dry at your house, don't worry. It's on the way.

7:36 p.m.: Snow is falling in south Fulton County.

7:17 p.m.: The sleet has moved into Clayton County and snowflakes have been spotted in Palmetto, according to our Twitter followers.

7:08 p.m.: Ice is forming on the bridges and overpasses in the LaGrange area, the Troup County sheriff said. Sheriff Donny Turner is asking that residents not drive.

6:58 p.m.: Steady sleet is being reported in Fayette County.

6:45 p.m.: Sleet moving into Douglas and Paulding counties within 30 minutes, Chief Meteorologist Glenn Burns says.

6:35 p.m.: The ice will cause "significant" problems on north Georgia roads, Meteorologist Brad Nitz says. Motorists are urged to get off the roads as soon as possible.

6:30 p.m.: The sleet is moving quickly, northeast across southern counties. Jonesboro and Stockbridge are in line for the wintry mix within 10 minutes.

6:10 p.m.: MARTA will be closing the ramp entrances at the North Springs (Ga. 400 entrance) and Indian Creek (I-285 entrance) stations beginning at 7 p.m. Customers can access the North Springs station from Peachtree-Dunwoody Road or park at the Sandy Springs station. Indian Creek customers can enter its parking area from Indian Creek Drive.

6:05 p.m. Most of the metro Atlanta suburbs should expect about 2 inches of snow and a quarter of an inch of ice, Channel 2 Action News meteorologists Glenn Burns and Brad Nitz said. Freezing rain is being reported in south metro counties.

5:50 p.m.: Emory Healthcare, including its hospitals and clinics, will remain open, spokesman Lance Skelly said. Surgeries and appointments will occur as scheduled, but rescheduling is an option.

5:30 p.m.: The list of school and government closings continues to grow. Forsyth, Newton and Hall counties have already made the decision. More closings here.

5:15 p.m.: Gov. Sonny Perdue has declared a State of Emergency for Georgia, ordering all available resources to be ready for action.

4:35 p.m.: Chief Justice Carol Hunstein with the Georgia Supreme Court has canceled oral arguments scheduled for Monday. Tuesday's arguments will proceed as planned.

4:20 p.m.: Hours before any snow will fall, hundreds of flights in and out of Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport have been canceled, beginning with those scheduled after 8 p.m. tonight.