Wind, winter weather advisories in place for North Georgia

ATLANTA FORECAST

Friday: High: 47

Friday night: Low: 35

Saturday: High: 50

» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.

At 5:23 p.m. Friday, it officially became winter. In far North Georgia, there are scattered snow flurries to bring in the new season in style.

In Atlanta, we’re getting drizzle, whipping winds and lots of traffic — much less festive.

Meanwhile, three right lanes of I-85 North near Jimmy Carter Boulevard in Gwinnett County are blocked by police activity, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.

One left lane of I-75 South near Hudson Bridge Road in Henry County is blocked, causing delays, according to the Traffic Center.

In Milton, a water main break has blocked Crabapple Road between Lecoma Trace and Itaska Walk. There is no estimate on when the break will be fixed.

At least one inch of snowfall has already accumulated near Woods Hole Shelter in Union County, Channel 2 Action News reported.

A winter weather advisory was issued for several far North Georgia counties until 10 a.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Those counties include Union, Murray, Gilmer, Fannin, Pickens, Dawson, Lumpkin, White and Towns. Rabun County is also under a winter weather advisory until noon Saturday.

“As some of the remnant moisture this evening hooks up with (the) cooler air, we could see a brief switch over to snow in the mountains, even some flurries in the north metro,” Channel 2 meteorologist Katie Walls said. “Impacts and accumulation aren’t forecast.”

Some showers are expected through the evening in Atlanta, according to Channel 2.

“The storm system is rotating through Georgia right now, producing light to moderate showers,” Walls said.

That’s in addition to the more than an inch of rain that has fallen the past 24 hours, according to Channel 2.

A wind advisory is in effect for all of North Georgia and is set to expire at 7 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Strong winds from the west could create hazardous conditions.

“With wet ground, strong winds could down trees and cause power outages,” Walls said. “Wind chills will be running in the 30s for most of us this afternoon as the cooler air rushes in.”

The wind blew down a 185-year-old tree onto Holy Comforter Episcopal Church off Woodland Avenue in southeast Atlanta, Channel 2 reported. No one was injured, but the church’s roof and a handicap ramp were damaged.

With strong winds will come colder air, according to Channel 2. Temperatures will continue to fall through the day, Walls said, which is appropriate for the first of winter.

At 6 p.m., the city of Atlanta will open an emergency warming center in anticipation of frigid temperatures. The warming center is located at the Old Adamsville Recreation Center, 3404 Delmar Lane in northwest Atlanta, and transportation will be provided from Gateway, located at 275 Pryor Street.

Sunshine returns to the forecast Saturday, but Walls said there is still a possibility for a shower early next week on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. It won’t be cold enough for a white Christmas, however.

“Keeping a 20 percent chance of an isolated shower either on Christmas Eve day or on Christmas Day, but not a washout for us,” Channel 2 meteorologist Karen Minton said. “Temperatures will be in the middle 50s.”