Winter Storm Grayson is upon us and threatens to bring record cold temperatures and snowfalls to the coastal areas of Georgia and Florida. According to The Weather Channel, (www.weatherchannel.com) at mid-day on Wednesday (1/3/18) “Precipitation has quickly changed over to snow from east Georgia into South Carolina, and is now spreading into parts of North Carolina. Fortunately, the wintry precipitation is now finished in north Florida. Just before 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, 0.1 inch of snow and sleet was measured at the National Weather Service office in Tallahassee, making it the first measurable snow there since 1989.”
Governor Deal has declared a state of emergency in 28 southeastern counties. In a statement about the situation, Deal stated, “The state has begun preparations for potential winter weather in the 28 counties, including sending all Georgia Department of Transportation brine trucks and 75 additional plows to the impacted areas,” said Deal. “The emergency declaration ensures all state resources are available if necessary. We will continue monitoring the weather and provide updates as needed. I encourage all Georgians in the potentially impacted areas to stay informed, get prepared and be safe.”
The system that brought the unusual weather to coastal Georgia could potentially create a “cyclone bomb”.
The term describes a condition in which rapidly increasing winds create a pressure drop of 24 millibars within a 24-hour time period. Fortunately for residents of Georgia, if the cyclone bomb develops, it will be after the storm has moved north of the state.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that temperatures, both along the coast and inland, will remain very cold for the next few days. Lows in Savannah are predicted to be in the low 20s through Saturday while temperatures in the Atlanta area will dip into the teens. Conditions aren’t predicted to thaw out until next week.