The arrival of snow is taking its time this morning. Colder Arctic air is filtering into Georgia more slowly than earlier forecasts suggested, delaying the onset of snowfall from northwest Georgia down through central and eastern portions of the state by roughly one to three hours. That delay does not reduce the overall impact—it simply shifts the window. Winter Storm Warnings, Winter Weather Advisories, and Extreme Cold Warnings remain in effect across much of north and central Georgia. Once snow begins, conditions can deteriorate quickly. A well-defined band of moderate to heavy snow is expected to move across the region between 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM, with the greatest potential for accumulation along and east of Interstate 75. Butts County is of course along the eastern edge of 75, but still could see some or all of what is forecast for the area. ridors, including Interstates 75, 85, 20, and 16. In the hardest-hit areas, snow and ice may linger into early next week, extending travel impacts well beyond today. The County Emergency Operations Center will be open as of 7AM and will begin coordinating the activities which we have been preparing for this week. This is a storm that rewards preparation and patience. If you can stay off the roads, today is the day to do so—and once the snow begins, conditions may change faster than they appear outside your window. Stay safe today!

As we head into the upcoming weekend, a few important things to note for our area:  Dangerous wind chill temperatures are expected for all of north and central Georgia on Saturday and Sunday. The NWS has HIGH confidence in dangerous wind chill temperatures and LOW confidence in snow accumulations. Cold is our biggest concern right now because we will have an extended period of time where the temperature will not get above freezing (more than 48 hours). The main issue with that is the increased chance of pipes bursting. Three years ago, excessive pipes bursting in sub-freezing temperatures resulted in both cities and counties experiencing water system failures due to pressure loss. We're advising people now to take steps to ensure their pipes are protected, especially those with unoccupied weekend homes at Jackson Lake, which was a significant point of pipe failure the last time. Wind chills will also be a problem for those who have to work out in the field. The graphic below shows what the wind chills are anticipated to be over the next few days. I use Griffin as a reference being closest to it. Our EMA will continue to monitor and push out information on our main social media channels as needed. Stay warm and safe!

The @ButtsCountyEMA team is holding a weather and operations briefing at the Butts County Emergency Operation Center with all departments of the cities and county to ensure that all agencies are communicating and cooperating in advance of winter weather issues that might occur.

We enjoyed being a part of the Fall Festival and the Trunk or Treat events this year!

Last week, Homeland Security Task Force Agent Ashley Kelly spoke at the Georgia School Board Association Risk Management Services Annual Meeting. TFA Kelly spoke about GEMA/HS’s Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management program and how it assists local school systems.

GEMA/HS hosted the Georgia House Budget and Research Office for a briefing at our headquarters. The team toured the State Operations Center, observed a Radiological Emergency Preparedness exercise and gained real-time perspective on how we coordinate and manage incidents.

We’ll definitely be feeling the heat this week and it’s important to keep hydrated and limit outdoor activities as much as possible during the hottest parts of the day. Be safe this week!

We're gearing up for an active next several days. ⚠️ A Slight Risk is in effect for portions of north Georgia tomorrow. The brunt of our severe chances will be contingent on whether or not a wave of stronger storms pushes into the yellow-shaded area from TN/AL. #gawx

Chances for strong to severe storms will continue into the weekend proper, with a more expansive Slight Risk analyzed for Saturday. Redevelopment is possible along any boundaries left behind by Friday's activity, and a stronger complex of storms may move in from the west. #gawx

With significant severe weather likely late Saturday to early Sunday, it's important to know *now* what your safety plan is! Seek shelter in a windowless interior room on the lowest level of a substantial structure-Remember, mobile homes do *not* provide sufficient safety. #gawx

⚠️ Confidence in the severe weather potential this weekend continues to increase. Some uncertainty remains regarding details, but tornadoes, damaging winds, and hail will all be possible. Continue to monitor future updates & review your severe weather preparedness plans! #gawx

The severe weather threat this weekend is increasing. We have the risk for damaging winds, large hail, & tornadoes. The timing will be fine tuned as this evolves, but looks to be approx in the window of Saturday afternoon to early Sunday morning. I’ll have the latest live on Ch 2

NWS Atlanta MIC and WCM paid tribute to Butts Cnty EMA director Glen Goens today for his 37 years of service to the citizens of Butts Cnty. Thank you for your partnership through all the late night phone calls/briefings keeping people safe! Enjoy retirement Glen @ButtsCountyGa

Yesterday was the retirement ceremony for my longtime friend and colleague Glen Goens, who ended his tour of duty after 37 years, retiring as both Fire Marshal and EMA Director for Butts County. Glen has contributed enormously to our community and I wish him the best years ahead!

We are advertising for an Emergency Management Specialist (Full Time). The full posting and job description can be found at the following link: buttscountyga.com/2025/01/30…

The week, the Board of Commissioners recognized many individuals in athletics & firefighting; approved a VAWA Grant awarded to our DA; approved a restructuring plan for @ButtsCountyEMA; ratified last week’s state of emergency declaration; and adopted a nepotism disclosure policy

This is going to be the big story in Georgia for the next few days as heavy cold enters the state. Our local @ButtsCountyEMA team is already working on coordinating resources to deploy should sub freezing weather create issues with roads, water or power infrastructure. #gawx

We are currently in a Hurricane Warning for the next 36 hours, according to the National Weather Service. To stay informed, sign up for automatic calls, texts, and emails from MBCAlert at maconbibb.us/mbcalert, download the MBCAlert App, and follow EMA on Facebook and X.

With Hurricane Helene approaching, it's important to keep these points in mind.