Georgia
Tracking winter weather across South Georgia, metro Atlanta
The National Weather Service expanded a Winter Weather Advisory overnight. The FOX 5 Storm Team is ready to help you track when snow could potentially hit your area.
Tracking the snow on Sunday morning in Georgia
Some residents are waking up to snow in Georgia, mostly south of Atlanta. As of 8 a.m., snow was falling in Putnam County and other areas. Here’s the latest reports from the field and latest weather forecast.
Where will it snow in Georgia?
What we know:
Despite quiet skies to kick off Sunday morning across Georgia, we’re keeping an eye out for snow and black ice.
That Winter Weather Advisory is now extending farther north and west than originally planned, including areas east of Atlanta, Troup County and LaGrange.
Keep up with the latest by downloading the FREE FOX 5 Storm Team app and following @FOX5StormTeam on X
The advisory remains in effect until 1 p.m., though FOX 5 Storm Team meteorologist Alex Forbes says he expects any precipitation to end by late morning, around 11 a.m.
Our Storm Team says areas within the advisory zone could see anything from scattered flurries to up to one inch of snow before conditions improve. The highest chances for accumulating snow are expected south and east of Atlanta, with cities such as Danielsville, Monroe, Covington, Eatonton, Jackson, and Greenville among those being closely monitored.
At around 5:30 a.m., a FOX 5 Atlanta viewer called the newsroom reporting snow flurries in Jasper County. Snow flurries were confirmed in Locust Grove at around 6 a.m.
If it’s snowing in your area, you can submit photos and pictures to newstipsatlanta@fox.com for a chance to see them live on FOX 5 Atlanta or FOX LOCAL.
Snow chances increase farther south into central Georgia, including Macon and Warner Robins, where slightly higher totals are possible. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for parts of central Georgia, where up to three inches of snow could fall.
In Covington, early morning temperatures hovered around 38 degrees. FOX 5 crews reported no snow reaching the ground before sunrise, though colder air and incoming moisture could allow it to begin falling by mid-morning.
Over in Eatonton, temperatures remained near 40 degrees early Sunday with light rain reported at times. Meteorologists noted that rain falling above the surface could help cool the atmosphere, increasing the chance for snow later in the morning. Snow there was expected to taper off by late morning.
Road conditions across Henry County and along Interstate 75 near Locust Grove remained dry and passable early Sunday, with traffic flowing normally. However, temperatures were dropping, and officials urged drivers to remain cautious as conditions could change quickly.
Is Georgia prepared for snow?
What we know:
Georgia Department of Transportation crews have been preparing for several days and are stationed across the state. GDOT officials say they are concentrating resources in central Georgia, where it’s more likely to see measurable snowfall.
Meteorologists also warned that while skies are expected to clear and sunshine return by the afternoon, temperatures will drop below freezing overnight. That could lead to the formation of black ice on roads and bridges early Monday morning.
Residents are encouraged to stay updated through the FOX 5 Storm Team and to report any snowfall or hazardous conditions as the winter weather system moves through the region.
What you can do:
Here are some things you can still do now to prepare:
- Restock emergency supplies. Check flashlights and batteries, and buy shelf-stable food. Ensure all prescriptions are filled, as ice storms often cause power outages.
- Prepare for communication outages. Internet and cellphone service may fail, particularly in heavily wooded areas prone to storm damage.
- Winterize plumbing. Insulate outdoor pipes and locate the main water shutoff valve. Frozen pipe incidents are most common in January and February.
- Use heaters safely. Inspect generators, fireplaces and space heaters to ensure proper venting. Never run a generator indoors; doing so creates a risk of fatal carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Test detectors. Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Replace batteries before increasing the use of heaters or fireplaces.
- Check on neighbors. Contact older residents, people with disabilities or those using powered medical equipment to establish an assistance plan.
- Protect animals. Bring pets inside during freezing temperatures. Ensure livestock and outdoor animals have shelter and unfrozen water.
- Pack a car kit. If travel is necessary, keep blankets, chargers, a shovel, snacks and sand or kitty litter for traction in the vehicle.
- Stay informed. Download the FOX 5 Storm Team weather app and enable notifications for real-time updates.
- Monitor closings. Check the FOX 5 Atlanta closings page for school and business updates. Administrators should verify their registration status to post updates quickly.
Will it snow in North Georgia?
What we know:
Right now, we’re not anticipating much, if any, winter weather activity in North Georgia.
However, remember: Any rain with freezing temperatures could potentially result in black ice by Monday morning. Drive with care.
Snow was confirmed just across the state line in Auburn, Alabama, where flurries were visibly falling early Sunday. FOX 5 meteorologists said that activity could reach parts of west Georgia within about 30 minutes, depending on temperatures and moisture levels.
Snow in Georgia: What’s closed?
What we know:
As of 6 a.m., there have been no church or business closures reported to FOX 5 Atlanta.
Track winter weather closures throughout Georgia live here.
What does wintry mix mean?
The backstory:
To help you navigate the forecast, here is a breakdown of the most common winter terms:
- Snowfall: This occurs when the entire atmosphere, from the clouds down to the ground, remains at or below freezing (32°F). Snowflakes are collections of ice crystals that cling together as they fall.
- Graupel (Snow Pellets): Often mistaken for hail or “Dippin’ Dots,” graupel forms when supercooled water droplets coat a snowflake, creating a soft, opaque, and crushable pellet. Unlike hard ice, graupel will easily disintegrate if you touch it.
- Sleet (Ice Pellets): Sleet starts as snow, melts into rain in a warm layer of air aloft, and then refreezes into hard ice pellets before hitting the ground. You’ll know it’s sleet because it bounces when it hits your windshield or the pavement.
- Freezing Rain: This is perhaps the most “sinister” type of weather, according to FOX 5 reporting. It falls as liquid rain but freezes instantly upon contact with surfaces that are at or below freezing. This creates a glaze of ice on trees, power lines, and roads.
- Ice Storm: Per the National Weather Service, an official “Ice Storm” occurs when freezing rain results in at least 1/4 inch of ice accumulation. This is the threshold where significant damage to trees and power lines typically begins.
- Icy Roads: These occur when any form of frozen precipitation—sleet, freezing rain, or melted/refrozen snow—bonds to the pavement. Freezing rain is particularly dangerous because it creates “Black Ice,” a transparent coating that makes the road look merely wet when it is actually a skating rink.
- Snow Flurries vs. Showers: FOX 5 Atlanta defines flurries as light snow falling for short durations with little to no accumulation. Snow showers, however, fall at varying intensities and are more likely to leave a dusting or coating on the ground.
These are not all the terms that may be used today.
The Source: The FOX 5 Storm Team and FOX 5 Atlanta viewers contributed to this weather report.
Numerous to widespread thunderstorms capable of producing damaging wind gusts, large hail, frequent lightning, localized flash flooding, and dangerous heat are expected across much of north and central Georgia today and tonight, according to the National Weather Service. A Heat Advisory is also in effect for portions of east central Georgia from noon until 8 p.m., with heat index values up to 106 degrees expected.
The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook for north and central Georgia for Sunday, July 12, 2026.
Bonus for the more weather-curious among you … To read an article about interpreting a weather news report with some of the typical terminology defined, follow this link.
What is in the Hazardous Weather Outlook?
The hazardous weather outlook states the following:
558 AM EDT Sun Jul 12 2026
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north and central Georgia.
.DAY ONE…Today and Tonight…
A few thunderstorms will remain possible through the morning,
capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rainfall.Numerous to widespread thunderstorms are likely this afternoon and
evening. Some storms may become strong to severe and capable of
producing gusty to damaging winds, frequent lightning, large hail,
and localized flash flooding concerns.A Heat Advisory is in effect for portions of east central Georgia
from noon to 8PM. Heat index values up to 106 are expected..DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Monday through Saturday…
Numerous to widespread thunderstorms are likely on Monday and
Tuesday. Some storms may become strong to severe and capable of
producing gusty to damaging winds, frequent lightning, and
locally heavy rainfall.Scattered afternoon thunderstorms are likely each day through
Saturday.
Counties included in the alert
- Baldwin
- Banks
- Barrow
- Bartow
- Bibb
- Bleckley
- Butts
- Carroll
- Catoosa
- Chattahoochee
- Chattooga
- Cherokee
- Clarke
- Clayton
- Cobb
- Coweta
- Crawford
- Crisp
- Dade
- Dawson
- DeKalb
- Dodge
- Dooly
- Douglas
- Emanuel
- Fannin
- Fayette
- Floyd
- Forsyth
- Gilmer
- Glascock
- Gordon
- Greene
- Gwinnett
- Hall
- Hancock
- Haralson
- Harris
- Heard
- Henry
- Houston
- Jackson
- Jasper
- Jefferson
- Johnson
- Jones
- Lamar
- Laurens
- Lumpkin
- Macon
- Madison
- Marion
- Meriwether
- Monroe
- Montgomery
- Morgan
- Murray
- Muscogee
- Newton
- North Fulton
- Oconee
- Oglethorpe
- Paulding
- Peach
- Pickens
- Pike
- Polk
- Pulaski
- Putnam
- Rockdale
- Schley
- South Fulton
- Spalding
- Stewart
- Sumter
- Talbot
- Taliaferro
- Taylor
- Telfair
- Toombs
- Towns
- Treutlen
- Troup
- Twiggs
- Union
- Upson
- Walker
- Walton
- Warren
- Washington
- Webster
- Wheeler
- White
- Whitfield
- Wilcox
- Wilkes
- Wilkinson
What is meant by “isolated” and “scattered”?
The NWS defines “isolated” as follows:
A National Weather Service convective precipitation descriptor for a 10 percent chance of measurable precipitation (0.01 inch). Isolated is used interchangeably with few.
“Scattered” has the following definition:
When used to describe precipitation (for example: “scattered showers”) – Area coverage of convective weather affecting 30 percent to 50 percent of a forecast zone(s).
Isolated thunderstorms and scattered thunderstorms are two terms used to describe different distributions of thunderstorm activity within a particular area. The main difference lies in the extent of coverage and how the thunderstorms are spatially distributed:
- Isolated Thunderstorms:
- Isolated thunderstorms are relatively rare occurrences that happen sporadically and are generally confined to a limited area.
- These thunderstorms are often characterized by being few and far between, with significant gaps between individual storm cells.
- Typically, isolated thunderstorms cover less than 20% of the forecast area.
- Despite their isolated nature, these storms can still be intense and may produce heavy rain, lightning, gusty winds, and possibly hail.
- Scattered Thunderstorms:
- Scattered thunderstorms are more widespread than isolated thunderstorms and cover a larger portion of the forecast area.
- In a scattered thunderstorm scenario, numerous individual thunderstorms develop, but they are not continuous or widespread enough to be classified as a “line” or “cluster” of storms.
- Scattered thunderstorms generally cover between 30% to 50% of the forecast area.
- Although scattered thunderstorms are more widespread, they still leave considerable gaps between storm cells, and not everyone within the forecast area will necessarily experience a thunderstorm.
In summary, isolated thunderstorms are fewer in number and more localized, covering a smaller area with significant gaps between storms, while scattered thunderstorms are more widespread, covering a larger area with numerous individual storms occurring somewhat randomly across the forecast area.
About the National Weather Service
The National Weather Service (NWS) is a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The NWS describes its role as follows:
The National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather, water, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy.
These services include Forecasts and Observations, Warnings, Impact-based Decision Support Services, and Education in an effort to build a Weather-Ready Nation. The ultimate goal is to have a society that is prepared for and responds to weather, water and climate events.
HOOVER, AL – MAY 21: A general view of a Georgia Bulldogs baseball glove during the 2024 SEC Baseball Tournament game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the LSU Tigers on May 21, 2024 at the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama. (Photo by Mic
ATHENS, Ga. – Three University of Georgia baseball stars were selected on the first day of the MLB Draft on Saturday, capping off a historic season for the baseball program.
Major League Baseball selections
What we know:
Bulldog catcher Daniel Jackson, pitcher Joey Volchko and outfielder Rylan Lujo were all chosen during the first four rounds of the draft in Philadelphia.
Jackson was selected 37th overall in the first round by the Colorado Rockies.
The Chicago White Sox drafted Volchko in the third round with the 77th pick, and the Los Angeles Angels took Lujo in the fourth round with the 109th pick.
Jackson, a Sandy Springs native, swept every major award this past season, including the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy. He hit .379 with 32 home runs and 87 RBI.
Volchko served as the team’s pitching ace, going 11-2 with 119 strikeouts, while Lujo started 52 games in centerfield and hit .358.
The draft choices follow a school-record 53-win season where Georgia captured the SEC regular season and tournament titles before finishing third at the College World Series.
Draft rounds and rules
The draft featured four rounds and 135 total picks on Saturday. Major league teams have until 5 p.m. July 27 to sign players drafted out of high schools and four-year colleges. Georgia has now had at least one player selected in the draft every year since 1987.
What we don’t know:
Officials have not yet confirmed the financial details of the minor league contracts or signing bonuses for the three drafted players. It is also unknown if any additional Georgia players will be selected during the later rounds of the draft.
What’s next:
The draft will conclude Sunday with rounds 5 through 20.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the University of Georgia Sports Communications, which released the official draft results and player statistics.
It’s hard to have a better start to the decade than the Georgia Bulldogs have during the 2020s.
They’ve finished ranked inside the top seven of the final AP Poll in each season of the 2020s. Georgia has appeared in four of the six College Football Playoffs in this current decade and the Bulldogs are the only team in the sport to have won multiple national championships since the start of the 2020 season.
Chip Patterson of CBS Sports stated that as it stands right now, the Bulldogs are in fact the team of the 2020s.
“From the start of the 2021 season through the end of 2023, Georgia went 42-2 with two national championship game wins and the only defeats coming to Nick Saban and Alabama in SEC Championship Game appearances,” Patterson wrote. “And while the winning percentage has dipped a bit in the last two seasons (23-5), those years have each included SEC Championship Game wins. Kirby Smart helped build the juggernaut of the 2010s with Saban, and as we stare down the final four years of the 2020s, he’s currently driving the frontrunner to be the team of the decade.”
Patterson notes that Ohio State is nipping on the heels of the Bulldogs, despite Georgia having a 3-1 edge in terms of conference championships.
Georgia is the only team with multiple national championships in this current decade, but Ohio State, Indiana and Alabama all seem like possible threats to get a second.
Oregon, Texas, Miami and Notre Dame appear to be annual threats to win a national championship. Especially in a world with an expanded College Football Playoff.
We’re past the halfway point when it comes to this decade, yet there are still four seasons left for one team to stake its claim as the dominant program of the decade. While the Bulldogs have gotten out to an early lead, there is still time for someone else to catch them.
So what do the Bulldogs have to do to ensure they remain in position to be the team of the decade?
The simplest answer is to grab another national championship. Alabama won four during the 2010s, with Smart serving as the defensive coordinator for three of them. Nebraska won three in the 1990s, while Miami did the same in the 1980s.
To get a third national title though Georgia will need more breaks than it got in 2021 or 2022. Those titles came in an era where there were just four teams in the College Football Playoff. Georgia also played just eight SEC games in those seasons. Going forward, the Bulldogs, and every other SEC team, will play nine conference games each season.
There’s also the other notable change that comes because of changes to NIL rules and the transfer portal. While NIL was legal during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, it’s a totally different beast now in terms of the way it impacts team building.
As for the transfer portal, we’ve already seen how Georgia has had to prioritize retention with its current roster. While Georgia brought in only nine players via the transfer portal, it also only lost 12 members from last season’s team. Both of those marks are the fewest in the SEC.
While Georgia has a plan when it comes to working the transfer portal, one of the questions that will ultimately define how the Bulldogs finish out the decade comes in the form of talent acquisition.
The Bulldogs signed a top 5 high school recruiting class in every recruiting cycle from 2020 through 2025 using the 247Sports Composite rankings.
Georgia’s 2020 and 2024 recruiting classes were ranked No. 1 in the country. But the 2026 recruiting cycle ranked sixth. The current 2027 class sits at No. 13, with only a small handful of targets remaining uncommitted.
Potential changes to the way the sport is governed are possible, but who knows what further consequences potential government intervention will have on the sport.
For as much as has changed in the sport from when the decade began, Georgia has been able to find stability in a way not every contender has in recent years. Consider that this year will be the fourth straight that Glenn Schumann and Mike Bobo have served as the offensive and defensive coordinators at Georgia.
Georgia’s staying power is a big reason why some view Smart as one of the top coaches in the sport.
“The argument for Smart is his program remains the gold standard for elite, sustained success even as the expanded CFP, the portal and NIL have in many ways made his job tougher,” ESPN’s Max Olson said. “He has maintained an incredibly high standard at Georgia with no bad years, finishing in the top seven of the AP poll in nine consecutive seasons, with eight trips to the SEC title game.”
If the Bulldogs continue to find themselves in the College Football Playoff, eventually the breaks will go their way. In 2022, Ohio State’s Noah Ruggles missed a 50-yard field goal attempt as time expired. Last season, Ole Miss kicker Lucas Carneiro made a 47-yard field goal in the final moments of the College Football Playoff.
Smart has always built Georgia to sustain. It’s a big reason why to this point in the decade, the Bulldogs are viewed as the team of the decade.
To ensure that title sticks throughout the rest of the decade, the Bulldogs are going to need to continue to accumulate talent at an elite level. That aspect will almost certainly look different compared to the beginning of the decade.
Ultimately, national championships will go a long way in shaping which team ends the decade as the defining team. Ohio State likely isn’t going anywhere, while Texas and others seem committed to spending whatever it takes to stay atop the sport.
Georgia is the only SEC team to make the College Football Playoff in each of the last two seasons. Oregon, Indiana and Ohio State are the only other teams to make it in both seasons.
No team has yet won a College Football Playoff game in multiple 12-team formats. Perhaps that speaks to how difficult it will be to maintain success on an annual basis.
This demonstrates just how much more difficult the task ahead is for the Georgia Bulldogs.
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