DeltaPilot Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 The storm seems to have taken ATL by surprise. Things tonight along Atlanta interstates and secondary roads have progressed into a widespread state of emergency due to very dangerous driving conditions coming as folks began leaving work and school around the noon hour due to the arrival of the snow. Roads have become very ugly due to the snow and low temperatures and lack of treatment due to the gridlock situation. As of late this evening there are thousands of stories coming across the local news channels of stranded, and wrecked motorists caught unprepared for the event. Many schools have students and teachers sheltering in place since attempting to leave was thwarted by the conditions and ensuing gridlock of the traffic system. Students have been traped on buses in traffic. People are now into their 8th+ hour in their vehicles with no hope of getting home. A lot of stories coming out about folks abandoning vehicles and walking in sub 20 degree temps. Home depots and local fire departments are providing shelter for folks who can get there. I hope for the best, but there is a good bit of failure on the part of a lot of people who just did not pay attention. Adding to this, the meteorologic warnings probably came a bit late for the metro area early this am. There may be a lot of bad news in the morning but Im hoping that most folks who cannot continue, or run out of fuel, will get help. A good source of info are the local ATL news channels. They are doing a good job of covering what is going down. The Governor has declared an official state of emergency and called out the National Guard. I know this sounds surreal, but even on a nice day ATL traffic can be a nightmare. I started this thread to alleviate cluttering up the other ones more about actual observations. Mods do as you please with this. This post has been promoted to an article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaPilot Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 This is the traffic map from google at around 9pm tonight. I have looked at this traffic map for YEARS and never seen anything like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NEGa Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 This is the traffic map from google at around 9pm tonight. I have looked at this traffic map for YEARS and never seen anything like it. this really is surreal. i dont think a lot of people who arent familiar with atlanta realize just what is going on in n ga right now. yes the usual traffic after work on normal days. all cities are like that. these people are stuck in the cars, and have been since 1 or 2! one of our great posters had to walk home 6 miles (wow, imagine telling your grandkids that...when i was your age i had to walk home 6 miles from work in a snowstorm lmao) btw check that map again. its the same if not worse. the press conference was horrible, the gov, mayor etc looked shocked and stunned. the best they could do was "well last time it took two days to get the trucks out. this time is was one day" LMAO. students are stuck and spending the nights in school (those poor teachers who are there with them lol); the freaking national guard is now been called out and currently a pic of 285 shows it blocked and backed up still bumper to bumper most of our snows are not nearly this cold (mid 20s at start time) and we havent had a couple of arctic outbreaks before them. it stuck instantly and made the roads snow covered within an hour. my county (ne of atl) is shut down. nothing is open tomorrow, roads are closed and have solid ice under the snow. my neighbors and i are hoping we get out by thur lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LovingGulfLows Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 The economic impact of this storm is going to be pretty high for the metro area....Going to cost the metro economy millions. It's also affecting the airport which is the busiest in the world so it actually impacts a much larger area than just Atlanta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyewall Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Much like Raleigh 2005. There are pics and vid on Facebook and a group has formed to help the stranded. I would abandon my car and find a bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaPilot Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 As of this moment I have to attempt to get from KFFC to the airport for work in the am. I am going to give myself 3 hours to do it and if i cannot make it, ill call in and let them know. Very well prepared for this and for me it is mostly flat to get into the parking lot. Of all places im flying to Turks and Caicos where its sunny and warm!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NEGa Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 here check out the map as of 11.44 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyewall Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Some are at 9 hours and counting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lookout Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 this really is surreal. i dont think a lot of people who arent familiar with atlanta realize just what is going on in n ga right now. yes the usual traffic after work on normal days. all cities are like that. these people are stuck in the cars, and have been since 1 or 2! one of our great posters had to walk home 6 miles (wow, imagine telling your grandkids that...when i was your age i had to walk home 6 miles from work in a snowstorm lmao) btw check that map again. its the same if not worse. the press conference was horrible, the gov, mayor etc looked shocked and stunned. the best they could do was "well last time it took two days to get the trucks out. this time is was one day" LMAO. students are stuck and spending the nights in school (those poor teachers who are there with them lol); the freaking national guard is now been called out and currently a pic of 285 shows it blocked and backed up still bumper to bumper It is absolutely amazing..not only from the actual visual of this but watching the tv mets and all the blame that is being thrown around. Chris whatshisname on channel 11 pretty much called the governor and mayor liars! LOL.. because the governor said it came unexpectedly . Chris kept saying the nws issued warnings for "atlanta" at 3:30am and i guess that was supposed to be enough warning and his rational was that they kept saying if it moved further north more would fall. What he fails to mention is they kept showing graphic after graphic showing 0.10 (yes tenth of an inch folks) of snow falling in atlanta and even less to the north. Every station kept showing their lame ass "in house" models showing virtually nothing falling in atlanta and yet he acts surprised people thought not much would fall in atlanta or to the north of atlanta. At any rate, it's just surreal seeing mets on tv looking like they just came from a funeral, appoligizing for their forecast like the guy on channel 5, government officials blaming the mets/nws, and a met calling the government a liar 2 minutes after he finishes a press conference LOL. Absolutely incredible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WxBlue Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Reminder that AMS conference is in Atlanta starting this weekend. The traffic and the snow will be gone by Saturday when folks start arriving (including me as student member), but the anger won't be gone for good while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jburns Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Reminder that AMS conference is in Atlanta starting this weekend. The traffic and the snow will be gone by Saturday when folks start arriving (including me as student member), but the anger won't be gone for good while. If word gets out to the general public, I call dibs on the tar and feather franchise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CherokeeGA Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 It is absolutely amazing..not only from the actual visual of this but watching the tv mets and all the blame that is being thrown around. Chris whatshisname on channel 11 pretty much called the governor and mayor liars! LOL.. because the governor said it came unexpectedly . Chris kept saying the nws issued warnings for "atlanta" at 3:30am and i guess that was supposed to be enough warning and his rational was that they kept saying if it moved further north more would fall. What he fails to mention is they kept showing graphic after graphic showing 0.10 (yes tenth of an inch folks) of snow falling in atlanta and even less to the north. Every station kept showing their lame ass "in house" models showing virtually nothing falling in atlanta and yet he acts surprised people thought not much would fall in atlanta or to the north of atlanta. At any rate, it's just surreal seeing mets on tv looking like they just came from a funeral, appoligizing for their forecast like the guy on channel 5, government officials blaming the mets/nws, and a met calling the government a liar 2 minutes after he finishes a press conference LOL. Absolutely incredible. Deal was correct - that IS what the media mets were saying right up until this morning. Always a "dusting". And no NWS storm warning was in place for the northern counties until this afternoon - way after our roads were already iced and we had 1.5" of snow. (Now my county is at 4" total, probably the most in the state I think.) I heard what that Chris guy said - so defensive. He busted and didn't have the manly parts to admit it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrips27 Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 It really was a perfect storm. People saw the first few flakes falling and thought "oh I'm gonna beat it home!" But right as everyone got on the roads the radar blossomed and the snow got much heavier. Combine that with temperatures well below freezing and you get the insanity we saw today. Literally there were times when I thought I was in a movie. People abandoning cars and just walking for miles and miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audioguy3107 Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 One of the quotes of the storm from AJC: ".......“I just finished listening to ‘The Hunger Games’ audible book, played all my lives on Candy Crush, met 10 people in various cars and watched the same policeman save four people,” Candace Bazemore said in an email. Good lord! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Ridge Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 I'm watching 11Alive's stream and simply cannot believe what I'm seeing. Thoughts and prayers to Atlantans tonight, in particular those stranded. Edit: they just spoke to a man who has been trapped for TWELVE hours. They also keep showing a live shot of 85 somewhere downtown. Among the vehicles seen are a school bus, two SUVs that appear to be entangled, a pickup truck with trailer that has stopped in the middle lane, and numerous tractor trailers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magpiemaniac Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 The Walking Sled Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LovingGulfLows Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 One of the quotes of the storm from AJC: ".......“I just finished listening to ‘The Hunger Games’ audible book, played all my lives on Candy Crush, met 10 people in various cars and watched the same policeman save four people,” Candace Bazemore said in an email. Good lord! What the lmao! Some dude that just showed up on 11alive said he's been in the car for 12 hours now! That is insane! These people didn't even get to enjoy the snow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CherokeeGA Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Much like Raleigh 2005. There are pics and vid on Facebook and a group has formed to help the stranded. I would abandon my car and find a bar. My husband has been in his truck since 2pm trying to get to North Cherokee from downtown Atlanta. He's still 20 miles away. Sadly, he's in one of those "calling in is not an option" positions so we looked at each other this morning knowing he would probably have trouble getting home. We expected a few hours though, not 24+ hours (I don't think he'll make it home until late morning tomorrow, if he waits for the sun to come up so he can see the ice). We did stock his truck with supplies so at least he's been fed and watered, even if his legs are numb from sitting 10.5 hours. So many thanks to Home Depot - I found a Home Depot location a couple of miles from where he is now that is open to shelter people tonight. He's trying to get the last 2 miles to that store so he can get out of the truck for a few hours before trying to get home tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audioguy3107 Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Current traffic cam at 12:28 Am on I-285 and north P'tree Rd. My goodness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowGoose69 Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 It almost appears 85 is worse than 285 because unlike 285 where snow mostly accumulated more and gave traction, 85 saw the snow mostly melting til sundown and it appears to be more just refrozen water and ice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magpiemaniac Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 This event simply underscores the fact that Atlanta outgrew its infrastructure years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxmeddler Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Likely worse than Commutageddon in DC in 2011. We had cars on the streets at midnight but not gridlock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxmeddler Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 It almost appears 85 is worse than 285 because unlike 285 where snow mostly accumulated more and gave traction, 85 saw the snow mostly melting til sundown and it appears to be more just refrozen water and ice Everything was running ok until slowdowns happened, that gave time for the pavement which had water on it from friction, car engines, etc to freeze over. Game over from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LovingGulfLows Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 The pitchforks are rising now. People are becoming insanely frustrated and angry. Mob mentality is growing. I hope this gets national attention because then Atlanta will be FORCED to improve their infrastructure. Even if it only happens once every 2-4 years, you still need it in case something like this happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Lookout nailed it in his post above. There are still people stranded and in shelters and the mets and politicians are already in CYA mode. There was plenty of information available last night that showed that Atlanta had a real chance of getting more than a dusting of snow. The fact that it would likely snow with temps in the low 20s was no surprise either. The last time it snowed with temps that cold here was 1996. That should have been part of the conversation and the preparation. Too many TV mets put way to much weight on the GFS model output or their stupid "in house" models that try to tell people which part of their neighborhood is going to get the most rain. If the NWS issues a winter storm warning at 3:30 am, most people will here about this warning WHILE THEY ARE DRIVING TO WORK!! Putting too much weight on the GFS has made many mets look bad this winter. If I started naming names, I would have a long list. Kudos to the mets on this forum that help guys like me have better understanding of the weather and be more prepared for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CherokeeGA Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 The pitchforks are rising now. People are becoming insanely frustrated and angry. Mob mentality is growing. I hope this gets national attention because then Atlanta will be FORCED to improve their infrastructure. Even if it only happens once every 2-4 years, you still need it in case something like this happens. Infrastructure is a huge problem here - our roads are not big enough to carry the commuting population, our public transportation system has been stymied for expansion plans for decades (nobody wants Marta lines run into the 'burbs), our water system is aging and falling apart, etc. But even if they had had 300 sand trucks available to roll today, they were sending everything south because that's where the NWS told them the problems would be. They weren't in the right place. So this is not "just" an infrastructure problem. NWS kind of borked it too. As did the media mets (but they mostly seem to just parrot the NWS), A lot of people with a lot of misses or decisions based on bad data all combined to do this. A lot of schools and local government decisions were based on the NWS forecasts, so yeah. But what people also have to realize is that the pavement laid here is different. The overpasses are different. It's not grooved and made exactly the same way as it's done up north in areas where snow and ice are more common. Nor do the local governments own hundreds or thousands of trucks and plows, and nobody is sure whether it makes financial sense for us to buy them when they would so very seldom be needed. Before today we had not seen a significant winter precip storm here in 3 years. And also, either we uniformly across all outlets employ the worst mets in the world (hard to believe), or winter storms are in actuality difficult to accurately predict in this geographical area. (Also, the 11alive people need to watch their hot mics during their commercial breaks lol!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WxBlue Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Well, it's good thing I'll have a look at infrastructure of Atlanta itself since I'm visiting the city for first time ever. I'm also returning to Atlanta a weekend later for something else. However, I've heard tales of MARTA and go on from internet friends across few forums. It's a good thing AMS conference is a walking distance from hotel, but getting to downtown will be interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winterhawk Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Definitely a lot of cya; still there's absolutely no common sense being used by DOT; and quite honestly to blame NWS is a huge stinking pile of manure. They know where the trouble spots are; shut the road down and get the trucks out there. In fact have the trucks waiting there. They do rolling roadblocks and shut the whole daggone interstate down when potus comes to town; this is much more critical. A rolling roadblock @ the trouble spots so it doesn't become gridlock would help. That doesn't help the suburbs and other situations but at least they could keep the major roads passable. Other side is people paying attention and being prepared but in this economy when you have a job and the boss says come in you do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbsolutZero Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Thank you for starting this thread Delta. I'm here if anyone has questions about the NWS side of things. I worked the mid last night doing grids and am here again tonight. My only comment at this point is our forecast for the ATL metro issued at 455am Monday when we pushed the Winter Storm Watch into much of metro said "Tuesday...Chance of snow in the morning, then snow likely in the afternoon. Colder. Snow accumulation up to 1 inch." I contend that even advisory level snow (~1")would have caused the same impact based on how cold the temps were through the event. None of our graphics ever said "dusting", perhaps 0.5-1.0" is considered a dusting. Obviously there is a lot of work to do. Ironically, we hosted a very well attended (over 150) and seemingly successful Integrated Working Team meeting on winter weather back in December which was attended by GDOT, GEMA, several county EMs and *all* the TV mets. Good presentations, but how society reacts to forecasts, warnings and actual snow/ice is complex with no hard science or facts to support actions. All of us here know the Atlanta Snow Jam history. Its happened before several times and it will happen again. We are more vulnerable than ever now that we've added another million or two to the metro population since 1982. The impact will only grow with time as population continues to grow. Our hearts go out to all those stranded. I've read the blogs and stories on the 1982 Snow Jam. This one may turn out worse than that one. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CherokeeGA Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Other side is people paying attention and being prepared but in this economy when you have a job and the boss says come in you do it. I am pretty sure you just described the number one reason why this happened. Even those who knew this was going to be heavier weather than the forecasters said had to go out anyway. Telling your boss you are going to WFH or not come in because you disagree with the weather forecast wouldn't really work for a lot of people. Georgia's unemployment rate is still over 7 percent I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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