LithiaWx Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1138 AM EST FRI NOV 7 2014 ...CHANGE TO WFO PEACHTREE CITY WINTER STORM WARNING CRITERIA... EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY...THE SNOW AMOUNT CRITERION FOR A WINTER STORM FOR THE ENTIRE PEACHTREE CITY COUNTY WARNING AREA WILL BE 2 INCHES OF SNOW. PREVIOUSLY...THE ENTIRE PEACHTREE CITY COUNTY WARNING AREA HAD A SNOW CRITERION OF 4 INCHES IN 24 HOURS. THIS HAS BEEN REMOVED. ALSO...THE NORTHEAST GEORGIA MOUNTAIN COUNTIES OF FANNIN... UNION...TOWNS...WHITE...LUMPKIN...DAWSON...PICKENS...AND GILMER HAD A 12-HOUR SNOW CRITERION OF 3 INCHES...WHICH HAS BEEN REDUCED TO 2 INCHES TO LINE UP WITH THE REST OF NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. WINTER STORM CRITERIA FOR SLEET /ONE HALF...1/2...INCH OR GREATER/ AND FREEZING RAIN /ONE QUARTER...1/4...INCH OR GREATER/ HAVE NOT CHANGED. THE CHANGE TO THE SNOW CRITERION WAS BASED ON PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS AND COLLABORATION WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PARTNERS IN THE NORTHEAST GEORGIA MOUNTAIN COUNTIES. A WINTER STORM WATCH IS ISSUED 12-48 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF AN EVENT FOR A 50 PERCENT OR GREATER CHANCE OF CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR A WINTER STORM. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS ISSUED UP TO 36 HOURS BEFORE AN EVENT FOR AN 80 PERCENT OR GREATER CHANCE OF A WINTER PRECIPITATION EVENT WHICH CAUSES AN INCONVENIENCE BUT DOES NOT MEET WARNING CRITERIA. A WINTER STORM WARNING IS ISSUED UP TO 36 HOURS BEFORE AN EVENT FOR AN 80 PERCENT OR GREATER CHANCE OF A WINTER STORM. A WINTER STORM WATCH/WARNING CAN ALSO BE ISSUED AT FORECASTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DISCRETION WHEN SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED BUT THE SNOW...SLEET...OR FREEZING RAIN CRITERIA ARE NOT NECESSARILY MET. FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THIS CHANGE...PLEASE CONTACT KEITH STELLMAN...METEOROLOGIST-IN-CHARGE...OR STEVE NELSON... SCIENCE AND OPERATIONS OFFICER...AT 770-486-1133. Big change, should result in less bitching by some. This change was needed and should result in less cases similar to snowjam 2014. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackerel_sky Posted November 8, 2014 Share Posted November 8, 2014 Wow! WSW for 2 inches of snow!! Your probably right in saying last Jan snowjam had a MAJOR influence on this change Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CherokeeGA Posted November 8, 2014 Share Posted November 8, 2014 As someone who lives in North Georgia and has family that commutes way south to downtown ATL, I am thrilled to see this change. 2" of snow or 1/4" of ice probably sounds like nothing to our board friends who live further north, but we do not have the equipment, supplies or expertise to deal with this kind of weather down here. Our leaders (political, school superintendents, etc.) do not have long term experience dealing with it either, as it just doesn't happen often enough for them to make solid judgements about when and what to close. And when nothing closes, the public feels they have to go to work and school. Folks here do NOT have the experience to chance driving on icy/snowy roads that the GA DOT doesn't have enough equipment or ongoing experience to keep clean. So the NWS is doing their part - now if the public leadership just listens when they warn, we might do much better during these events. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtg947h Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 As someone who lives in North Georgia and has family that commutes way south to downtown ATL, I am thrilled to see this change. 2" of snow or 1/4" of ice probably sounds like nothing to our board friends who live further north, but we do not have the equipment, supplies or expertise to deal with this kind of weather down here. Our leaders (political, school superintendents, etc.) do not have long term experience dealing with it either, as it just doesn't happen often enough for them to make solid judgements about when and what to close. And when nothing closes, the public feels they have to go to work and school. Folks here do NOT have the experience to chance driving on icy/snowy roads that the GA DOT doesn't have enough equipment or ongoing experience to keep clean. So the NWS is doing their part - now if the public leadership just listens when they warn, we might do much better during these events. Well said. And in particular, we (Atlanta and south) don't have the equipment and supplies because it's just not worth the money for the few times a decade they're needed. There was even some whining down here when everything shut down due to the threat of ice, and that was before it turned out not to be as bad as expected. But why would Savannah keep a fleet of plow and salt trucks? They'd just rust solid waiting to be used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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