Empty grocery shelves at Food City just before the snow started
photo by M.A. Locke
A promised winter storm arrived in Chattanooga shortly after 7 a.m., bringing beautiful snowy scenes and slick conditions. The snow continued at a steady pace until tapering off about 2 p.m., piling up several inches of snow throughout the area.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp went on the airwaves to say “Don’t go out and drive unless you have a medical emergency.” The governor said he has declared a state of emergency for all of North Georgia, including Interstate 75 north.
Governor Kemp said, in a stern voice, “I’ll have a press conference this morning at the Capitol to advise Georgians of the latest.” He made his comment on WSB Radio in Atlanta.
Governor Kemp said, “It’s very dangerous from south Atlanta to the Georgia–Tennessee state line. He said, "I’m afraid that later in the day things could get much worse when the snow turns to ice and could cause massive power outages.
"We have prepared for the worse case situation with highway crews treating roadways as fast as possible, but it’s still very dangerous.”
The Atlanta airport is reporting nearly 1,000 flight delays at Hartsville International Airport.
Governor Kemp said, “We need to keep Georgia roadways open for first responders."
While most should try to stay home, linemen are out and prepared to respond if and when they are needed.
Spokesman Matthew Kent said Georgia Power crews are equipped with snow chains, and the right tires to help workers get to the troubled spots.
He also said the public can help.
“If any of our customers, or anyone driving sees a Georgia Power crew on the side of the road, just please move over,” he said. “Give them a little space to do their work so everyone is safe.”
He added that if anyone sees a line come down, assume it is live and dangerous, and stay far away. Georgia Power also urges anyone that sees a line come down, to call Georgia Power, or 911.
Dalton officials said, "We urge residents to please avoid any unnecessary driving this morning in Dalton. The Public Works Department has been all morning re-treating roads with salt brine and our plow trucks and salt spreaders are getting to work as well but there are still areas where snow is accumulating on the roads, and slushy areas are freezing into ice. Please be patient with us as we work to get the roads in working order. If at all possible, please stay home and enjoy the snow. We've already had reports of multiple cars sliding off of roads.
"The Public Works Department will be hard at work all day today, but please help us make the job easier by delaying any unnecessary trips."
The National Weather Service earlier said "heavy snow is possible" in a Winter Storm set to begin Friday morning.
The NWS said 3-7 inches are possible in the region that includes Southwest Virginia and East Tennessee.
Emergency Management officials said Thursday afternoon, "Currently, the National Weather Service in Morristown, TN, has declared a Winter Storm Warning for Hamilton County. A significant winter storm may impact our area Friday morning thru Saturday morning with several inches of accumulating snowfall. We encourage our community to take the time NOW to prepare ahead of expected snow and winter weather impacts across the county.
"We expect roads, bridges and overpasses will likely become slick and hazardous. Stay off the roads during and after the winter storm. We may have the potential of fallen trees and powerlines. So, if the electricity goes out, make sure you have an emergency kit/s ready. Flashlights, batteries, weather radios, food, water, pet supplies, medications, etc. Make sure to check on the elderly and those who live alone. If you are using additional heating sources (i.e. kerosene heaters, propane heaters, fireplaces) make sure the room is ventilated, and you have a working carbon monoxide alarm. Generators need to be placed outside the home if being used to power your house. This extreme cold weather can kill! Dress in layers, cover your skin and limit time outside. Stay weather aware and stay tuned to your local media outlets."
The Weather Service said, "Travel could be very difficult. The hazardous conditions on Friday could affect the morning and evening commutes."
Officials at the Chattanooga Department of Public Works said they "are ready to implement the city’s comprehensive snow and ice road treatment plan to ensure the safety and mobility of all residents in the event of inclement weather.
"The Public Works team is focused on treating the primary routes and access roads for hospitals, emergency responders, and emergency facilities from Jan. 8th until roads are deemed safe. To ensure the accessibility of necessary services, these areas will receive treatment first. Secondary routes that feed into the primary routes will be treated next. Teams will continue to monitor road conditions throughout the event and will retreat roads as necessary, particularly if refreezing occurs due to low temperatures.
"During this event, all leaf pick up routes will be temporarily suspended. Crews will redeploy trucks to focus on snow and ice treatment, prioritizing road safety. To help maximize road treatment efforts, residents are encouraged to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary during inclement weather. Additionally, please move parked cars off streets to allow for full and efficient treatment of roadways."
For reports, concerns, or questions related to road conditions, please contact 311. For more information about weather conditions visit https://www.noaa.gov/
The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) can assure motorists it is stocked and ready to clear roadways of ice and snow. Salt supplies have been replenished in all the region’s 24 counties in preparation for the winter season, and crews have readied snowplows and brine trucks.
“Our salt bins are stocked, our equipment is prepared, and our employees are ready to mobilize in the event of inclement weather,” says Assistant Chief Engineer and Regional Director Daniel Oliver. “Clearing our roadways as safely and efficiently as possible is vital to keeping motorists safe and traffic moving in Tennessee.”
TDOT’s regional budget for 2024/2025 winter weather coverage is $5.1 million and includes salt, salt brine, overtime for employees, and equipment maintenance.
TDOT Region 2 has 75,276 tons of salt and 196,350 gallons of salt brine ready for use to cover 7,731 lane miles of interstates and state routes. Salt brine is a salt/water mixture used for pre-treating roads before a winter storm or to melt snow on roadways when temperatures are hovering around the freezing mark. Salt is applied to roads once snow accumulates.
When snow hits Tennessee, TDOT ice and snow removal teams focus first on clearing interstates and heavily traveled state routes specifically targeting areas vulnerable to freezing, such as hills, curves, ramps, bridges, and interchanges. During prolonged weather events, crews may have to clear roadways repeatedly.
Crews will prioritize the following routes that are crucial for connectivity in the Tennessee Valley and Upper Cumberland areas:
· I-75, I-24, and I-40
· US 64, US 27, US 41, US 41A, US 127, and US 70
· SR 153, APD 40, SR 55, and SR 111
The Chattanooga area is expected to see its worst snowfall event in more than 10 years. TDOT strongly encourages drivers to prepare to stay off the roads on Friday, for their own safety and the safety of workers, giving crews the room they need to do their jobs.
For winter weather tips, travel information, and a regional breakdown of TDOT winter weather supplies and equipment, visit the TDOT website https://www.tn.gov/tdot/inclement-weather/ice-snow.html. Members of the media are welcome to use the winter weather Broll found here with a courtesy to TDOT.
The Dalton Public Works Department has a plan in place to prepare City streets on Thursday afternoon. Department leaders met Wednesday morning with the team of drivers who operate the City's salt brine trucks to review plans and preparations.
The latest weather forecasts are calling for winter weather to arrive in Dalton on Friday, potentially around 7 a.m. The Public Works Department is planning to start the salt brine trucks on their routes around lunchtime on Thursday, to pre-treat the roads. The operation focuses efforts on the city's main arterial roads first before preparing secondary roads and residential streets. However, plans are in place to prepare all of the city's roads before the storm hits. The Public Works Department will have crews on standby ahead of the storm on Friday morning to ensure there is ample staff available to respond to whatever weather situations arise. Earlier this week, the Public Works Department operated all of the salt brine trucks and equipment to ensure everything is in working order and also filled all of the salt brine tanks with approximately 8,000 gallons of the solution.
The City of Dalton uses the salt brine treatment instead of spreading gravel and rock salt. The brine solution can keep ice from forming on treated roadways. If ice does form, or in snow events where snow or ice do accumulate on the road, the brine keeps it from bonding with the pavement and sticking. That way, plow trucks can easily clear any accumulated snow or ice.
Even though the Public Works Department will be working throughout the storm to keep Dalton's roadways as clear and safe as possible, city leaders urge residents to restrict non-essential travel in the event of snow or ice. If at all possible, please stay off of the roads and stay home instead.