As accumulations are as much as two inches per hour due to heavy precipitation, forecasts are now calling for as much as a foot of snow in some portions of the greater Atlanta metropolitan area, which would surpass even the amounts recorded during the Storm of the Century on Saturday, March 13, 1993.
Up to a Foot of Snow In Atlanta?!?
Hundreds of flights have already been canceled at the international airport which serves the greater Atlanta metropolitan area. Delta Air Lines alone already canceled 375 flights due to the weather.
We’ve proactively cancelled 375 flights due to the ATL winter storms. Check your flight status via the Fly Delta app or https://t.co/yQj0bzerMw. https://t.co/caRCwAQRxG
— Delta (@Delta) December 8, 2017
Thousands of people are already without electrical power; and accidents are already piling up on roads and highways around the area.
Not as Bad as January of 2014
Despite significantly more accumulation of snow forecast this time around, at least the storm is not expected to be nearly as bad as the storm in January of 2014. During that storm — due to the abysmal lack of response by state and local authorities to a winter storm — FlyerTalk members reported being stranded in the Atlanta metropolitan area until further notice…
…and it was not because of flight delays and cancellations — of which there had been thousands nationwide due to the winter storm — but rather because of highways clogged with cars abandoned due to severe gridlock conditions and ice on the roadways throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area, which meant that FlyerTalk members either could get to the international airport in Atlanta or wondered if they would be able to catch their flights…
…and politicians had been raked by the media and by citizens in general due to the poor response.
FlyerTalk members had been scrambling to find lodging both in and out of the airport, which was already a problem at both Hilton hotel properties and Marriott hotel properties due to conventions which were supposed to occur during that week.
Thousands of motorists were stuck on the roadways for as many as ten hours. During the storm today, travel times are measured in hours — but drivers are not stuck on the roads, as they have not frozen over yet. Icy conditions — including dangerous black ice — are expected to occur on roads and highways after dusk as temperatures cool down.
Summary
I would not be surprised if a state of emergency was declared for the state of Georgia as a result of this storm, which is expected to break records.
For the latest pertaining to travel waivers issued by airlines as a result of this winter storm, please refer to this article — and please stay safe.
All photographs ©2017 by Brian Cohen.
