ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency for Georgia as the state braces for the coldest temperatures in nearly five years.
Channel 2 Action News at Noon carried the governor’s news conference live on air as he discussed the state’s plans.
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The state of emergency will allow for essential supplies, especially propane, to be delivered for both commercial and residential needs. It covers all 159 counties in Georgia and goes into effect Wednesday.
The declaration allows the state to begin the process of filling up brine trucks so they can treat every state route and interstate north of the fall line from Columbus to Macon to Augusta.
Kemp says crews across the state are preparing for any dangerous road conditions, trees and power lines down.
“Temperatures as we know it likely won’t reach 40 degrees across Georgia until Monday afternoon,” the governor said.
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Severe Weather Team 2 Chief Meteorologist Brad Nitz says a wind chill watch has been issued from midnight Thursday through noon on Saturday. Some areas are under a wind chill warning.
Nitz added that hypothermia is a major concern.
On Friday morning, strong wind gusts will make temperatures feel like 0 to 10 below or more. Nitz says Saturday morning could start around 11 degrees, which would be the coldest in nearly eights years since January 2015.
Kemp and GEMA director Gene Stallings say that all Georgians should prepare for the dangerous cold. Officials warn wind could also delay reconnecting power.
“It may be very hard to get the crews to fix a downed power outage until it’s safe to do so,” Kemp said.
Stallings asked people traveling away from home during Christmas to make sure neighbors could access their homes in case pipes burst.
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