Gov. Nathan Deal will declare a state of emergency for 79 counties at noon on Friday, January 6, ahead of a significant weather event. Acting upon the recommendation of the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, Deal is ordering state agencies to prepare for up to four inches of snowfall. Deal is announcing the order so that individuals and businesses in North and Central Georgia can prepare for the noon declaration and the winter storm itself.
 
State government offices will remain open as usual tomorrow.
 
“I am issuing this executive order to implement protective measures to ensure the public health, preserve the safety of the public, keep property damage to a minimum and to minimize the social and economic impacts of this event on the citizens of Georgia,” said Deal. “We will continue monitoring the forecast models and make appropriate adjustments as necessary. Georgians should stay calm, make the appropriate preparations and stay aware of a potential change in weather conditions.”
 
About the State of Emergency:

· The Georgia Department of Transportation will begin treating roads and interstates this evening and will continue to do so throughout the day Friday.

· Local governments and agencies are working with the state to prepare for the winter storm.

· The state of emergency allocates resources to state and local agencies if needed. It does not close state government.

· All decisions regarding school closures will be made at the local level.
 
The 79 counties include Baldwin, Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Butts, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Columbia, Coweta, Crawford, Dade, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Elbert, Fannin, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Fulton, Gilmer, Gordon, Greene, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Hancock, Haralson, Harris, Hart, Heard, Henry, Jackson, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Lincoln, Lumpkin, Madison, McDuffie, Meriwether, Monroe, Morgan, Murray, Muscogee, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Pickens, Pike, Polk, Putnam, Rabun, Richmond, Rockdale, Spalding, Stephens, Talbot, Taliaferro, Taylor, Towns, Treutlen, Troup, Union, Upson, Walker, Walton, Warren, White, Whitfield and Wilkes.