Wednesday morning the Georgia Department of Transportation issued what appeared to be a premature warning about the prospects for inclement weather in Georgia. After all, today’s high temperature is forecasted to reach 60 degrees, and remain in that range through next Tuesday.
On the other hand, a quick look back at history with Georgia’s – and metro Atlanta’s – winter weather preparedness reveals notable flaws in our ability to predict and prepare for winter weather.
Remember Snow Jam ’82? The storm left thousands of Georgians stranded at work and on the roads and highways. People abandoned their cars and walked home in a storm that lasted for several days.
Then there was the Blizzard of ’93, which tragically took the lives of 15 Georgians. The storm hit March 13, bringing three feet of snow to North Georgia, including more than four inches in the City of Atlanta.
And let’s not forget the Super Bowl ice storm, which struck first a week before Super Bowl 34 at the Georgia Dome and returned January 28 during Super Bowl weekend.
Next up – the Blizzard of 2011. The city was blanketed with almost four inches of snow and there were so many accidents that police stopped responding to those that did not involve injuries.
And finally, there’s Snow Jam 2014, and while only 2.6 inches of snow fell, Atlanta’s freeways were once again jammed as commuters headed home at the same time, stranding cars on freeways – and 2,000 students who slept at school.
There’s good news. The Georgia Department of Transportation is preparing for winter weather through its participation in Winter Awareness Week.
The agency reports that it is practicing and preparing for whatever Mother Nature has in store.
The agency has an emergency plan in place to deploy resources including 1,900 employees where they are most needed; and stockpiling supplies, such as 885,500 gallons of brine, which is used to de-ice freeways; and 71,286 tons of gravel.
It’s also sending out crews to assess routes and snow-removal capabilities, which include 386 snow removal machines and 80 F-250 pickups that will be deployed where needed most across the state.
“GDOT continues to enhance its preparations for extreme winter weather to treat impacted interstates and highways before, during and after a snow or icing event,” explained Larry Barnes, GDOT’s Assistant State Maintenance Engineer. “Our number one goal is to treat the interstates and state routes and keep them safe and passable, especially for emergency vehicles.”
