A Winter Storm Watch is now in effect for a large portion of North and Northwest Georgia, including Chattooga and Walker County areas, from late Friday night through Monday morning. The National Weather Service says heavy mixed precipitation is possible during that time, with total snow and sleet accumulations up to four inches and ice accumulations greater than one quarter of an inch also possible.

Forecasters warn that the combination of snow, sleet, and especially ice could bring down trees and power lines, leading to power outages and damage, while travel could become extremely difficult or even impossible at times. The agency also cautions that hazardous conditions may impact the Monday morning commute.

In Chattooga and Walker Counties, the most significant impacts are expected to be more likely and more severe in the higher elevations on Lookout Mountain, including the Cloudland area, where colder temperatures tend to arrive sooner and linger longer than in the valleys. That typically means the mountain communities are more prone to an earlier transition from rain to sleet and freezing rain, and potentially to snow, increasing the risk of ice loading on trees and power lines and making roads treacherous quickly. In valley locations, temperatures can be marginally warmer at times, which may allow precipitation to begin as rain or a rain-and-mix scenario before colder air deepens and pushes wintry precipitation farther downslope. Even with that difference, the watch area includes the broader region around Summerville and warns that impacts could be widespread, particularly if the cold air holds in place through the weekend.

The National Weather Service is urging residents to monitor forecast updates as the storm track and exact temperatures will determine how much falls as snow and sleet versus freezing rain. People are also being encouraged to consider delaying travel Saturday and Sunday, and to use extreme caution if travel is unavoidable, including carrying basic emergency supplies in case drivers become stranded. With the watch extending into Monday morning, forecasters say preparations should account not only for the weekend, but also for lingering slick roads and the potential for power disruptions as the region heads into the start of the new week.