Atlanta winter storm upgraded to a warning as closings mount

Downtown Atlanta skyline
National Weather Service Atlanta has placed the metro Atlanta region under winter watch from Friday morning at 7 a.m. to Saturday at 7 a.m. (Emil Moffatt/WABE)

This story was updated on Jan. 9, 2025, at 6:08 p.m.

The National Weather Service upgraded the approaching winter storm in Georgia from a watch to a warning, signaling that hazardous weather is imminent.

Around 4 p.m. Thursday, the NWS in Atlanta predicted between 1 to 3 inches of snow and sleet in the northern half of the state and at least one-quarter inch of freezing rain accumulation along the I-85 and I-20 corridors from 7 a.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday.