Metro Atlanta under winter storm watch with heavy snow possible

The skyline is seen Friday, Jan. 24, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

This story was updated on Thursday, Jan. 29 at 3:51 p.m.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has expanded a winter storm watch to include metro Atlanta as the region prepares for a second straight weekend of winter weather — this time with snow instead of ice.

The watch initially covered a nearly 20-county area east of metro Atlanta. NWS has now added over 25 more counties to the watch that include the cities of Atlanta, East Point, Marietta, Decatur, Dawsonville, Milledgeville, Ellijay, Covington, Stockbridge, Madison, Gray, Riverdale, Chatsworth, Blue Ridge, Winder, Eatonton, Woodstock, Swainsboro, Monroe, Monticello, Conyers, Lawrenceville, Wrightsville, Jackson, Cumming, Jasper, Toomsboro, and Jeffersonville.

A winter storm watch is in effect for much of Georgia this weekend. (National Weather Service)