Winter storm updates: Hazardous roads, power outages reported across Georgia

Georgia officials are telling residents to stay off the roads as counties begin reporting deteriorating road conditions across parts of the state due to the massive winter storm moving across the country.

An Ice Storm Warning remains in effect until 10 a.m. Monday for portions of north central and northeast Georgia, according to the National Weather Service office in Peachtree City.

Crews began treating highways with brine after midnight Saturday, with 1,800 workers on 12-hour shifts, Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said.

Before the storm hit the state, President Trump had approved a federal disaster declaration for parts of Georgia expected to be hit the hardest. This goes along with Gov. Brian Kemp's previous State of Emergency, which remains in effect until Thursday at midnight.

After earlier putting 500 National Guard members on standby, Kemp announced Saturday that he was deploying 120 of them to northeast Georgia "to further strengthen our response in the hardest hit areas."

On Sunday morning, the governor posted an update on his Facebook page, saying that response crews are working around the clock to catch up on areas that they are seeing ice.

"We're about halfway through this event. I know that some people may be waking up and saying 'There's nothing out there,' because we are in a little bit of a lull," Kemp said. "There's more coming. We do think things will deteriorate as the day goes on."

Even when the storm moves out of the area, officials are warning residents not to get on the roads, as below-freezing temperatures will likely keep travel dangerous.

Power outages leave Georgians in the dark

As of Sunday morning, more than 10,000 Georgians were reported to be without power as the ice storm hit the state.

Most of the power outages have been reported in DeKalb and Fulton counties.

Georgia Power reported that over 10,000 personnel from the major utility, contract companies, and partners are "engaged and ready support the company's response efforts."

Once conditions have been deemed safe, teams will move through impacted areas to assess damage. Crews will then come in to clear fallen debris and make repairs.

"Crews are prepared to work around the clock to restore power for customers safely and quickly as possible," a spokesperson for Georgia Power wrote in a release.

Residents should watch for downed wires, avoid chain link fences or standing water, and not attempt to remove any tree branches from power lines.

Freezing rain and winds lead to dangerous roads

Officials across metro Atlanta have a simple message for Georgians during the storm: stay home.

In Henry County, the sheriff's office said that residents should avoid all travel unless essential.

"Conditions can change quickly, and roads may become unsafe with little warning," the agency wrote. If you choose to drive and get into an emergency, assistance might be delayed due to the weather, it emphasized.

While roads can look safe, the lower temperatures combined with the rain can cause ice to form quickly, leading to slick spots that drivers can't see easily.

Motorists who must travel are asked to give emergency responders and Georgia Department of Transportation crews space to let them quickly and safely work.

MARTA is currently operating on an inclement weather plan. Other transit authorities, such as the Xpress, have suspended operations for Monday.

Cancellations at the Atlanta airport

More than 10,000 flights across the country have been canceled as airports manage the harsh conditions caused by the storm.

Flight Aware reports that Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has canceled more than 500 flights in the past day and has had over 500 flights expected to land at the airport canceled as well.

Disruptions were also piling up at airports in Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago, Nashville, and Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.