A Cold Weather Advisory has been issued for Cobb County and other Georgia counties, in effect until 10 a.m. this morning, Friday, February 21.

What is in the statement?

The statement gives the following details:

…COLD WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EST FRIDAY…

* WHAT…Very cold wind chills that will range from around 3 above

  in the mountains of north Georgia to the teens across central

  portions of the state.

* WHERE…Portions of central, east central, north central,

  northeast, northwest, southeast, and west central Georgia.

* WHEN…Until 10 AM EST Friday.

* IMPACTS…Frostbite and hypothermia will occur if unprotected skin

  is exposed to these temperatures. An extended period of cold

  temperatures could cause pipes to burst.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Use caution when venturing outside. Wear appropriate clothing, a

hat, and gloves. Keep pets indoors as much as possible. Make

frequent checks on older family, friends, and neighbors. Ensure

portable heaters are used correctly. Do not use generators or grills

inside.

What counties are affected?

The following counties are included in the hazardous weather outlook:

Baldwin, Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Bleckley, Butts, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Chattahoochee, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Crawford, Crisp, Dade, Dawson, DeKalb, Dodge, Dooly, Douglas, Emanuel, Fannin, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Gilmer, Glascock, Gordon, Greene, Gwinnett, Hall, Hancock, Haralson, Harris, Heard, Henry, Houston, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Lamar, Laurens, Lumpkin, Macon, Madison, Marion, Meriwether, Monroe, Morgan, Murray, Muscogee, Newton, North Fulton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Peach, Pickens, Pike, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Rockdale, Schley, South Fulton, Spalding, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taliaferro, Taylor, Telfair, Terrell, Toombs, Treutlen, Troup, Twiggs, Union, Upson, Walker, Walton, Warren, Washington, Webster, Wheeler, White, Whitfield, Wilcox, Wilkes, Wilkinson

Including the cities of:

Abbeville, Alamo, Americus, Athens, Atlanta, Barnesville, Blairsville, Blue Ridge, Bremen, Buena Vista, Butler, Calhoun, Carrollton, Cartersville, Cedartown, Chatsworth, Cleveland, Cochran, Columbus, Comer, Commerce, Conyers, Cordele, Crawford, Crawfordville, Cumming, Dallas, Dalton, Dahlonega, Dawsonville, Decatur, Dublin, Douglasville, East Point, Eastman, Eatonton, Ellaville, Ellijay, Fort Moore, Fort Oglethorpe, Fort Valley, Franklin, Forsyth, Gainesville, Gibson, Gray, Greensboro, Griffin, Hawkinsville, Hiawassee, Homer, Jackson, Jasper, Jeffersonville, LaFayette, Lawrenceville, Louisville, Lumpkin, Macon, Madison, Manchester, Marietta, McRae, Milledgeville, Montezuma, Monroe, Monticello, Mount Vernon, Newnan, Peachtree City, Pine Mountain, Preston, Riverdale, Roberts, Rome, Sandersville, Soperton, Sparta, Stockbridge, Summerville, Swainsboro, Talbotton, Thomaston, Toomsboro, Trenton, Vidalia, Vienna, Warrenton, Warner Robins, Washington, Watkinsville, West Point, Winder, Woodstock, Wrightsville, Zebulon

What is wind chill?

The National Weather Service defines wind chill as follows:

The wind chill temperature is how cold people and animals feel when outside. Wind chill is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by wind and cold. As the wind increases, it draws heat from the body, driving down skin temperature and eventually the internal body temperature.

About the National Weather Service

The National Weather Service (NWS) is a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The NWS describes its role as follows:

“The National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather, water, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy. 

“These services include Forecasts and Observations, Warnings, Impact-based Decision Support Services, and Education in an effort to build a Weather-Ready Nation. The ultimate goal is to have a society that is prepared for and responds to weather, water and climate events.”

>>> Read all the Cobb County Courier climate and weather coverage by following this link.