The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a special weather statement late Saturday evening and a hazardous weather outlook Sunday morning.

Patchy fog is expected across the region until 10 a.m. Sunday, January 12, and the combination of overnight subfreezing temperatures and the partial thawing of slush in the roadways will cause icy patches.

The special weather statement gave the following caution:

…ICY ROADS EXPECTED TONIGHT ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA… Sub-freezing temperatures tonight, coupled with lingering moisture and slush on roadways, will lead to slick spots and patches of black ice. Ice on roads can be very difficult or impossible to see at night. Temperatures across most areas will drop below freezing by early Saturday evening, with temperatures not rising above freezing until at least mid-morning Sunday. Use extra caution while driving and slow down to reduce your risk. Avoid sudden breaking or rapid lane changes if possible.

The special weather statement lists the following counties:

Baldwin, Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Bleckley, Butts, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattahoochee, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Crawford, Crisp, Dade, Dawson, DeKalb, Dodge, Dooly, Douglas, Emanuel, Fannin, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, 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, Towns, Treutlen, Troup, Twiggs, Union, Upson, Walker, Walton, Warren, Washington, Webster, Wheeler, White, Whitfield, Wilcox, Wilkes, Wilkinson

The hazardous weather outlook reads as follows:

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north and central Georgia. .DAY ONE…Today and Tonight… Patchy dense fog will occur across northern Georgia through 10 AM this morning. Slick spots and patches of black ice will also be possible due to refreezing snow and ice melt. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Monday through Saturday… There is a small chance, 10 percent or less, of patchy freezing rain in west central Georgia between 2 AM and 10 AM on Monday. Any accumulations would be very light, three hundredths of an inch or less.

The following counties are listed in the hazardous weather outlook:

Baldwin, Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Bleckley, Butts, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattahoochee, Chattooga, 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, Montgomery, 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, Toombs, Towns, Treutlen, Troup, Twiggs, Union, Upson, Walker, Walton, Warren, Washington, Webster, Wheeler, White, Whitfield, Wilcox, Wilkes, Wilkinson

The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook for Cobb County and other parts of north and central Georgia. 

What is in the statement?

The statement gives the following details:

What counties are affected?

The following counties are included in the hazardous weather outlook:

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.