Tornado watch in place through 4 p.m.
Banks County and much of North Georgia is under a tornado watch through 4 p.m. today (Wednesday). Weather updates will be posted as they become available.
Downed trees reported in county due to heavy winds
The heavy winds in North Georgia Thursday night led to trees being down on several Banks County roads.
Trees are reported blocking two state routes in Banks County, SR 105 and SR 63, at multiple locations. A downed tree has also been removed from SR 51 at Gillespie Road in Banks County.
Reports started coming in at 9 p.m. Georgia Department of Correction trees were out Thursday night clearing the roads.
Georgia DOT officials urge travelers to exercise caution and call 511 for updated information on roadway conditions before getting on the road during a winter weather event. Georgia 511 is a free phone service that provides real-time traffic and travel information statewide, including winter weather closures, reports of icing or other hazardous conditions on interstates and state routes. Callers also can transfer to operators to request assistance or report incidents 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More information is available at www.511ga.org. For information on the Department of Transportation, visit (www.dot.ga.gov); you also may follow Georgia DOT on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaDOT) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/gadeptoftrans).
Trees are reported blocking two state routes in Banks County, SR 105 and SR 63, at multiple locations. A downed tree has also been removed from SR 51 at Gillespie Road in Banks County.
Reports started coming in at 9 p.m. Georgia Department of Correction trees were out Thursday night clearing the roads.
Georgia DOT officials urge travelers to exercise caution and call 511 for updated information on roadway conditions before getting on the road during a winter weather event. Georgia 511 is a free phone service that provides real-time traffic and travel information statewide, including winter weather closures, reports of icing or other hazardous conditions on interstates and state routes. Callers also can transfer to operators to request assistance or report incidents 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More information is available at www.511ga.org. For information on the Department of Transportation, visit (www.dot.ga.gov); you also may follow Georgia DOT on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaDOT) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/gadeptoftrans).
Storm leads to trees in roadway, power outages
A storm that passed across Banks County Monday evening led to downed trees in the road and power outages.
A tornado watch was issued at approximately 1:30 p.m. Monday and was in effect until 8 p.m. A thunderstorm warning was issued at 5:18 p.m. and was in place until 6 p.m.
“At 5:25 p.m., we received the first report of zero visibility, heavy wind and lightening from one of the field units,” 911 director Deidra Moore said Tuesday.
For the next hour, public safety staff received approximately 40 storm-related calls, including 16 trees blocking the roadways, power outages in Maysville and Gillsville and two minor traffic accidents.
Other reports included The Boots Etc. sign was blown into Highway 441 and a storage building from Home Depot was blown into Steven B. Tanger Blvd. No one was injured.
“We really faired well,” Moore said. “I think it quickly reminded everyone that the spring storm season is on the way. I believe everyone, including the public safety group, private businesses and the citizens, worked very well together.”
A tornado watch was issued at approximately 1:30 p.m. Monday and was in effect until 8 p.m. A thunderstorm warning was issued at 5:18 p.m. and was in place until 6 p.m.
“At 5:25 p.m., we received the first report of zero visibility, heavy wind and lightening from one of the field units,” 911 director Deidra Moore said Tuesday.
For the next hour, public safety staff received approximately 40 storm-related calls, including 16 trees blocking the roadways, power outages in Maysville and Gillsville and two minor traffic accidents.
Other reports included The Boots Etc. sign was blown into Highway 441 and a storage building from Home Depot was blown into Steven B. Tanger Blvd. No one was injured.
“We really faired well,” Moore said. “I think it quickly reminded everyone that the spring storm season is on the way. I believe everyone, including the public safety group, private businesses and the citizens, worked very well together.”
County government offices to open 10 a.m. Thursday; schools to be closed Thursday
A winter storm that covered Banks County with snow Saturday night and into Monday morning has shut down the county with government offices, schools and businesses closed through Wednesday.
County government offices, including those at the courthouse and the annex, will open at 10 a.m. on Thursday. The Banks County School System will also be closed again on Thursday, with superintendent Chris Erwin asking that teachers who are able to do so to report to work at 10 a.m.
The board of commissioners, board of education and Homer City Council meetings scheduled for Tuesday night were canceled due to the weather. The Banks County Chamber of Commerce breakfast scheduled for Thursday has been canceled, and so has the BOC hearing on Sam's Food Mart that had been scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
As of mid-day Wednesday, roads remained in bad condition in parts of the county.
“We continue our message to not travel unless you have to,” 911 director Deidra Moore said Wednesday. “While the main roadways have had some work and seem OK, they still have some bad spots and the secondary roads are still very bad. We hope that, with the rising sun, some of the ice and snow/ice mix will begin to melt. But, the problem is that our temperature is not expected to rise quickly. On our last check on temperature, we recorded 24 degrees.”
Moore said the 911 center has received reports of 15 wrecks, as of Wednesday, as well as 14 cars broken down or motorist assists and three abandoned vehicles.
The temperatures are expected to be warmer later this week with the forecast calling for a high near 43 on Friday.
County government offices, including those at the courthouse and the annex, will open at 10 a.m. on Thursday. The Banks County School System will also be closed again on Thursday, with superintendent Chris Erwin asking that teachers who are able to do so to report to work at 10 a.m.
The board of commissioners, board of education and Homer City Council meetings scheduled for Tuesday night were canceled due to the weather. The Banks County Chamber of Commerce breakfast scheduled for Thursday has been canceled, and so has the BOC hearing on Sam's Food Mart that had been scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
As of mid-day Wednesday, roads remained in bad condition in parts of the county.
“We continue our message to not travel unless you have to,” 911 director Deidra Moore said Wednesday. “While the main roadways have had some work and seem OK, they still have some bad spots and the secondary roads are still very bad. We hope that, with the rising sun, some of the ice and snow/ice mix will begin to melt. But, the problem is that our temperature is not expected to rise quickly. On our last check on temperature, we recorded 24 degrees.”
Moore said the 911 center has received reports of 15 wrecks, as of Wednesday, as well as 14 cars broken down or motorist assists and three abandoned vehicles.
The temperatures are expected to be warmer later this week with the forecast calling for a high near 43 on Friday.
Schools, county government to be again closed on Wednesday
UPDATED 2 P.M. TUESDAY
Banks County schools and government offices will be closed again on Wednesday due to the snow and ice and conditions of the roads. The board of commissioners, board of education and Homer City Council meetings scheduled for Tuesday night have also been canceled.
UPDATE 3:30 P.M.
Banks County government offices will be closed on Tuesday due to the snow and ice. The Banks County Board of Commissioners meeting scheduled for Tuesday night has also been canceled and will be rescheduled later.
MONDAY UPDATE
12:15 p.m.
The Banks County School System will be shut down again on Tuesday due to the snow and ice that has covered the area.
As of noon Monday, four to six inches of snow had been reported across the county, according to reports from the 911 center.
"The 911 Center has had six passenger car automobile accidents (with no hospital transports), two tractor trailers jack-knifed, one mechanical breakdown / motorist assist and no power outages, lines down or trees down," reports 911 director Deidra Moore. "This low call volume is very encouraging and we are hoping for the same fortune today but are closely monitoring the predicted change from snow to freezing rain and drizzle."
Moore adds, "We are asking everyone to please stay at home and off of the roads unless it is an emergency. The roads are not in good condition and while DOT and the local road departments are working hard on main roads, there are still many slick spots because we are still having precipitation with no temperature rise (last check on temperature reflected 27)."
SUNDAY NIGHT UPDATE:
The Banks County School System will be shut down Monday for students and staff due to the winter weather coming into the area late Sunday night. The county government offices will also be closed due to the winter weather.
According to the forecast, snow and sleet could hit the area Sunday night and freezing rain on Monday and Tuesday. Snow totals could reach 7 inches in the area.
Meanwhile, Jackson EMC is preparing for the storm, officials said.
With the National Weather Service winter storm watch in effect, Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) has activated its Emergency Restoration Plan and is readying its line crews, right of way crews and office staff in case severe winter weather disrupts electric service.
“At each of our district offices, we’re making sure our trucks are fully stocked, fueled and ready to roll,” said Jim Smith, vice president of engineering and operations. “All of our line crews and right of way crews will be on call and dispatched to any outages that may occur. Our Systems Control, the nerve center of our distribution network, will continue to monitor the cooperative’s more than 13,400 miles of energized wire throughout Sunday night and Monday to detect outages as they occur.”
Jackson EMC warns all residents to avoid any downed power lines, and to assume that any power line is electrified, even if it doesn’t appear to be. If a line is down across a road or in any other location that poses an immediate hazard, 911 should be notified.
In the event of an outage, Jackson EMC customers should call their local office and use the Automated Outage Reporting System. It will speed the reporting time if customers have their account name, address and phone number ready.
“During a major outage, Jackson EMC works to restore power to the most people in the shortest amount of time,” explained Smith. “When outages are occurring throughout our system, the first priority is restoring the lines that will return service to the largest number of customers with each repair. This means that our workers usually try to restore a main line before restoring power to individual customers. In the event of ice-related outages, we want our customers to know that we’re working as fast as possible to get the power back on as soon as possible.”
Ice storms frequently cause damage to individual homes, meter boxes and the spot where power enters the home, called the service entrance. When that occurs, power can only be restored after an electrician has repaired the damage.
During any power outage, customers can use a battery-operated radio to check local radio stations for any updates, and will find outage information on the cooperative’s Website http://www.jacksonemc.com/storm/index.html, including a map of current outages, as well as information about preparing for a storm, electrical safety after the storm and generator safety.
Banks County schools and government offices will be closed again on Wednesday due to the snow and ice and conditions of the roads. The board of commissioners, board of education and Homer City Council meetings scheduled for Tuesday night have also been canceled.
UPDATE 3:30 P.M.
Banks County government offices will be closed on Tuesday due to the snow and ice. The Banks County Board of Commissioners meeting scheduled for Tuesday night has also been canceled and will be rescheduled later.
MONDAY UPDATE
12:15 p.m.
The Banks County School System will be shut down again on Tuesday due to the snow and ice that has covered the area.
As of noon Monday, four to six inches of snow had been reported across the county, according to reports from the 911 center.
"The 911 Center has had six passenger car automobile accidents (with no hospital transports), two tractor trailers jack-knifed, one mechanical breakdown / motorist assist and no power outages, lines down or trees down," reports 911 director Deidra Moore. "This low call volume is very encouraging and we are hoping for the same fortune today but are closely monitoring the predicted change from snow to freezing rain and drizzle."
Moore adds, "We are asking everyone to please stay at home and off of the roads unless it is an emergency. The roads are not in good condition and while DOT and the local road departments are working hard on main roads, there are still many slick spots because we are still having precipitation with no temperature rise (last check on temperature reflected 27)."
SUNDAY NIGHT UPDATE:
The Banks County School System will be shut down Monday for students and staff due to the winter weather coming into the area late Sunday night. The county government offices will also be closed due to the winter weather.
According to the forecast, snow and sleet could hit the area Sunday night and freezing rain on Monday and Tuesday. Snow totals could reach 7 inches in the area.
Meanwhile, Jackson EMC is preparing for the storm, officials said.
With the National Weather Service winter storm watch in effect, Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) has activated its Emergency Restoration Plan and is readying its line crews, right of way crews and office staff in case severe winter weather disrupts electric service.
“At each of our district offices, we’re making sure our trucks are fully stocked, fueled and ready to roll,” said Jim Smith, vice president of engineering and operations. “All of our line crews and right of way crews will be on call and dispatched to any outages that may occur. Our Systems Control, the nerve center of our distribution network, will continue to monitor the cooperative’s more than 13,400 miles of energized wire throughout Sunday night and Monday to detect outages as they occur.”
Jackson EMC warns all residents to avoid any downed power lines, and to assume that any power line is electrified, even if it doesn’t appear to be. If a line is down across a road or in any other location that poses an immediate hazard, 911 should be notified.
In the event of an outage, Jackson EMC customers should call their local office and use the Automated Outage Reporting System. It will speed the reporting time if customers have their account name, address and phone number ready.
“During a major outage, Jackson EMC works to restore power to the most people in the shortest amount of time,” explained Smith. “When outages are occurring throughout our system, the first priority is restoring the lines that will return service to the largest number of customers with each repair. This means that our workers usually try to restore a main line before restoring power to individual customers. In the event of ice-related outages, we want our customers to know that we’re working as fast as possible to get the power back on as soon as possible.”
Ice storms frequently cause damage to individual homes, meter boxes and the spot where power enters the home, called the service entrance. When that occurs, power can only be restored after an electrician has repaired the damage.
During any power outage, customers can use a battery-operated radio to check local radio stations for any updates, and will find outage information on the cooperative’s Website http://www.jacksonemc.com/storm/index.html, including a map of current outages, as well as information about preparing for a storm, electrical safety after the storm and generator safety.
Snow falls in Banks on Christmas
Snow was reported in parts of Banks County Saturday evening bringing a white Christmas to North Georgia for the first time in decades.
The Banks County News plans to publish snow photos from our readers in next week's issue. Email photos to at AngieEditor@aol.com. Be sure to include names, location and when photos were taken.
The Banks County News plans to publish snow photos from our readers in next week's issue. Email photos to at AngieEditor@aol.com. Be sure to include names, location and when photos were taken.
Schools to be closed Wednesday
Snow began falling across Banks County early Tuesday morning leading to schools and government offices closing. Schools were also closed for Wednesday, March 3, due to the weather.
Roads reported as being covered with snow on Tuesday include Hwy. 164, Hwy. 323, Hwy. 51 South between John Morris Road and Lula, John Morris Road and Old Cornelia Hwy. There have been several reports of vehicles off the road due to the conditions. Public safety officials advise countians not to travel unless absolutely necessary.
The National Weather Service reports that snow will continue to fall across the area through midnight with temperatures in the mid to low 20s through the night causing a concern for freezing roads.
Roads reported as being covered with snow on Tuesday include Hwy. 164, Hwy. 323, Hwy. 51 South between John Morris Road and Lula, John Morris Road and Old Cornelia Hwy. There have been several reports of vehicles off the road due to the conditions. Public safety officials advise countians not to travel unless absolutely necessary.
The National Weather Service reports that snow will continue to fall across the area through midnight with temperatures in the mid to low 20s through the night causing a concern for freezing roads.
Flood warning issued for Banks
A flash flood warning was given out Monday for southern Banks County. The flood warning is in place through 4:15 p.m. Monday.
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Banks schools to resume Tuesday
Banks County schools will be be open on Tuesday after being shut down Monday due to weather conditions. Several inches of snow was reported in Banks County after Sunday's snow storm.
Anyone with snow photos is asked to email them to AngieEditor@aol.com. Some of the photos submitted will be featured on our website and in this week's issue of The Banks County News.
[Full Story »]
Anyone with snow photos is asked to email them to AngieEditor@aol.com. Some of the photos submitted will be featured on our website and in this week's issue of The Banks County News.
[Full Story »]
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