Winter Storm Watch: Snow in Store for Cartersville?

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for a portion of north Georgia that includes Cartersville and Bartow County.

In effect from 7 p.m. Sunday through noon Monday, it warns of rain expected to change to snow and possibly sleet north of a line from Rome to Canton to Cleveland.

Accumulations of a half inch to 2 inches, with up to 3 inches, at higher elevations are possible. 

"Main impacts will be from slick roadways due to snow accumulations and black ice," according to the NWS. "Gusty winds may knock down trees."

Winds increasing 15 to 25 mph with gusts around 40 mph and temperatures falling into the upper teens and 20s are expected.

A rain-and-snow mix is expected to turn to snow across portions of north and central Georgia Sunday night into Monday morning as a strong cold front moves across the region, according to the NWS' hazardous weather outlook. 

"Behind the cold front a bitterly cold airmass will settle across the southeast," the outlook says. "The cold air and strong winds will result in teen and even single-digit wind chills on Monday. By Tuesday morning, temperatures will plummet into the 5- to 15-degree range for north Georgia and 10- to 20-degree range for much of central Georgia." 

In Cartersville, Sunday night holds an 80 percent chance of precipitation and a low of 23, according to the NWS forecast. Forecasters predict a 20 percent chance of snow showers Monday before 1 p.m. with a high near 26 and a low of 6.

One of the coldest Arctic outbreaks is expected to plunge shivering cold air into the South, according to The Weather Channel.

A winter storm watch means there is a potential for significant snow, sleet or ice accumulations that may impact travel.

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How will you prepare for the bitter cold?