As US braces for winter storm, here's what may come to Mercer

Much of the East Coast and Midwest are preparing for a large winter storm that is predicted to begin this weekend and end by Monday, and some projections show that its impact may stretch down to Macon.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp issued a state of emergency ahead of the winter storm on Thursday, and Mercer announced that it is monitoring the situation and will let students and faculty know by Sunday at 5:00 p.m. whether classes will continue as scheduled on Monday.

According to the National Weather Service, there is a 90% chance of rain Saturday and Sunday. The low for Saturday night will hover around freezing, and there may be thunderstorms after 4 p.m. Sunday.

Macon may see icy conditions this weekend as temperatures are expected to drop below freezing Sunday night.

NWS Meteorologist Carmen Hernandez says black ice will likely appear late Sunday night or early Monday morning when temperatures are predicted to fall between 26 and 30 degrees. Black ice is a thin, virtually invisible patch of ice found on roadways.

“If you start to see icy spots, go ahead and just stay home,” Hernandez says. “You can usually refer to your county officials either on social media or anything like that. They’ll usually update on icy conditions.”

Nearly a quarter of U.S. weather-related vehicle crashes occur in snowy or icy conditions, according to the Federal Highway Administration.

While North Georgia residents are preparing for an oncoming ice storm, Hernandez says Macon sits “just out of range” of the winter storm. She says hazards such as power outages are unlikely, but drivers should move with caution and keep ample distance from other vehicles.

“Stay tuned, but probably you’re just gonna be preparing for cold rain at this point— not too many impacts. It doesn’t hurt to stay off the roads Sunday in case the ice over-performs.”