What To Know Ahead Of Winter Weather Expected In Dallas-Hiram

PAULDING COUNTY, GA — With colder temperatures in the forecast for this weekend, residents in Dallas and Hiram may want to keep the hot cocoa and thick blankets on standby.

According to a National Weather Service special weather statement, Paulding County is included in the possibility for snow and ice accumulations Saturday night and Sunday. Black ice is likely Sunday night and into Monday morning.

Paulding County Emergency Management Agency officials said they are watching the weather closely and will include updates as necessary. They are sharing NWS statements and alerts on Facebook as needed, as well as sending alerts through the county's CodeRED notification system.

You can text MyPauldingGA to 99411 to enroll in these notifications, or visit this link to register online.

Read more: Snow, Sleet, Freezing Rain Possible For North GA, Metro Atlanta

In the meantime, the Georgia Department of Transportation is sharing three things that Dallas and Hiram residents should know to be better prepared before this weekend's winter storm hits the state:

1. What's happening? A winter storm system is moving into north Georgia and is anticipated to begin Saturday evening and last through late Sunday night. Effects could range from rain, freezing rain, or snow in Paulding County.

2. What should you do? Begin preparing now to stay home if you can. Be sure to have essential groceries on hand and gas in your vehicle, but plan to avoid all non-essential travel in affected areas during the storm.

3. What is GDOT doing? Georgia DOT is constantly evolving how we respond to winter weather events and the treatment plans we utilize. Each storm is unique and our treatment and response has to be specifically tailored to that weather system. The department has been monitoring this weather system and coordinating with our partners at the National Weather Service and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency to determine how we will use our plan to address this system. Our plan includes brine routes run all day Friday, and plow teams activating Saturday through the end of the storm.