Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) -- Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has said a state of emergency will be declared on Friday for 79 counties in the Peach State.

Gov. Deal said the state of emergency ahead of a significant weather event will be declared at noon on Friday, Jan. 6.

The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency recommended Deal order state agencies to prepare for up to four inches of snowfall.

In the CSRA, we're only expected to get less than 2 inches of snow.

Deal is announced the order a day early so individuals and businesses in North and Central Georgia can prepare for the noon declaration and the winter storm itself.

State government offices will remain open as usual Friday.

About the State of Emergency:

- The Georgia Department of Transportation will begin treating roads and interstates this evening and will continue to do so throughout the day Friday.

- Local governments and agencies are working with the state to prepare for the winter storm.

- The state of emergency allocates resources to state and local agencies if needed. It does not close state government.

- All decisions regarding school closures will be made at the local level.

The 79 counties include Baldwin, Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Butts, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb,

Columbia

, Coweta, Crawford, Dade, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Elbert, Fannin, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Fulton, Gilmer, Gordon, Greene, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Hancock, Haralson, Harris, Hart, Heard, Henry, Jackson, Jasper, Jones, Lamar,

Lincoln

, Lumpkin, Madison,

McDuffie

, Meriwether, Monroe, Morgan, Murray, Muscogee, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Pickens, Pike, Polk, Putnam, Rabun,

Richmond

, Rockdale, Spalding, Stephens, Talbot,

Taliaferro

, Taylor, Towns, Treutlen, Troup, Union, Upson, Walker, Walton,

Warren

, White, Whitfield and

Wilkes

.