ATLANTA  What people in the South don’t know about cold is a lot.

When it gets chilly like this  and mind you, 20 degrees is really cold here  morning news anchors remind viewers to wear warm coats, hats and gloves.

It just gets worse with even the hint of snow, which might come in the smallest amounts by Sunday, according to weather forecasters.

“If they say the ‘s’ word on TV, everybody will be immediately running to Kroger or Publix to buy milk, bread and eggs,” said David E. Stooksbury, the state climatologist and a professor of engineering and atmospheric sciences at the University of Georgia. “I figure it means we are supposed to have French toast.”

Like others here, Dr. Stooksbury does not take this cold snap all that seriously.

“Why is it so cold? It’s called winter,” he said.