Over the next three days, a winter storm will likely plunge large parts of the southeastern U.S., including storm-weary Georgia, into darkness as a “catastrophic” load of ice knocks down trees and power lines.
The storm is already spreading a swath of snow, ice and rain across the South and could produce up to an inch or more of ice in parts of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. State officials and the National Weather Service have warned of widespread power outages to come.

The NWS’ Atlanta forecast office warns that it could be a weather event of “historical proportions," particularly from Atlanta eastward on Interstate 20. The NWS has been stressing the severity of the storm for days, but its latest update hammers home its potential impact: "The ice accumulations remain mind-boggling if not historical."
The brunt of the storm will strike from late Tuesday through Wednesday, as a low-pressure system forms in the Gulf of Mexico, pushing moist air above a cold dome of air that will remain locked in place from Northern Louisiana through North Carolina.
The relatively warm air flowing over the cold air will result in rain that falls and freezes on contact, coating all surfaces — from car windshields to power poles — in sheets of ice, making travel impossible in many areas.
We'll see the worst of the icing and most power outages from Atlanta to Augusta, Ga., northeastward to Columbia, S.C., and into Raleigh. Power outages are also likely from northern Louisiana into central Mississippi, according to The Weather Channel.

Areas from Atlanta to Augusta, Ga., northeastward to Columbia, S.C., and into Raleigh will take the worst ice hit.
If you depend on electricity to operate medical equipment, have alternate arrangements in place in case power is out for a long time. #gawx
— Georgia_EMA (@GeorgiaEMA) February 11, 2014
In Georgia, where officials were caught flat-footed after a storm on Jan. 28 that caused an epic traffic jam in and around Atlanta, local and state government officials are taking no chances with this event. Governor Nathan Deal has already declared a state of emergency for 45 counties, and the state is effectively shutting down for the duration of the storm.
.@NWSAtlanta says to expect crippling ice with this event. Prepare for power outages; think about alternative heat sources. #gawx
— Georgia_EMA (@GeorgiaEMA) February 11, 2014

Image: Weatherbell.com Weatherbell.com

This storm is not going to be solely a southern event, either. On Wednesday, the wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain will spread across the Appalachians from north Georgia into North Carolina and on to Virginia. Cities including Asheville and Charlotte could see at least a half foot or more of snow.
Computer model projections show that the storm is likely to intensify as it emerges off the East Coast, threatening the big cities of Washington, Philadelphia, New York and Boston with heavy snow, sleet and rain, and potentially dumping more than 1 foot of snow in their western suburbs by the storm winds down late on Thursday.