Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency Thursday in preparation for a winter storm that will impact the state.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has announced safety plans in advance of the wintry weather that may potentially hit Georgia later this week.Gov. Kemp announced he has instructed GEMA (Georgia Emergency Management Agency) and Homeland Security Agency,

(The Center Square) – Georgians of a certain age remember two major winter events – the blizzard of 1993 and the "Snowjam" of 2014. The blizzard is called a one-in-a-lifetime event in the state, but 2014's debacle was blamed on state officials' failure to plan.

A state of emergency is now in place across Georgia ahead of the approaching winter storm. Gov. Brian Kemp signed the order, in effect immediately through Tuesday, Jan. 14. This allows state agencies to activate the State Operations Center and direct resources to areas in need.

Snow is rare enough in Georgia that a few inches of accumulation can spark wonder in school children, but the fluffy white flakes can also be a major pain for those who need to worry about commuting to work or managing a household.

We'll start Friday with a burst of snow in metro Atlanta between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. After that, we will see a rain/snow/ice/sleet mix across the metro (mostly in Atlanta and areas south of I-20).