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(CANTON, Georgia, Jan. 30, 2026)
The City of Canton is preparing for winter weather impacts associated with snow event tracking into Northern Georgia later this evening, Jan. 30. At this time, the National Weather Service shows the likely winter precipitation for our area beginning after midnight through noon tomorrow. Those forecasts place Canton in the 1-4" category for snowfall accumulation with the possibility of increased amounts should a snow shield develop.
Unlike last weekend, there is not predicted sleet or freezing rain, just snow which will precede a drop in temperatures. The high temperature for Saturday will be at midnight tonight and temperatures will continue to fall into the low teens to single digits on Sunday. Wind chills will reach sub-zero.
City Staff are working through three sets of actions to handle this event. These actions fall under three distinct categories of procedures: Winter Storm Preparation, Winter Storm Observation, and Winter Storm Cleanup.
WINTER STORM PREPARATION
The City of Canton responds to winter weather under a uniform command structure led by the City Manager. The major areas of preparation fall under safety, utility infrastructure, external coordination, communications, and mobility.
Canton Police Department Operations
The City's Police Department works in coordination with Cherokee Emergency Management and other law, fire, and emergency service agencies in our area to assure the safety of motorists in our jurisdiction, responsiveness to calls for assistance from citizens, and to provide around the clock monitoring of public assets. Canton Police Department is outfitted with larger patrol and command vehicles for the safety of our officers and to assist in weather related concerns. This includes 23 vehicles with four wheel or all wheel drive capabilities. Recent upgrades to our local incident command center at the Police Department will provide seamless review of the storm and coordination with Cherokee EMA as well as uniform patrols in the community. The department will have Emergency Operations Center Personnel working around the clock until the event is concluded.
Public Works Department Operations
The Public Works Department is outfitted with three snow plows and four spreaders. The department will coordinate any pretreatment of roadways with the Georgia Department of Transportation and based upon forecasts. City equipment began spreading aggregate material over bridges earlier today and a crews will be on hand later tonight through the weekend as needed working on major roadways.
Water and Sewer Operations
Winter weather can create concerns especially with frozen pipes. The City's Engineer, Utilities, and H2O Innovations will work to monitor water infrastructure around the service area. All generators related to water or sewer emergency operations are being checked, fueled, and lubed as necessary. The City recently transitioned to Automated Metering Infrastructure technology (AMI), which will assist staff if reviewing potential leak data in real time throughout water accounts. Additionally, the City will work to assure all water storage facilities are as close to full capacity as practicable prior to the start of severe weather. Residents can assist in water emergencies. Be aware of where your cut-off is in your home should you experience a water break on your property. If you have a water emergency, please contact 770-479-2392.
External Partners: Hospital, Non-Profits, Sanitation Services
External coordination is led by the City Manager. This includes working with local government partners, state agencies, Northside Hospital Cherokee, local schools, and nonprofits. The City Manager will coordinate with utility providers to assure contact procedures are in place, assist with the plans for staging equipment, and review prioritization for major emergency facilities. Coordination with the hospital to assure access into the facility campus is a priority. Working with local nonprofits that provide emergency services, such as warming shelters or food distribution, will be reviewed so that information can be communicated to the public. The City operates under mutual aid agreements with other local governments to assist with equipment and staffing as necessary during emergency events. The City will communicate with residents about any delays or schedule changes related to sanitation services. There are no changes at this time. The City's roll-off Collection Site at 2525 Ridge Road will be closed on Saturday, January 31.
Communications
Communication is the most important part of emergency event planning. The City will work to keep residents informed through a variety of options, including the City's website (www.cantonga.gov), social media, and text communication. For information related to the actual weather, please consider tuning into an Atlanta-based news station or the Weather Channel.
WINTER STORM OBSERVATION
As the storm enters the area, the City will work to review its impact and deploy services in a manner that protects both the public and our team's safety. Throughout the event, staff in the Cherokee EMA and the Canton EOC will provide updates to our winter storm team. As information is available the City will share such information on social media (which may include sharing content from partners). We will work during the event to notify the public of potential safety issues, such as roadways which are becoming challenging or need to be closed. At the end of this message, we have provided a list of contacts for power utilities. During emergency weather events, the City will not cut off water service for non-payment on the account.
WINTER STORM CLEANUP
As the storm passes and the safety of our team allows, the City will deploy resources to assist in getting operations back into a routine manner. First priority for the City is passable major roads and connectors. These roadways will be cleared as possible in coordination with GDOT and Cherokee County. Police Patrols will assist with Public Works in determining which streets are passable and information will be shared with the public as quickly as possible. Water service is also a top priority of the City. Any major utility incidents will be reviewed to determine prioritization by the City Engineer and H2O Innovations.
Winter storms can often leave debris from falling limbs. Residents should move these to the curb as possible and can request a brush pick-up from Public Works by emailing TellUs@cantonga.gov. The impact of the event will determine how quickly brush pick-ups can occur. If the City determines that utilizing a recovery route is the most effective method for collection, we will share that route and recovery dates via the City's website and social media.
As with any weather event, the easiest way for the City to respond is if residents that do not need to be on the roadways stay off said roadways. Snow is not a frequent event in Canton. Enjoy it at home when possible and allow our team to do the clean up work necessary to get you around. Additionally, with cold weather, melting during the day can lead to refreezing at night. Consider safety as your top priority. Slow down and stay home when possible.
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