High fire danger, freeze warning; winds expected to diminish

As the fallout continues from superstorm Sandy, a high fire danger exists for north Georgia and several north Georgia counties - mainly to the north and west of Gainesville - are under a Freeze Warning. They are: Bartow, Chattooga, Dawson, Cherokee, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Lumpkin, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Towns, Union and White.

The high fire danger warning comes one day after the Georgia Forestry Commission warned that the winds from Sandy, which also buffeted north Georgia, were rapidly drying things out and creating the danger for grass and woods fires. Low humidity is also a factor. (See separate story.)

The strong winds that prevailed Monday and Tuesday across the northern third of the state were expected to lessen somewhat Wednesday as the storm system moved through upstate New York and toward Canada.

The top wind gust reported at Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport in Gainesville since the storm began impacting weather in north Georgia Sunday was 38 mph. That was recorded on Monday. Elsewhere in the area, 29 mph was the top gust reported in Blairsville, 24 in Clayton and 34 in Cornelia. A wind advisory and high wind warning had been in place most of Monday and Tuesday for select north Georgia counties.

There were numerous reports of trees down or tree limbs snapped across the region as far south as metro Atlanta. (See earlier stories.)

http://accesswdun.com/article/2012/10/254676