Residents across

the south side of Atlanta woke up to the sight of a gentle snowfall Wednesday

morning.

the wintry landscape started causing problems as hundreds of people were

stranded at Hartsfield International Airport, some sitting in planes on

the taxiways for as long as nine hours.

The snow started

around 7:30 in eastern Coweta and south Fulton County, and by mid-morning

had spread north to the airport.

In one of the

quirks of this storm, forecasters at the National Weather Service said

south side residents could see more snow than their mountainous neighbors

on the north side of Atlanta.

In fact, forecasters

were saying as much as six inches of snow could blanket the region before

the storm moved up the eastern coast.

In South Fulton

County the region's biggest economic engine went into snow mode early

Wednesday.

At 9 a.m.,

Hartsfield Internaional Airport's snow desk was activated in preparation

for snow and inclement weather predicted by the National Weather Service.

The snow desk operates 24 hours a day as necessary to monitor runway conditions.

Hartsfield

is equipped with 10 snowplows, eight deicing vehicles, five broom trucks,

five salt and sand spreaders and three snow blowers. The facility's 12

designated deicing pads on concourse E have been opened for aircraft.

Passengers were advised to allow an additional hour for travel to the

airport.

night and early Thursday morning, several flights had been postponed and

many travelers sat on the Tarmac and waited to either de-plane or have

their planes deiced.

Fulton County

commissioners conducted their 10 a.m. commission meeting Wednesday and

no major cancellations had occurred by late Wednesday.

Coweta County trucks were loaded with sand and motor graders have been

checked and were at the ready. The county's road crews were ready to clear

the main travel arteries and sand down icy spots and bridges.

County crews

will keep the county roadways clear, while the state Department of Transportation

works on such major highways as Ga. highways 16, 34 and 54.

Bill Cawthorne,

Public Works director, says his department is prepared to respond as the

need arises.

two cancellations had already occurred in Coweta County. Director Bill

McCorkle said the Coweta County Department of Family and Children Services

office closed at noon Wednesday and was scheduled to reopen at noon Thursday,

weather permitting.

The Coweta

County Board of Zoning Appeals also canceled its regular monthly meeting

scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. The meeting has been rescheduled for

Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. in the Magistrate courtroom on the second floor of the

County Administration Building in downtown Newnan.

More cancellations

occurred Thursday morning as nearly six inches of snow covered the ground.

The Coweta

County commissioners rescheduled their meeting from 9 a.m. Thursday to

the same time next Tuesday morning.