The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a winter storm watch for much of North Georgia, including Gwinnett County, through Friday morning.

A winter storm watch means there is a potential for significant snow, sleet or ice accumulations that impact travel.

The stalled front that has brought widespread rain is expected to shift southward Thursday afternoon as a cold front moves into the area.

"A cold polar airmass will begin to spread into Georgia at the surface," according to the NWS. "A low begins to strengthen across east Georgia. As this low tracks to the northeast, wrap-around moisture should swing into the cold air mass and cause the rain to change to snow across North Georgia Thursday afternoon into Thursday evening."

The watch area extends north of a line from Carrollton to Atlanta to Jefferson. The primary hazards expected are snow and black ice.

The heaviest snowfall is expected in the North Georgia mountains where 2-4 inches are possible. Forecasters expect less than an inch in the rest of the watch area. Snowfall is expected to begin in northwest Georgia by mid-afternoon on Thursday and extend through the rest of North Georgia through the late afternoon and early evening hours.

The NWS warns that black ice is likely across the watch area Thursday night and into Friday morning as temperatures fall below freezing.