( CNN ) -- Less than two weeks after a winter storm paralyzed Atlanta , a brand new round of bad weather is bearing down on the Southeast . The National Weather Service forecasts a 60 % to 80 % chance of rain , snow and sleet from Monday night through Wednesday in Atlanta . Up to 2 inches of snow could stick . A winter storm watch is in effect Monday through Wednesday morning for Atlanta , Birmingham , Memphis and Little Rock . The coming storm will be the first test for a 32-member severe weather task force created in the wake of the fallout from last month 's debacle when 2.6 inches of snow shutdown Atlanta 's metropolitan area . The city of Atlanta and Georgia say they 're being proactive this time , unlike two weeks ago when the storm snuck up on Gov . Nathan Deal and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed , resulting in citizen inconvenience and outrage . The governor apologized to the public and promised to handle things differently next time . `` I 'm the governor , the buck stops with me , '' he said . On Sunday the Georgia Department of Transportation said it would start treating roads with sand and salt after the Monday evening rush hour . Supplies from southern Georgia are being brought to the Atlanta metro area , said transportation department spokeswoman Natalie Dale . Deal also gave the National Guard a warning order , an advance notice to personnel of the possibility of a `` call up '' for a state mission . Schools also began announcing their plans to cancel evening activities beginning Monday . Atlanta City Hall spokesman Carlos Campos said priority roads and bridges will be treated Monday night with a combination of sand and salt , and more supplies are being ordered . The city will open a joint operations center and coordinate with the state government . The city urged people to take precautions such as filling cars with gas and stocking up on food . When the storm struck January 28 , traffic gridlock occurred almost instantaneously as commuters fled Atlanta en masse . Thousands of school children across northern Georgia spent the night in schools , and countless motorists endured 20-plus hour commutes , if they were lucky enough to get home at all . Deal appointed the new task force to help prepare for future winter storms . Glenn Burns , chief meteorologist for CNN affiliate WSB and a member of the Georgia Severe Weather Task Force , told CNN Sunday that the group is ready . He participated in a meeting Sunday with the National Weather Service , the Georgia Emergency Management Agency , GDOT , local schools and meteorologists . `` I think being on the same page with everybody getting the same information is going to be key to how we respond , '' he said . Burns also warned that this week 's storm will be significant . `` This is a whole different ball game , '' Burns said . `` What we had two weeks ago was a minor event . This is likely to be a major event . '' Burns predicts northern Georgia will see more than 30 hours of wintry precipitation compared to last month 's four hours of snow . CNN weather forecasters say this week 's storm will hit the Southeast in two waves . The first wave will occur Monday into Tuesday with a mixture of snow , sleet and freezing rain . The second wave pushes in Tuesday and Wednesday because of an area of low pressure bringing Gulf moisture to the Southeast . It will bring a wintry mix and freezing rain . The National Weather Service predicts lows of 35 degrees Monday night . On Tuesday , the high will only reach 37 and the low will be around 30 . Wednesday will be even colder , with a high of 35 and a low of 30 . On Thursday , temperatures should rise into the high 40s .
A winter storm expected to hit the Southeast Monday night . Georgia , Atlanta plan to treat the streets before the storm . Officials lambasted after earlier storm paralyzed Atlanta . Birmingham , Memphis and Little Rock are also in the crosshairs .