ATLANTA (AP) — Traffic along interstates and surface streets in the downtown Atlanta area came to a crawl as snow began falling in the metro Atlanta region.

Many decided to end their workdays early Tuesday afternoon and quickly created traffic jams as they tried navigating the slippery streets.

Georgia Department of Transportation spokeswoman, Natalie Dale, said in a statement that heavy traffic was complicating efforts to treat area roads and highways. GDOT crews were working to clear snow and ice accumulations on interstates in the metro Atlanta, middle Georgia and northwest Georgia areas.

Footage from local television stations showed several freeway ramps that were clogged with heavy traffic and disabled semi-trucks.

Transportation officials are urging Georgians to refrain from driving — especially after dark — as black ice accumulations are expected to develop.