Buckle up, Atlanta. We are headed into a severe weather weekend and several soggy days.
Starting around 6 p.m. Friday, showers and storms will start creeping into northwest Georgia. The system, which is pushing in from the Tennessee Valley and Alabama, is expected to reach metro Atlanta closer to 11 p.m. or midnight, according to Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Ashley Kramlich.
The state’s northwest corner is under a Level 2 of 5 risk for severe weather, and the metro area is under a Level 1 threat, according to the National Weather Service.
“It’s mainly a damaging wind event, so we can see some trees and some power lines down,” Kramlich said. “(We’re) also watching for the potential for some hail to develop. (It’s) going to bring a lot of rain and lightning.”
There is also the potential for some tornadoes. The threat “is low, but it is not zero,” she said, “so like what we’ve seen over the past few weeks, these brief, spin-up tornadoes could be an issue with these storms.”
So far this year, the Peach State has seen 36 tornadoes, most of which — 21 — have been EF0 twisters with wind speeds between 70 and 85 mph, according to NWS data analyzed by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The most recent, however, was an EF2. It was the strongest so far and caused the most severe damage, including injuring two people.
Friday’s storms are expected to continue their march through the metro area into the overnight hours before clearing up for daybreak Saturday and early afternoon. So, if you have any midday outdoor plans, you shouldn’t have to cancel them just yet.
But keep an eye on the forecast, as the next round of storms is expected in the late afternoon and evening hours, potentially starting by 5 p.m. Saturday.
That wave of storms has a higher potential for severe weather. Much of Georgia is under a Level 2 threat, with the greatest risk being damaging winds. “But the environment could also support large hail and a brief tornado,” the Weather Service warns.
Sunday will bring more rain and stormy weather. As of Friday, the Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center projects a Level 1 severe weather risk over North Georgia and metro Atlanta. There’s a Level 2 risk over the state’s lower half.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much sunshine in the forecast next week. Every day at least through Thursday will bring scattered thunderstorms. And with all the rain, high temperatures will stay in the low to mid 80s.
» For a detailed forecast, visit www.ajc.com/weather.
» For updated traffic information, listen to News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB and follow @WSBTraffic on X.
» Download The Atlanta Journal-Constitution app for weather alerts on-the-go.
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