Severe storms, which potentially could include menacing tornadoes, are barreling toward Georgia today as much of the state braces for a heavy punch from Mother Nature by nightfall.
A greater risk for severe weather has expanded closer to metro Atlanta, meaning there is a 10-15% chance that a “significant” tornado, rated EF2 or higher, could spin up in areas that get hit hardest by tonight’s storms.
Weather experts are urging residents to be prepared.
The state’s western border and parts of the metro area’s west side are under a Level 4 of 5 risk for severe weather tonight and Sunday morning, the National Weather Service warns. Much of that area had been under a Level 3 risk until the agency’s Storm Prediction Center upgraded the threat level Friday afternoon.
A large portion of the rest of the state remains under a Level 3 risk.
Expect blustering winds, hail, heavy rain and thunder to start in the evening, with the main punch of the storm to reach the metro area closer to about 7 or 8 p.m. Depending on how fast the system moves, Atlanta may not see the brunt of the storm until later. Some thunderstorms are possible in the afternoon, too.
Locations under the Level 4 threat carry a 15% chance of tornado formation, and areas under the Level 3 threat have a 10% chance. Any tornadoes that pop up have the potential to have “significant” power, meaning an EF2 or higher rating, the NWS warns.
Experts are advising you to stay up late or turn up weather alerts to full volume so you wake up if a tornado watch or warning is issued for your area.
This weather system is part of a “mega storm” marching across the country, threatening more than 100 million people with fires, blizzards, tornadoes and flooding, the Associated Press reports.
In the Southeast, the highest threat is in central Alabama, where residents are under a Level 5 risk — the highest possible. While the threat is lower for Georgia, violent weather that starts in our neighboring state often spills into the Peach State, including tornadoes.
Through the years, many of Georgia’s most powerful twisters have originated in Alabama. An EF4 in March 2019, for example, spawned there in Lee County before crossing the Chattahoochee River into Muscogee County. No fatalities were reported in Georgia, but seven people were injured. Twenty-three people died in Alabama.
“All of the ingredients for a widespread outbreak across much of the Southeast continue to come into alignment,” the Weather Service cautions. Several supercells — storms that produce tornadoes — are expected.
March marks the start of severe weather season, during which such storms easily form thanks to the warm spring air clashing with the cold lingering from winter to create the unstable energy that drives violent weather.
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