A tornado watch for several metro Atlanta counties was canceled late Tuesday night, but the threat of severe storms will continue through the overnight hours, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brad Nitz said.
“Very early Wednesday morning, the risk for strong and severe storms in west Georgia move through metro Atlanta,” he said.
That means residents could wake up early Christmas Eve to storms.
Check the latest forecast here.
Nitz said a line of storms that had been moving northward through the state Tuesday would be bringing with it a risk of damaging wind gusts, hail and isolated tornadoes, primarily in areas along Interstate 20 and southward, though strong and potentially severe storms north of that line were possible as well.
While the morning hours, particularly 5 to 7 a.m., are likely to feature the stormy weather, Nitz said conditions will begin to improve after noon. Residents around midday could see isolated showers, but the evening should bring with it clearing skies.
Forsyth and Fulton counties were placed under a flood warning Tuesday night, with NWS officials saying that Big Creek near Alpharetta could be affected by runoff from heavy rains. The warning is set to remain in place until early Friday.
North and central Georgia were placed under a flood watch Tuesday afternoon. That watch was expected to remain in effect through 8 p.m. Wednesday.
“Developing showers and thunderstorms training across the area will increase the potential for flood problems along area creeks, rivers and streams,” the National Weather Service said in a statement. “Additional rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches are expected through Wednesdays afternoon.”
Wednesday’s high temperatures should hit the low 60s, dipping only to the low 50s.
Temperatures on Christmas Day will start in the upper 30s, warming to the low 50s with the help of mostly sunny skies. Friday will again feature mostly sunny skies, but will begin a little bit colder – starting in the mid-30s – but could see temps reach the mid- to upper 50s.
High temperatures in the upper 50s and milder evening temperatures are expected over the weekend, though rain is likely to return on both days. The chance for precipitation on Saturday and Sunday is 60 and 70 percent, respectively.
—Reporter Mike Morris contributed to this article.
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