Tornado watch issued for parts of N. Georgia as storms approach

ATLANTA FORECAST

Saturday: High: 63

Saturday night: Low: 46

Sunday: High: 40

» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.

A storm system brought heavy rain and winds into metro Atlanta and the rest of northeast Georgia on Saturday night.

About 4:30 p.m, a tornado watch was issued for Heard, Coweta, Fayette, Troup, Meriwether, Spalding, Pike and Upson counties, as well as areas to the south. The watch was cancelled by around 7:30 p.m. for all counties but Upson.

Heavy wind gusts and a chance of severe storms accompanied the rain.

The heaviest rain and highest risk for a brief tornado were expected to end by about 9 p.m.

Saturday started out warm and foggy, with some light showers and temperatures in the 50s as many Atlantans woke up. Visibility in some spots was less than a mile, Deon said.

Expect delays downtown Saturday afternoon due to Harlem Globetrotters and Atlanta Hawks games at State Farm Arena.

The average high for this time of year is 52, so a high of 63 made for a great spring-like day, before the storms hit.

The areas most at risk are Carrollton, Griffin and most places south of those cities. Channel 2 meteorologist Glenn Burns said he can’t rule out a weak spin-up tornado or damaging winds for those areas, but Atlanta should only have to endure heavy rain.

Following the wave of rain, the second cold front should enter the state overnight, bringing flurries and a wintry mix to the North Georgia mountains, Burns said. Temperatures will drop for all of North Georgia by more than 10 degrees, and Atlanta has a predicted low of 35.

“The (first front) isn't the one with the cold air,” Burns said. “That one is right behind it, and it's moving through Alabama and North Georgia into the wee hours of (Sunday) morning.”

Burns said any snowfall won’t be given the chance to accumulate, since Sunday should warm up to 40 degrees, melting anything frozen. Because of that, there shouldn’t be any weather-related worries on the roads Sunday or Monday for the holiday.

After a brief chilly period, Tuesday and Wednesday should warm back up ahead of an expected dip well below freezing — possibly subzero in some places — next weekend.