The National Weather Service has put a wide swath of Georgia, including much of metro Atlanta, in the area of slight risk for severe storms Monday afternoon and night.
The primary hazards will be winds up to 60 mph, large hail and frequent lightning, the Weather Service said.
Forecasters said that while thunderstorms are possible anywhere across north and central Georgia, the greatest threat of strong to severe storms will be in the area from Carrollton to Atlanta southward to Columbus and Macon.
Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Karen Minton said the chance of rain Monday is 70 percent, decreasing to 20 percent on Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday and Friday should be dry, Minton said.
Highs this week will be in the mid-80s, with overnight lows in the mid-60s.
Early Monday, strong thunderstorms downed trees and dumped hail across several mountain counties.
Dawson County sheriff's dispatchers said Ga. 53 was closed near Cowart Road before 5 a.m. because of about 30 trees and utility lines that were blocking the roadway.
Trees were also reported down in Pickens and Chattooga counties after the storms swept through the northern counties before 2 a.m. Hail an inch in diameter was reported in Dawson County, the Weather Service said.
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