Follow AJC.com through the evening for minute-by-minute updates of the severe storms in the metro Atlanta area. Readers and officials can send tips, news and photos to breakingnews@ajc.com. Follow @ajc and @ajcwsbtraffic on Twitter. Tune to Channel 2 Action News for the latest updates from Severe Weather Center 2.
11 p.m.: At least seven people in Georgia were injured during the storms, Channel 2 Action News reported. Georgia Power said 12,400 customers statewide, mostly in Floyd and Gordon counties, were without service.
9:15 p.m.: The National Weather Service issued a flood warning Thursday night for Big Creek in Forsyth and north Fulton counties.
“Recent heavy rainfall has caused significant runoff into streams and rivers which will cause flooding in some areas,” the Weather Service said.
As of 8:30 p.m., Big Creek was at 6.4 feet and rising rapidly. Flood stage is 7 feet, and the river was predicted to reach nearly 7.2 feet Friday morning, then start falling in the afternoon.
The Weather Service predicted minor flooding of woodlands and fields along the creek between Cumming and Alpharetta and Roswell.
8:35 p.m.: This evening's weather marked a stormy transition to cooler temperatures through the holiday weekend, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brad Nitz said.
The National Weather Service lifted the tornado watch for all metro Atlanta counties around 8 p.m., and Nitz predicted “a gradual clearing overnight headed to a morning low in the low 50s, then partly cloudy by Friday afternoon, with the high in the low to mid 60s."
Metro Atlanta flirted with the record high temperature of 70 for Dec. 22 but fell 2 degrees short. The arriving front put an end to any record-breaking.
“The storms this afternoon came ahead of a cold front. Drier and cooler air will move in behind the front overnight,” Nitz said. The average high for this time of year is 53, “so we’ll still be 10 degrees above average Friday.”
Nitz predicted a mostly sunny and cooler Saturday, with a low in the low 40s and a high in the low 60s. Christmas Day Sunday is expected to be mostly cloudy with scattered showers and a high in the mid 50s.
7:45 p.m.: Traffic management with ground stops at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport has ended. The National Weather Service tornado watch remains in effect until 11 p.m. for 36 North and Middle Georgia counties.
The Rome News-Tribune reported three people sustained minor injuries in the storm and were taken to a local hospital.
7:30 p.m.: A Shorter University storage building containing new furniture and computers was destroyed in the storm that hit Rome. Winds of 50 to 75 mph lifted the roof of the building and blew it across the street, according to the Rome New-Tribune. Power outages, downed trees and damaged buildings were reported across the city.
As of about 7 p.m., Georgia Power reported 12,500 customers were without electricity in the Rome area, and about 6,500, in metro Atlanta. Meanwhile, the National Weather Service lifted its tornado watch in Fulton, Clayton and DeKalb counties.
6:45 p.m.: The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Hall County until 7:15 p.m. At 6:35 p.m., Doppler radar indicated a line of storms capable of winds of up to 60 mph from the Gainesville to Flowery Branch areas, moving east at 45 mph.
The area covered by the tornado watch, meanwhile, is shrinking. Cobb, Cherokee and Bartow counties are no longer in the watch area, but Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett and Clayton and 52 other counties are. The watch remains in effect until 11 p.m.
6:30 p.m.: The tornado warning for parts of metro Atlanta has expired.
6:25 p.m.: The good news is, there's nothing for the moment coming behind the storms, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brad Nitz said. "Once the line (of storms) gets to the east of you, you are in the clear from damaging winds and perhaps tornado touchdowns."
While there's torrential rain across the region, the threat of tornadoes is diminishing.
“The word from the National Weather Service now is they are not planning to extend that tornado warning farther north and east,” Nitz said.
6:20 p.m.: Channel 2 Stormtracker 2HD radar shows a line of severe storms extending from the Roswell-Alpharetta area south to the Peachtree City area, moving to the east. Storms are now over Buckhead and Midtown and Downtown Atlanta.
6:15 p.m.: The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for southeast Clayton County, southeast Fayette County, Henry County, northwest Pike County and western Spalding County until 7 p.m. Damaging winds of up to 60 mph are possible.
Doppler radar also has indicated rotation within the storm, which could give rise to a tornado.
6:13 p.m.: WSB Radio is receiving reports of flooding on U.S. 41 near Barrett Parkway in Kennesaw, on Jameson Road in east Cobb County and on Ga. 92 east of I-575 in Woodstock.
There also are reports of storm damage along I-75 near the Gordon-Bartow county line and trees snapped 20 feet in the air and a barn destroyed in Calhoun.
6:10 p.m.: A tornado warning remains in effect until 6:30 p.m. for Fayette and northeast Coweta counties, the National Weather Service says. At 6:02 p.m., Dopplar radar indicated a possible tornado near Peachtree City, moving northeast at 50 mph.
6:05 p.m.: WSB Radio reports the Rome Fire Department is having difficulty reaching a residential fire on Charlestown Street due to blocked roads. Damage is reported to the Shorter University maintenance building as well as other commercial buildings.
6 p.m.: The FAA reports a traffic management ground stop is in effect at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
5:53 p.m.: The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for Fayette and Coweta counties and northwest Meriwether County until 6:30 p.m. At 5:39 p.m., Dopplar radar indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado near Grantville, moving northeast at 50 mph.
“Heavy rainfall may obscure this tornado. Take cover now! If you wait to see or hear it coming, it will be too late to get to a safe place,” the Weather Service said.
Georgia Power reports 13,000 customers in the Rome area and 500 in metro Atlanta are without power.
5:50 p.m.: In a tweet, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brad Nitz @BradNitzWSB said, "Early reports of 2 injuries and trees down near Rome and severe damage to houses in Gordon Co. Looked like straight-line winds on radar."
Meanwhile, WSB radio has received reports of heavy storm damage with lane blockage on I-75 just south of Calhoun Exit No. 312.
5:40 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect until 6 p.m. for the west metro Atlanta area including southwest Fulton County.
The latest warning by the National Weather Service also covers Douglas County, eastern Carroll County, northwest Coweta County and northern Heard County.
A separate warning was issued for Fayette County, southeast Coweta County, northern Meriweather County and northeast Troup County, in effect until 6:15 p.m.
A tornado watch remains in effect until 11 p.m. for metro Atlanta as well as all of North Georgia and most of Middle Georgia, as a system of strong storms moves into the state from the west.
Previous story: The National Weather Story late Thursday afternoon issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the west metro Atlanta area including southwest Fulton County.
The latest warning, in effect until 6 p.m., also covers Douglas and Carroll counties and northwest Coweta County and northern Heard County.Additionally, Doppler radar indicated rotation inside the storm that could give rise to a tornado.
"If a tornado is spotted, act quickly and move to a place of safety inside a sturdy structure, such as a basement or small interior room," the Weather Service said.
A tornado watch remains in effect until 11 p.m. for metro Atlanta as well as all of North Georgia and most of Middle Georgia, as a system of strong storms moves into the state from the west.
At 5:09 p.m., radar indicated a line of severe thunderstorms capable of damaging winds of up to 60 mph along a line extending from Mount Zion to Bowdon to Ephesus, moving east at 40 mph. Cities in the path of the storm include Carrollton, Villa Picca, Chattahoochee Hill Country, Douglasville, Lithia Springs, Palmetto, Union City and Fairburn.
Additionally, a severe thunderstorm warning was in effect until 6 p.m. for Gilmer County, northwest Pickens County and southern Murray County. Radar indicated a storm capable of winds of up to 60 mph 15 miles west of Talking Rock, moving northeast at 55 mph.
"The weather situation is changing rapidly," Channel 2 Action News meteorologist David Chandley said. "The big threat this evening will be heavy rain and damaging winds."
"The severe weather threat for metro Atlanta should be over by 10 p.m.," Chandley said. "The heaviest storms will be west and north. The tornado watch is in effect until 11 p.m., but will probably be allowed to expire before that."
The storms follow a day of unseasonable warmth. Temperatures just before daybreak Thursday were nearly 30 degrees above normal, holding in the low to mid-60s across metro Atlanta through early afternoon. Normal low for the date is 35 degrees.
The rain should taper off early in the day on Friday, leaving skies partly cloudy to mostly sunny during the afternoon, when highs will be in the low 60s.
A 40 percent chance of rain returns to the forecast late in the day on Christmas Eve and continues into Christmas Day. Weekend highs will be in the 50s, with lows in the 40s.
About the Author
