Storms rolled through the metro Atlanta area during the evening rush hour Tuesday, overturning eight tractor-trailers in Henry County and bringing down trees and power lines elsewhere, according to police.
The trucks were parked at the Briggs and Stratton warehouse located at 1793 Highway 42 South in McDonough when heavy wind caused them to overturn, according to Sgt. Joey Smith with Henry County police.
One person was temporarily trapped and had to be extricated, but the injuries were not believed life-threatening, Smith said.
Lightning was blamed for at least 10 fires in Henry County, according to Capt. Sabrina Puckett with the county's fire department. No injuries were reported.
In Gwinnett County, crews extinguished a fire at a home in the 2100 block of Broadfield Run in Duluth, fire Lt. Colin S. Rhoden said. A lightning strike was observed before the smoke and fire appeared on the upper level of the home, the caller told authorities. The homeowners arrived as crews battled the evening blaze, Rhoden said. No injuries were reported.
Several south metro counties were under thunderstorm watches that expired at 6:30 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Trees and power lines were reported down throughout the metro area.
Forsyth and Cherokee counties were under a thunderstorm warning, set to expire at 7:45 p.m.
The storms were producing about 80 lightning strikes in about 10 minutes in some areas and hail, according to Channel 2 Action News chief meteorologist Glenn Burns.
"This is a typical July scenario and something we can expect pretty much every day this month," Burns said. "As we approach sunset every day and lose the daytime heat, the storms fade away."
Flooding was reported at the intersection of Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard and Humphries Street in southwest Atlanta, police said.
In Sandy Springs, a backed-up drain apparently caused a hole in the asphalt at 6600 Roswell Road at the Abernathy Road intersection, according to Capt. Steve Rose with Sandy Springs police. A right lane of northbound traffic on Roswell Road was closed, and it was not known how long it would take to get repaired, Rose said.
Also in Sandy Springs, a tree fell on a woman's car, slightly injuring her, Rose said.
The weather in Atlanta delayed travelers headed in and out of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, according to the FAA. Flights into Atlanta were being delayed at least an hour at 8:30 p.m., while departure delays averaged between 30 and 45 minutes.
Partly cloudy skies and isolated showers are expected for Wednesday, when the high temperatures is expected to reach 94 degrees, according to Channel 2. The chance of rain is 40 percent.
About the Author
