Most of north Georgia, including all of metro Atlanta, was drenched by rain early Saturday, and forecasters were predicting a lot more rain before the end of the weekend.
The rain was punctuated by embedded thunderstorms, with the National Weather Service warning that some of the storms could reach severe levels, particularly south of Atlanta. A severe thunderstorm watch was in effect until 5 p.m. Saturday for 21 counties in south Georgia.
Lightning sparked at least one house fire Saturday morning, on Camp Branch Road in Buford. Gwinnett County fire officials said no injuries were reported.
Rainfall totals through 10 a.m. Saturday ranged from .62 inch at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and .64 in Chamblee to .71 inch in Dunwoody, .98 inch in Dallas and 1.08 inches in Cartersville.
This weekend’s heavy rain will add to Atlanta’s rainfall surplus for the year, which stood at 2.13 inches through Friday.
Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brad Nitz said the chance of rain is 90 percent both Saturday and Sunday. Weekend highs will be in the upper 50s, with lows in the upper 40s Saturday night and mid-30s Sunday night.
The new work week will begin cold and windy, with highs on Monday and Tuesday only reaching the upper 40s and overnight lows dipping to near freezing.
Atlanta’s normal high for late March is 67, the normal low 46.
