Confirmed EF-1 tornado hits Douglas County

[6:55 p.m.]: Approximately 8,000 Georgia Power customers were without electricity due to the storms, the utility said.

[4:05 p.m.]: The National Weather Service has confirmed it was an EF-1 tornado with 90-mph winds and a path 250 yards wide and 1.5 miles long that hit Douglas County. Investigators believe a tornado may have also touched down in southern Fulton County, where several businesses and vehicles were heavily damaged along Fulton Industrial Boulevard.

[2:45 p.m.]: A man was killed when a tree fell on his vehicle Monday morning on Campbellton Street in Douglasville.

Firefighters arrived at 10:36 a.m. at the scene, near Woodrow Avenue and Spring Street, according to a county spokesman.

“When firefighters arrived at the scene, they discovered the driver was trapped inside the vehicle with power lines and a tree on the vehicle,” Douglas County Communications Director Rick Martin said. “Firefighters had to extricate the driver who we are only identifying as a male at this time until next of kin are notified.”

Throughout the county, storms knocked down trees and power lines and flooded streets. Douglas County closed its parks for the remainder of the day.

[2 p.m.]: The National Weather Service has allowed a tornado warning for Butts and Jasper counties to expire. A tornado watch remains in effect for all of North Georgia until 4 p.m.

Nearly 20,000 Georgians are without power following Monday morning’s storms. Georgia Power was reporting 13,461 customers were in the dark at 2 p.m. Another 4,688 Georgia EMC members are without power, with the majority of those in metro Atlanta.

[1:32 p.m.]: A tornado warning has been issued for Butts and Jasper counties until 2 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.

A severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Indian Springs State Park near Jackson and was moving east at 30 mph, the Weather Service said in an advisory.

[1:30 p.m.]: At least one person was killed Monday morning when a severe thunderstorm hit parts of Douglas County, officials said.

A driver was crushed when a tree snapped and brought power lines down onto his vehicle on Campbellton Street near Woodrow Avenue in Douglasville, Douglas County spokesman Rick Martin confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The victim died after fire crews cut him from his vehicle.

He was the only occupant, Martin said. His name was not released.

WATCH: Live weather coverage from Channel 2 Action News

Heavy rain is still coming down all across the region, according to Channel 2 Action News chief meteorologist Glenn Burns. Some neighborhoods in west Georgia have recorded up to 4 inches of rainfall. Because of the possibility of additional rain, a flood warning is in effect for metro Atlanta until 6:15 p.m.

Reports of damage are still coming in from the earlier storms, including a severe thunderstorm that produced a possible tornado as it tracked through Douglas County, south Fulton County and into downtown Atlanta, according to Channel 2.

[12:42 p.m.]: Tornado warnings have been issued for multiple counties east of metro Atlanta.

Clarke, Jackson, Oglethorpe and Madison counties near Athens are included in the warned area until 1:15 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. A second thunderstorm produced another warning for Jackson and Madison counties, which is also scheduled to expire at 1:15 p.m.

[12:30 p.m.]: Another storm capable of turning severe is moving into west Georgia at noon, according to Channel 2 Action News chief meteorologist Glenn Burns.

The storm is moving across Polk County at 30 mph and producing “unbelievable amounts of rain” and numerous cloud-to-ground lightning strikes, he said. Since the storms began early Monday morning, nearly 4 inches of rain has fallen in Rockmart, according to Channel 2.

The same severe thunderstorm that produced a possible tornado as it moved through downtown Atlanta is moving east across Rockdale, Newton, Walton and Barrow counties at noon. Burns said it has the potential to bring 60-mph wind gusts and penny-sized hail.

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for Carroll, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Haralson, Paulding and Polk counties until 6:15 p.m. Monday. Up to 2 inches of rain have fallen in those areas, and another 2 inches could fall by the end of the day, according to the Weather Service.

“Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly,” the Weather Service said in an advisory.

A tornado watch continues for all of North Georgia until 4 p.m., with most of the region under a Level 2 of 5 threat of severe weather. It will be important to stay weather-aware through early evening, Channel 2 meteorologist Brian Monahan said.

“We will settle down a bit tonight, but there is another round of strong and severe storms possible for tomorrow,” he said. “This is not a normal first week of May forecast.”

Atlanta is still surveying the damage from the first round of severe weather. Multiple trees were snapped in the area of Fulton Industrial Boulevard, littering the Westgate Parkway industrial complex with limbs and debris, according to Channel 2.

Plummer Road and New Hope Road in southwest Atlanta are blocked by fallen trees.

Tree damage has also been reported in the western suburbs. Trees were uprooted near Kings Highway in Douglasville, and there are reports a fallen tree has blocked Boat Road south of I-20 near Mableton.

[11:50 a.m.]: Reports of storm damage and flooding are rolling in after a tornado-producing thunderstorm carved a track through downtown Atlanta on Monday morning.

A possible tornado tracked on the ground for several miles, starting in Douglas County and moving northeast through the city into northern DeKalb County, according to Channel 2 Action News meteorologists. The National Weather Service will conduct a survey to confirm the tornado and determine its strength.

In Atlanta, fire crews have responded to a number of calls for trees down along the Cascade Road corridor. Officials said the crews are assessing the damage now, but there are “no reports of any significant injuries or trees down on homes.”

A tree fell on power lines on New Hope Road in southwest Atlanta, shutting down the road, according to officials.

The fire department is urging Atlanta residents to use caution as trees could still come down even after the storm has passed.

Crash reports are also coming in. According to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center, wrecks have been reported on I-75 South near Delk Road in Cobb County, on I-85 South near Beaver Ruin Road in Gwinnett County, and on Fulton Industrial Boulevard near Riverside Drive in Fulton County.

The Fulton wreck is causing the biggest delays, the Traffic Center reported.

In Dunwoody, city officials said there are traffic issues on Meadow Lane between Ashford Dunwoody Road and Perimeter Center Place and on the entrance to I-285 East from Ashford Dunwoody Road.

The weather is also causing lingering delays at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Gate hold and taxi delays of more than an hour have been reported, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

[11:25 a.m.]: A tornado watch remains in place for the metro area until 4 p.m.

[11:20 a.m.]: WSB said the tornado tracked on the ground for several miles, starting in Douglas County. Damage has been reported in Douglas on Campbellton Street at Woodrow Avenue, city officials said. The road has been closed.

[11:15 a.m.]: The National Weather Service is allowing the tornado warning to expire in DeKalb County. A severe thunderstorm warning will replace it for DeKalb and Gwinnett counties until noon. One tornado has been confirmed, and many roads in the metro area are flooded, Channel 2 reported.

[11:05 a.m.]: Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said the storm continues to cycle, losing strength at times and then regaining it as it moves through DeKalb. The danger has now passed out of Fulton County, Monahan said.

[11 a.m.]: The storm continues to move through the North Druid Hills area, north of Decatur in DeKalb County.

[10:45 a.m.]: Radar indicates that a tornado is on the ground moving toward Atlanta, according to Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan.

“This is a tornado on the ground,” Monahan said. “I need you to be in that safe place right now.”

Credit: John Spink

Credit: John Spink

The National Weather Service has extended a tornado warning for Fulton County until 11:15 a.m. DeKalb County has been included in the warning area.

The storm is expected to reach Decatur in 13 minutes, Monahan said.

“You’ve got plenty of time to prepare in DeKalb County,” he said. “I need you to be doing that right now.”

[10:37 a.m.]: Douglas County is in the clear as a thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado moves toward downtown Atlanta, according to Channel 2 Action News.

Channel 2 meteorologist Brian Monahan said the threat for Douglas is over, although the area remains under a tornado warning until 10:45 a.m. The storm is moving northeast.

“The track of this is going to move this toward West End and it’s going to move it toward the area around Mercedes-Benz Stadium,” Monahan said. “If you live in these areas, if you are downtown, I need you to be taking precautions immediately. I need you to be in your safe place.”

UPDATE [10:21 a.m.]: The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for Fulton and Douglas counties. Take shelter immediately.

A severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located eight miles east of Douglasville and was moving east at 35 mph, according to the Weather Service. The Atlanta neighborhoods of Grant Park, Midtown, West End, Sweet Auburn, Bankhead, Cascade Heights, Lakewood Park and Atlantic Station are likely to be impacted.

The Weather Service is also warning those in the area of Sweetwater Creek State Park to seek shelter.

The warning is scheduled to expire at 10:45 a.m. A tornado watch is in effect for all of North Georgia until 4 p.m.

ORIGINAL STORY: Heavy rain and storms are moving into metro Atlanta as the Monday morning drive winds down.

The storms are not severe, but Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said the wet weather should be enough to slow down the interstates. Pouring rain is drenching parts of the western suburbs at 10 a.m. and is moving toward the heart of Atlanta.

Frequent lightning and gusty winds up to 40 mph are possible in this morning’s storms, Monahan said. A persistent band of heavy rain has already dumped an estimated 1 to 2.5 inches of rainfall on Carroll County on Monday morning, he said.

Most of Monday will be wet, he said. Periods of rain and storms are 70% likely all day, with a round of strong to severe storms at midafternoon, according to Channel 2.

The National Weather Service considers the severe weather risk to be slight, a Level 2 out of five.

“A Level 2 risk for today through most of North Georgia,” Monahan said. “That means damaging wind gusts and hail are possible in our storms today, even the possibility of a brief spinup tornado. And that risk will continue through tomorrow.”

Tuesday’s rain chance remains high at 80%, and the risk of severe weather is an enhanced Level 3 for parts of west Georgia, according to Channel 2. The rest of North Georgia, including metro Atlanta, remains under a Level 2 severe weather threat for Tuesday.

“Places like Haralson County and Polk County, up into the northwest Georgia mountains, you’re going to have an elevated risk of strong and severe storms for tomorrow,” Monahan said.

For Monday, he said there is a possibility of the storms will bring lightning strikes, but the primary impact will be heavy rain.

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

Rain has been concentrated north of metro Atlanta for much of the morning drive, but conditions in town are expected to deteriorate as pavement gets wet, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.

The biggest delays at midmorning are on I-75 in Cartersville, where a vehicle fire has blocked multiple southbound lanes past Emerson-Allatoona Road. The Traffic Center suggests drivers use U.S. 41 to get into Acworth.

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

» For updated traffic information, listen to News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB and follow @ajcwsbtraffic on Twitter.

» Download The Atlanta Journal-Constitution app for weather alerts on-the-go.