North Georgia is bracing for potentially punishing storms overnight, with a significant risk of tornadoes.
UPDATE: Thursday morning Atlanta weather forecast includes strong winds after overnight storms
The bulk of the storms are expected to start rolling into the state after 11 p.m. Wednesday, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brad Nitz said. A second wave is then expected to march across the metro area around 7 a.m., with relief finally coming around lunchtime, Nitz said.
He called the tornado risk “moderate,” and warned about the possibility of hail an inch in diameter or larger.
“We’re gearing up for a severe weather threat this evening and especially overnight,” Nitz said. “We’re talking about straight-line wind gusts with some severe storms in excess of 70 mph.”
At some point, nearly all of North Georgia will be under an elevated Level 3 threat of severe weather. The threat goes up to a Level 4 for parts of east Georgia’s lake country Thursday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
Parts of Mississippi and Alabama are under the highest Level 5 threat, a rare designation. Multiple confirmed tornadoes and baseball-size hail were confirmed in Alabama on Wednesday afternoon.
“The first Level 5 severe weather risk since 2017,” Channel 2 meteorologist Brian Monahan said.
With an eye toward that severe weather risk, Atlanta Public Schools, Cobb County Schools and Henry County Schools canceled in-person Thursday classes. The DeKalb Board of Health also announced it will delay opening its COVID-19 vaccination sites.
Experts expect much of North Georgia will begin Thursday in the dark, with widespread power outages possible across the region.
“We’ve got some serious weather moving in tonight into tomorrow,” Monahan said. “I just want you to be prepared.”
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
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