WEATHER-TRAFFIC UPDATE: Severe thunderstorm watch issued for much of Georgia

ATLANTA FORECAST 

Saturday: High: 87

Saturday night: Low: 70

Sunday: High: 86

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

UPDATE [7:33 p.m.]: A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Rockdale, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Walton and Newton counties until 8:15 p.m., according to Severe Weather Team 2.

UPDATE [5:48 p.m.]: A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for much of Georgia, including all of metro Atlanta, until 2 a.m. by the National Weather Service.

ORIGINAL STORY: It's amazing how dramatically the weather can change.

This morning, it was raining sideways with trees, power lines and gas station canopies being blown over. Now, the sky is blue, and it’s not raining a drop across North Georgia.

At least severe weather is over in metro Atlanta — for now.

Metro Atlanta residents woke up to a line of severe storms moving through the region, which caused damages in a few places, including Cherokee, Hall, Forsyth, Fulton and Gwinnett counties.

Channel 2 Action News received reports of two homes being struck by lightning in Cherokee County, multiple trees and power lines being knocked down on roadways and even a Texaco gas station canopy being blown over near Cumming.

Wilson Road in Johns Creek is closed near Wilson Creek Elementary because a tree fell on power lines over the road, Johns Creek police said in a tweet.

A severe thunderstorm warning was in effect for Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Walton counties until 7:15 a.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

However, storms are predicted to return to North Georgia later this afternoon, but they shouldn’t be as widespread as this morning, Channel 2 meteorologist Brian Monahan said.

The current clear sky is both a good and bad thing.

It’s good because you don’t have to cancel all of your Saturday plans. It’s bad because no clouds means the sun will have the chance to heat up Atlanta to a predicted high of 87 degrees, which will only become fuel for the afternoon wave of storms.

Those storms have the potential to become as nasty as this morning’s with damaging winds, frequent lightning and heavy downpours. Pockets of cool air in the atmosphere also create a moderate risk of hail, which could damage cars and roofs.

These storms are being sent to the Southeast by a an upper area of low pressure over the Midwest, which Burns said will affect Georgia for the next week.

Today’s chance of rain has been reduced to 40 percent from this morning’s 80 percent chance. Sunday’s forecast remains at a 40 percent chance of rain, but it climbs up to 60 percent for Monday and Tuesday.

Saturday’s storms could have an effect on a few events happened around metro Atlanta, namely the Atlanta United game and Jason Aldean concert.

The Atlanta United take on the D.C. United at 3:30 p.m. in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and while storms shouldn’t affect the game, they could affect traffic to and from the game.

Jason Aldean, along with Hootie and the Blowfish, Lauren Alaina and Luke Combs, have a concert at SunTrust Park, and the gates open at 4 p.m.

RELATED: Jason Aldean at SunTrust Park: Tickets, parking, lineup and other info

» For a closer look at the weekend outlook and things to do in your area:

Atlanta | Cobb | DeKalb | Gwinnett | North Fulton