It wasn’t a white Christmas, but it certainly was a soggy one.
And get ready for more showers. Rain is a “virtual guarantee” across North Georgia on Wednesday, with strong thunderstorms likely in the early morning hours, said Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brad Nitz.
The National Weather Service warned that some of the stronger storms could spawn damaging winds, flash flooding and tornadoes. Forecasters warned that areas south of I-20 can expect to see the brunt of the impact as the storm front moves through on Wednesday.
While twisters are far from the norm during the winter holidays, forecasters have tracked at least 10 storm systems since the 1960s that have spawned tornadoes over Christmas. The weather service issued six tornado watches on Christmas Eve alone in 2002 as a violent storm front rumbled from Texas to Georgia, said forecaster Greg Carbin.
The expected downpour from the fast-moving storm could make roads more treacherous for holiday travelers. State officials said traffic accidents in Georgia killed 13 people between Friday afternoon and Tuesday afternoon. Authorities also recorded nearly 600 traffic crashes and 231 injuries.
The eerie fog that blanketed metro Atlanta on Monday and Tuesday contributed to at least one fatal wreck. Cobb County police say 46-year-old Luca Kosic was killed and several others were injured Monday night after their car was struck by another vehicle that had crossed the center line. Authorities blamed “extreme dense fog” as a factor in the crash.
The thick haze presented problems elsewhere in Atlanta, as drivers slammed on their brakes on otherwise empty highways as they tried to navigate the fog.
Georgia State Patrol spokesman Gordy Wright urged drivers to be cautious and avoid sudden lane changes. He also said state troopers are on the lookout for impaired drivers across the state. State troopers arrested 139 people on charges of driving under the influence during last year’s holiday season.
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