6:30 p.m.: After strong storms rolled through the metro area Friday evening, winds calmed and coller air came in and ropped the temperature to about 74 degrees about 6:30 p.m.
“Those storms have come to an end for us and moving down into middle Georgia, ahead of a cold front,” Channe 2 Action News meteorologist Brad Nitz said.
Nitz said by 9 p.m. no further weather problems were expected across north Georgia and temperatures would be in the mid-70s.
5:01 p.m.: Storms are moving toward the south, away from the metro Atlanta area, but storm damage in Marietta, such as downed trees on Barnes Mill and Delk roads, and power outages are reported in Cobb and Gwinnett counties.
4:45 p.m.: Severe thunderstorm warnings issued in Cleburne and Randolph counties until 9 p.m. Storm damage reported in Sandy Springs and trees down in Gwinnett County.
4:33 p.m.: Severe thunderstorm warning issued for Heard and Troup counties until 4:45 p.m.
4:29 p.m. Strong storms reported in Troup County, with smail hail. The storm is moving southeast. Heavy rain downpours ranging between 1 and 3 inches reported throughout the metro Atlanta area.
4 p.m.: Strong storms moving across the south half of the area, with severe thunderstorm warnings issued in Cleburne and Randolph counties.
3:11 p.m.: With the exception of Polk and Haralson counties, most storm activity is now south of I-20.
3:02 p.m.: Two trees down in east Cobb on Providence Road, according to Channel 2 Action News.
2:55 p.m.: More counties have been added to the severe thunderstorm warning set to expire at 3:30. Butts, Henry, Jasper, Newton, Floyd, Haralson, Polk and Richmond counties are part of the warning now.
2:52 p.m.: The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Douglas, northeast Carroll and southwest Fulton counties until 3:30 p.m.
2:50 p.m.: Trees are down on power lines at West Ponce de Leon Avenue, near Adair Street, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.
2:40 p.m.: Clayton, Henry, south Fulton, southwest Newton, north Butts and north Fayette counties are under a significant weather advisory until 3 p.m. People outdoors should seek shelter immediately. Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of light, unsecured objects.
2:37 p.m.: The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Newton and Rockdale counties until 3 p.m.
2:32 p.m.: Flooding has been reported on southbound I-75 at I-285, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center. HERO units are on the scene blocking the left lane.
2:29 p.m.: Avoid Due West Road in the area of Ga. 92 due to a downed tree and power lines blocking the roadway, Paulding County emergency officials said in a Twitter post.
2:25 p.m.: Grady is on the scene of a multi-car accident on Peachtree and Cantrell roads, Atlanta police spokesman Donald T. Hannah told Channel 2 Action News. One of the vehicles is overturned.
2:21 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning remains in effect until 2:45 p.m. for southwest Cobb, central Polk and Paulding counties, according to the National Weather Service.
2:18 p.m.: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has issued a ground stop because of the storms moving through the metro area, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
2:16 p.m.: Southeastern DeKalb and Rockdale counties have been added to the significant weather advisory.
2:13 p.m.: Southeast Gwinnett and northwest Walton counties are under a significant weather advisory until 2:30 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. People outdoors should seek shelter immediately. Expect minor damage to tree limbs.
2:10 p.m.: Downed trees and power lines are blocking Bethesda Church Road, about one mile north of the intersection with Ronald Reagan Parkway in Gwinnett County, according to Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brad Nitz.
2:08 p.m.: There are reports of flooding on I-75, from Cherokee County into Atlanta, according to Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Katie Walls.
2:04 p.m.: The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for southwest Cobb, Paulding, east Polk and south central Floyd counties until 2:45 p.m. That means there's potential for flooded roads, hail and lightning.
1:58 p.m.: Affected counties include Baldwin; Barrow; Bartow; Bibb; Bleckley; Bryan; Bulloch; Burke; Butts; Candler; Carroll; Chatham; Chattahoochee; Cherokee; Clarke; Clayton; Cobb; Columbia; Coweta; Crawford; Crisp; DeKalb; Dodge; Dooly; Douglas; Effingham; Elbert; Emanuel; Evans; Fayette; Floyd; Forsyth; Fulton; Glascock; Greene; Gwinnett; Hall; Hancock; Haralson; Harris; Heard; Henry; Houston; Jackson; Jasper; Jefferson; Jenkins; Johnson; Jones; Lamar; Laurens; Liberty; Lincoln; Long; Macon; Madison; Marion; McDuffie; McIntosh; Meriwether; Monroe; Montgomery; Morgan; Muscogee; Newton; Oconee; Oglethorpe; Paulding; Peach; Pike; Polk; Pulaski; Putnam; Richmond; Rockdale; Schley; Screven; Spalding; Stewart; Sumter; Talbot; Taliaferro; Tattnall; Taylor; Telfair; Toombs; Treutlen; Troup; Twiggs; Upson; Walton; Warren; Washington; Webster; Wheeler; Wilcox; Wilkes; and Wilkinson.
1:53 p.m.: All of metro Atlanta is under a severe thunderstorm watch until 10 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
ORIGINAL STORY: A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for northwestern Cobb, northeastern Paulding, southwestern Cherokee and southern Bartow counties Friday.
Expect large hail, damaging winds and lightning through 2 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
Storms could bring 60 mph wind gusts and hail the size of half dollar coins.
“For your protection, move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building,” the weather service said.
The warning didn’t extend to Fulton County, but Channel 2 Action News meteorologists said residents can expect lightning, heavy downpours and possible hail to slow down the afternoon rush hour.
Hail had already started falling north of Cassville as of 1:10 p.m.
“So if you head out to the pool today and you hear that rumble of thunder, get into the house and wait at least 30 minutes until you have not heard thunder anymore,” meteorologist Karen Minton said.
Heavier downpours will last through 4 p.m. and calm some by 5 p.m.
“It may have to be an evening pool time because [rain’s] sticking with us through the rush hour,” Minton said.
Rain will taper off by 6 p.m. and weather conditions in metro Atlanta will improve.
“And by improvement, I mean lower humidity,” Minton said. “We get a break from it for a couple of days.”
Highs will stay in the low to mid-80s this weekend.
Temperatures were 93 degrees in Atlanta, 81 degrees in Blairsville and 92 degrees in Griffin just before 1:40 p.m.
In southeast Georgia, where a heat advisory is in effect through 6 p.m., the heat index could reach 108 degrees.
"High temperatures and humidity could lead to heat illnesses if proper precautions are not taken," according to the weather advisory.
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