The forecast
Today: Isolated storms likely. High: 95
Tonight: Rain to continue. Low: 74
Tomorrow: Slight chance of isolated storms. High: 95
» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.
7 p.m. Storm warnings in Jackson and Walton counties expired at 6:45 p.m. as the dangerous weather continues heading away from the metro area toward the southeast. Though lots of wind and lightning damage was reported, no serious storm-related injuries were reported.
5:50 p.m.: Severe thunderstorm warning issued for parts of Morgan, Newton and Walton counties until 6:30 p.m.
5:45 p.m.: Heavy downpours continue, with many lightning strikes reported in DeKalb and nearby counties.
5:09 p.m.: Multiple calls related to lightning have been reported in Gwinnett County, Gwinnett County fire spokesman Capt. Tommy Rutledge said. A house on Brandy Creek was hit by lightning and a "well-involved" fire is being fought on Azalea Drive, Rutledge said.
5 p.m.: Severe thunderstorms continue as five metro Atlanta counties remain under warnings. Lightning, thunder and heavy winds are not expected to last more than about 45 minutes, but the winds as the storms die out can create significant damage, Channel 2 Action News Chief Meteorologist Glenn Burns said.
“Microbursts” are possible as storms die down, Burns said. “Yes, these storms are very scary,” Burns said about intense cloud-to-ground lightning.
A house fire in Gwinnett County was reported just after 5 p.m. as the result of a lightning strike.
4:29 p.m.: Severe thunderstorm warnings for parts of Gwinnett, DeKalb and Fulton counties until 5:15 p.m.
4:28 p.m.: Severe thunderstorm warnings in Gwinnett and Forsyth counties until 4:30 p.m., severe weather statement issued for Forsyth County until 4:45 p.m. Strong and severe storms are covering north Georgia from western parts of Forsyth to Bartow County, where hail has been spotted. "The storm is unleashing very large hail," Channel 2 Action News Chief Meteorologist Glenn Burns said. "This is a dangerous storm."
Alpharetta is also seeing locally heavy rainfall, hail and cloud to ground lightning, Burns said.
When these summertime storms collapse in on themselves, the winds can bring down trees, Burns said.
4:13 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Walton County until 4:45 p.m.
4:09 p.m.: A severe storm is over Lawrenceville, with heavy rain, damaging wind at 60 MPH and hail. Another storm is developing at I-75 in Bartow County. Southwestern Fulton County can expect locally heavy rainfall and lightning.
3:50 p.m.: Cherokee, Forsyth and Pickens counties are under a severe thunderstorm warning until 4:30 p.m.
3:14 p.m.: Wind gusts of 40-60 mph are possible, as well as frequent lightning, the National Weather Service said.
2:54 p.m.: The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Fulton, Carroll, Douglas, Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Pickens and Union counties until 3:30 p.m.
UPDATE [2:17 p.m.]: The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Carroll, Coweta, Heard and Worth counties until 2:45 p.m.
ORIGINAL STORY: Some parts of metro Atlanta started to get rain at the start of the lunch hour, and the worst of the expected afternoon storms is still ahead.
Some areas could see heavy downpours, damaging winds, lightning and even small hail, according to Channel 2 Action News.
Coweta County got much of that Tuesday night, when a tree came crashing down onto a van and killed a father of two children.
Lawrence Adornato, an electronics engineer who was married 23 years, was driving down Sargent Main Street in Sargent when a large oak tree crushed most of his work van, deputies told Channel 2.
Light rain started moving into DeKalb and Clayton counties just after noon, but isolated storms aren’t expected to turn severe in metro Atlanta until between 4 and 6 p.m.
When it does rain, trees affected by dry conditions locally are more likely to break and uproot, so homeowners are warned to survey their land for risks, experts say.
“Later this evening and after sunset, an isolated shower or storm is still possible, but the trend will be for those to diminish,” meteorologist Brad Nitz said.
The weather will dry out overnight. But scattered showers and storms may return Friday afternoon, when there is a 30 percent chance of rain.
The rain, however, won’t stop temperatures from reaching a high of 95 degrees Friday.
“I hope your air conditioning’s working because you’re going to need it,” meteorologist Karen Minton said.
Temperatures were 78 degrees in Atlanta, 75 degrees in Blairsville and 85 degrees in Griffin just before 7 p.m.
