Metro Atlanta avoids brunt of storms as tornadoes hit Georgia

ATLANTA FORECAST

Sunday: High: 66

Sunday night: Low: 39

Monday: High: 49

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

UPDATE: The severe weather threat for metro Atlanta had passed by 6 p.m., according to Channel 2 Action News meteorologists.

Chief meteorologist Glenn Burns said that some stronger storms were still in South Georgia, including super cell thunderstorms approaching the Georgia coast and numerous severe thunderstorms behind those with straight-line winds that can also cause significant damage.

With tornado warnings reported in cities across Middle and South Georgia, officials were just beginning to gauge the damage caused by the storm system to that area.

Channel 2 meteorologist Katie Walls reported Sunday evening from the scene of a tornado touchdown in Talbot County, finding homes destroyed.

EARLIER COVERAGE: Several tornado warnings have been lifted for Georgia counties, but the National Weather Service says we aren't in the clear just yet.

Warner Robins, Perry and Fort Valley remain under tornado warning until 5:30 p.m.

A tornado was confirmed moving northeast between Macon and Warner Robins, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brad Nitz reported.

A tornado watch that includes several dozen counties in South and Middle Georgia remains in effect until 8 p.m. Sunday.

The counties included in the watch are:

Baker; Baldwin; Ben Hill; Berrien; Bibb; Bleckley; Butts; Calhoun; Chattahoochee; Clarke; Clay; Clayton; Colquitt; Cook; Coweta; Crawford; Crisp; Decatur; Dodge; Dooly; Dougherty; Early; Emanuel; Fayette; Glascock; Grady; Greene; Hancock; Harris; Heard; Henry; Houston; Irwin; Jasper; Jefferson; Johnson; Jones; Lamar; Laurens; Lee; Macon; Marion; Meriwether; Miller; Mitchell; Monroe; Montgomery; Morgan; Muscogee; Newton; Oconee; Oglethorpe; Peach; Pike; Pulaski; Putnam; Quitman; Randolph; Rockdale; Schley; Seminole; Spalding; Stewart; Sumter; Talbot; Taliaferro; Taylor; Telfair; Terrell; Tift; Toombs; Treutlen; Troup; Turner; Twiggs; Upson; Walton; Warren; Washington; Webster; Wheeler; Wilcox; Wilkes; Wilkinson; Worth

Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Eboni Deon said wind gusts of up to 60 mph and as much as 2 inches of rainfall is possible in the late afternoon hours.

Deon said Sunday’s rainfall could lead to additional flooding and downed trees as well.

The rain should clear out by 6 or 7 p.m. as the wet weather moves south, Deon said, creating the threat of severe thunderstorms as far east as Athens and Eatonton.

By early in the week, however, arctic air is expected to move in, dropping temperatures as low as 39 degrees on Monday and into the 20s on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“On Monday we’re dry, but it is going to be much cooler with temperatures in the 40s,” Deon said. “Then we’ll wake up to 20s Tuesday and Wednesday morning.”

In Fulton County, GDOT will close the Ashford Dunwoody ramp to I-285 West. Motorists looking to drive west on the Perimeter from Ashford Dunwoody Road should head east to Chamblee Dunwoody Road, hang a left off the exit and turn around.