Traffic builds ahead of returning nighttime storms, flood watch

ATLANTA FORECAST

Thursday: High: 62

Thursday night: Low: 56

Friday: High: 62

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

[8:49 p.m.]: A dense fog advisory was issued for most of North Georgia, Middle Georgia and all of metro Atlanta until 10 a.m. Friday, according to the National Weather Service. Visibility is a quarter-mile or less.

[6:59 p.m.]: The tornado warning for Meriwether County has been canceled, according to the Weather Service. There haven't been any reports of damage in Harris, Meriwether or Talbot counties, according to Channel 2 Action News.

Channel 2 chief meteorologist Glenn Burns said the storm system looks like a “classic kidney-bean-shaped supercell,” which is continuing to move to the northeast. Heavy rain, strong winds and lightning continue in the area.

[6:40 p.m.]: The tornado warning has been extended until 7:30 p.m. for Meriwether County, the Weather Service said.

[6:35 p.m.]: The Weather Service canceled the tornado warning for Harris and Talbot counties as the potential tornado-producing storm has moved fully into Meriwether County. The warning is set to expire at 6:45 p.m.

UPDATE [6:12 p.m.]: A tornado warning has been issued for Harris, Meriwether and Talbot counties by the National Weather Service. It is set to expire at 6:45 p.m.

ORIGINAL STORY: Atlanta's reprieve from stormy weather is ticking away as another wave of storms approaches to soak the city again tonight.

Before the storms hit the metro area, a flash flood watch over much of North Georgia will end at 7 p.m., but it’ll immediately be replaced by a flood watch, which will last through Friday night, according to the National Weather Service.

By then, Atlanta traffic should lighten up, but the evening commute is in full swing, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.

Most interstate delays are due to volume, but a center lane of Ga. 400 past Old Milton Parkway is blocked by a crash, slowing down Forsyth County, the Traffic Center reported.

Earlier roadwork projects taking advantage of the dry skies have ended on Peachtree Street and I-20 West, so no need to worry about those during your trip home from work.

Rain is moving through LaGrange toward Atlanta, according to Channel 2 Action News.

Since last night, the latest wave dumped an inch or more of rain over much of the area north of I-20.

“We also had hundreds of cloud-to-ground lightning strikes,” Channel 2 meteorologist Brian Monahan said. “The lightning threat has diminished, and I don’t expect it to be a significant concern later today or (Friday). That threat will shift farther north into Tennessee and the Carolinas.”

Over the past 24 hours, some spots in the northern suburbs have seen more than 2.5 inches of rainfall, according to Channel 2.

Monahan said more rain will move through Thursday night and into Friday. The highest rainfall accumulations are expected over the North Georgia mountains, with less amounts on the Southside, he said.

North Georgia is finally starting to warm up a bit after breaking out of a wedge of cold air, Monahan said. Temperatures have reached 63 degrees in Atlanta, which is a degree warmer than predicted.

“There will be a wide range in temperatures today as a strong wedge breaks — from the low 70s on the Southside to the 40s and 50s far northeast,” Monahan said. “Temps will reach the low 60s (Friday) around metro Atlanta, with another day of 70s possible south.”

Homeowners in the Cedars Glen subdivision of Carroll County were without water Thursday morning after lightning was believed to have hit a water line, Villa Rica Mayor Jeff Reese said. The Carroll County Water Authority is still working to restore water service and flush waterlines.

County water customers north of U.S. 78 and city of Temple residents are under a boil water advisory until further notice. Areas served by the City of Villa Rica are not affected, according to the water authority.

Habersham County saw its share of lightning trouble Thursday morning. Authorities told Channel 2 they responded to seven structure fires believed to be caused by lightning strikes. While there was no major damage, fire crews were called in from other jurisdictions to help fight the blazes.

The Weather Service expects another 1 to 3 inches of rain will fall in some areas, causing already swollen rivers, creeks and streams to rise.

Due to flooding, Castleberry Road between Majors and Bethelview roads was closed in Forsyth County, according to the sheriff’s office.

In Floyd County, flooding put a stop to several Thursday morning bus routes. Buses were not able to make it down multiple roads, including Horseleg, Plems, Dugger, Collier, Bert, Little Texas Valley, Gaines Loop and Moran Lake.

Floyd County Schools canceled all afternoon and evening activities. Friday classes will also be delayed two hours because of potential flooding.

Dawson County authorities have blocked off Reece Road near Robert Gibby Road, where a pond is spilling water onto the road. Ga. 183 or Old Henry Grady are good alternates, the sheriff’s office said on Twitter.

Standing water was also reported on Etowah River Road near Seed Tick and on Ga. 53 in Dawson County.

Several North Georgia rivers and streams are under flood warnings, including Big Creek in Fulton and Forsyth counties and the Etowah River in Cherokee County. Minor flooding is already occurring in those areas, according to the Weather Service.

A new flood warning was issued Thursday morning for Noonday Creek in Cobb and Cherokee counties.

“Flood stage is reached,” the Weather Service said in an advisory. “Minor flooding begins in the woodlands and natural flood plain near the creek upstream and downstream from the gage on Shallowford Road. Portions of Noonday Creek Park and residential backyards on Bridge Drive will begin to flood.”

Noonday Creek Trail and Towne Lake Pass Trail are closed in Woodstock due to flooding, according to police. Rope Mill Park has been closed due to flooding since Wednesday. Johnson Brady Road is closed, according to the Cherokee County sheriff’s office.

Rain begins tapering off Saturday ahead of a cold front, Monahan said, and some showers are expected to stick around Sunday. But there’s sunshine in the forecast for the start of next week.

“We’ll reach the low 60s on Monday under a mostly sunny sky,” he said. “More wet weather is likely to move in toward the middle of the week.”