[9:05 p.m.]: Firefighters in Alpharetta responded to a home that was hit by lightning during Tuesday's severe storms, according to the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety. The fire has been extinguished, and no one was hurt.
[9:03 p.m.]: Downed trees and power lines have been reported in Johns Creek, according to police. Buice Road is blocked near Red Bird Lane due to the damage, and it's unclear when the road will reopen.
[7:16 p.m.]: The severe thunderstorm warning has expired for Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties, leaving no active warnings across the state. However, heavy rain and storms are still moving east through north Fulton, Gwinnett and Forsyth counties.
[6:44 p.m.]: A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties until 7:15 p.m.
[6 p.m.]: The severe thunderstorm warning has expired for Cobb, Douglas and Fulton counties.
UPDATE [5:29 p.m.]: A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Cobb, Douglas and Fulton counties until 6 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
ORIGINAL STORY: Atlanta is mostly dry — for now.
The North Georgia mountains and west Georgia are getting soaked Tuesday afternoon and even had brief bouts of severe weather, but all severe thunderstorm warnings in the state have expired, according to the National Weather Service.
However, the heavy rain that doused Haralson, Paulding and Polk counties is nearing metro Atlanta, and could add to the already messy evening commute.
I-20 in DeKalb County is an especially slow spot after all eastbound lanes were held between Wesley Chapel Road and Panola Road to clear a wreck, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.
I-85 North in Gwinnett County is also being affected by a stall in the second left lane near Ga. 317, the Traffic Center reported. The Downtown Connector and Northern Perimeter are also beginning to slow down as volume increases for the drive home.
The oncoming rain won’t be the first showers the Atlanta area has seen Tuesday, since areas near Lake Allatoona got about a quarter-inch of accumulation, according to Channel 2 Action News.
Morning rain did not impact those headed to school Tuesday. Students in Commerce and Rockdale County are back in class, and thousands more will begin the school year by the end of the week. By then, Channel 2 chief meteorologist Glenn Burns said it may be a little wetter across North Georgia.
The rain chance is still pretty low Tuesday at 30%. However, that chance continues into the early evening.
“There will be widely scattered showers and thunderstorms across the area, lessening in intensity and coverage as we get toward 7 p.m.,” Burns said. “It looks like we could see a lingering shower or two past then, but we should be dry by 11 p.m.”
Rain becomes more likely each day this week, leading up to a 60% chance of showers and storms Friday, according to Channel 2.
“Calhoun, Jasper, Blairsville, Gainesville and points north, you'll have that best opportunity for showers and storms late today,” Channel 2 meteorologist Brian Monahan said. “Into the evening, still a little bit of rain around, and then that dries up overnight. A better chance of rain on the Southside by tomorrow.”
A cold front moving in Wednesday could mean more widespread rain in metro Atlanta, he said.
Tuesday could be the last day to break out of the 80s this week, according to Channel 2. It was 89 degrees at 5:30 p.m.
With scattered showers and storms in the forecast through the weekend, afternoon highs are in the upper 80s.
» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.
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