LIVE WEATHER-TRAFFIC: Tornado warnings expire near UGA; Fulton, Forsyth counties under flood warning

ATLANTA FORECAST 

Wednesday: High: 79

Wednesday night: Low: 69

Thursday: High: 79

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

[10 p.m.]: The severe thunderstorm warning for Madison County has now expired, the NWS reported. The severe storms have moved to far northeast Georgia and are heading towards the South Carolina border.

[9:43 p.m.]: The Athens-Clark County Emergency Manager told Channel 2 meteorologist Brad Nitz that no severe damage has been reported in Clarke county after tonight’s tornado warning.

[9:42 p.m.]: Channel 2 reported that five homes in Social Circle have sustained severe damage. A cell tower is also reportedly down, so residents are unable to make 911 calls.

[9:39 p.m.]: Flood warnings have been issued for Forsyth and Fulton counties until 3:30 p.m. Saturday, the NWS reported.

[9:34 p.m.]: The tornado warning has been cancelled for Clarke, Madison and Oglethrope counties, the NWS reported. A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Madison County until 10 p.m.

[9:21 p.m.]: Channel 2 Chief meteorologist Glenn Burns said most of the city limits of Athens and UGA’s campus are now south of the area under a tornado warning. East Athens is still within the tornado warning area, he said.

[9:18 p.m.]: Tornado warnings have been extended or added for Clarke, Madison and Oglethorpe counties until 10 p.m., according to the NWS. The tornado warnings for Oconee and Jackson counties have been allowed to expire, the NWS reported.

[9:08 p.m.]: Tonight’s Braves game against the Miami Marlins has been postponed due to weather, the Braves said in a tweet. The game will be rescheduled for August 13 at 1:35 p.m.

[9:05 p.m.]: A downed tree and power lines have been reported across Ga. 140 at Land Road in Cherokee County, the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center reports. Use Friendship Road or Finscher Road as a detour.

[9:00 p.m.]: The severe thunderstorm warnings for Clarke, Jackson and Oconee counties have now expired, but the tornado warnings for these counties and Madison County are still in effect until 9:15 p.m., the NWS reports.

[8:50 p.m.]: Channel 2 meteorologist Brad Nitz tweeted that the storm rotation has moved just northwest of Athens. The tornado warning for Clarke, Oconee, Madison and Jackson counties should last until 9:15 p.m.

[8:38 p.m.]: Three homes have been reportedly suffered heavy roof damage on Fair Play Road in Social Circle, Channel 2 Action News reported. This is after a tornado warning was briefly in effect for Walton County, and the storm system has now moved close to Athens and UGA.

[8:31 p.m.]: The NWS has issued tornado warnings for Clarke, Jackson, Madison and Oconee counties until 9:15 p.m.

[8:27 p.m.]: Channel 2 meteorologist Brad Nitz tweeted that he’s detecting “significant rotation” in the severe thunderstorms southwest of Athens, making a tornado possible. The NWS has not issued any tornado warnings for the area.

[8:24 p.m.]: A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Clarke, Oconee and Jackson counties until 9 p.m. by the NWS.

[7:59 p.m.]: The Braves’ game tonight against the Miami Marlins has been delayed due to weather. No estimated start time has been provided yet.

[7:54 p.m.]: The tornado warning for Walton County was cancelled a few minutes before it was set to expire at 8 p.m., according to the NWS. 

[7:50 p.m.]: A flood warning has been issued for Gwinnett County by the NWS until further notice.

[7:45 p.m.]: The tornado warnings for Newton and Morgan counties have been cancelled by the NWS. The tornado warning for Walton County will last until 8 p.m. 

[7:28 p.m.]: Tornado warnings have been issued for Newton, Walton and Morgan counties by the National Weather Service until 8 p.m.

UPDATE [6:54 p.m.]: The Braves tweeted that tonight’s game against the Miami Marlins at SunTrust Park likely won’t start on time, but “there may be a window opening at some point.” The game was supposed to start at 7:35 p.m.

ORIGINAL STORY: Bands of heavy showers are moving through metro Atlanta just in time for today’s evening commute, and roads look exactly how you think they would: congested.

The heavy rain is expected to continue through the evening, prompting the National Weather Service to extend a flash flood watch until Friday morning for all of North Georgia.

“Flash flooding is likely to redevelop in spots and a flash flood watch has already been issued,” Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brad Nitz said. “Remember, don't drive through flooded streets. Turn around, don't drown.”

Some of the storms could turn severe.

“Waves of showers and storms will continue to move across the area through the next couple of days,” Channel 2 meteorologist Karen Minton said. “The main impacts will be heavy rain and frequent lightning.”

Tuesday saw some places getting enormous amounts of rain. The city most under water was Cedartown in Polk County, which had more than 5 inches of rainfall, causing streets to flood.

“Several area creeks and streams are at ‘action stage’ — just below minor flood stage,” Channel 2 meteorologist Brian Monahan said. “It won’t take much more rain today to cause additional flooding.”

Rain chances decrease to 70 percent Thursday and 60 percent Friday before drying out for the weekend.

“With more sunshine, temperatures will bounce back from the 70s and low 80s, where we’ll spend the next couple of days, to the mid to upper 80s by the weekend,” Monahan said. 

Those planning to attend the Major League Soccer All-Star game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 7:30 p.m. should definitely plan on taking raincoats and umbrellas. MARTA will be providing additional trains to help get people to the event.

The bad weather is thanks to a duo of storm systems over the Atlantic Ocean and the Midwest.

A Bermuda high, which is a semi-permanent area of high pressure over the Bermuda area during the summer, is pumping moisture north along the Eastern coastline, Channel 2 chief meteorologist Glenn Burns said. On the opposite side, an area of low pressure is over the Midwest, moving gulf moisture north through Georgia, he said.

“They’re kind of tag teaming (Georgia) to give us this river of moisture,” Burns said.

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