STORM ALERT DAY: Tornado watches, rain, wind, hail possible across Georgia

ATLANTALATEST UPDATE: The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Gilmer County and northwestern Fannin County. The warning expired by 9:20 p.m.

A “severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado” had also been located in Epworth, near Blue Ridge, moving at 45 mph. That alert also expired Saturday night.

For the time being, residents in those areas should still take cover. Flying debris will be dangerous at this time. Damage to mobile homes, roofs, windows, vehicles and trees is possible. The NWS recommends heading to the basement, or the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows.

This news is breaking. Check back for details. If you have additional information, pictures, or video email [email protected].

Rain, hail, strong winds expected across Georgia tonight

The FOX 5 Storm Team is also tracking the significant severe weather threat for the rest of North Georgia and metro Atlanta from Saturday night into Sunday morning. 

Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected to impact most of North Georgia with the strong possibility of damaging winds, tornadoes, hail in some parts, and flash flooding.

Live Radar: Watch Georgia storm move in

How will I know the Georgia storm is heading my way?

Our FOX 5 Storm Team will provide updates on the movement of this system every half hour on the FOX Local app.

You can also get location-based weather alerts on your mobile device by downloading the FOX 5 weather app and allowing notifications.

Kemp declares State of Emergency

What they’re saying:

Saturday morning will bring scattered showers and storms, especially north of Atlanta. However, the severe weather risk remains low during the morning hours.

One change in the forecast is that Saturday afternoon now looks mostly dry, with cloudy skies and temperatures in the upper 70s. But don’t let the quiet conditions fool you—the main threat arrives after 8 p.m. Saturday night into early Sunday morning.

Anticipating dangerous conditions, Gov. Brian Kemp declared a State of Emergency at noon.

“This storm will hit at the worst possible time, as people are heading to or already in bed. Before they retire for the evening, I’m urging everyone to be prepared ahead of time and to remain weather aware as long as this system is in the state,” said Kemp.

The State of Emergency executive order authorizes the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) to activate the State Operations Center (SOC) in order to distribute emergency resources as needed. Crews will also be on standby to quickly address any storm damage or power outages.

“Given the uncertainty of this storm and the fact it will move through Georgia overnight, individuals and families should prepare now and make plans to stay safe. Just as we’ve made all necessary preparations on the state level ahead of the system’s arrival, Georgians should get ready now and not wait until the storm is already here.”

Severe Storms Expected Late Saturday – Early Sunday

What Is Expected:

A powerful storm system will move into Georgia Saturday night bringing the potential for all severe weather hazards. At this time, western Georgia is at a level 4 risk for severe storms, including Cobb, Douglas, Bartow, and Coweta counties. The rest of North Georgia is at a level 3 for severe storms, which is still a notable risk. The following are possible:

  • Damaging winds (60-70 mph) that could bring down trees and cause power outages
  • Large hail (1 inch in diameter or greater)
  • Strong tornadoes (EF-2 or greater possible), mainly west of Atlanta
  • Localized flash flooding in some areas

RELATED: How to prepare for possible tornado and severe weather

TORNADO RISK: It is very easy to look at the risk in Alabama and think, “Oh, it’s going to be over there.” That’s not the case. The risk is extreme back into central Alabama and Mississippi. We have a HIGH risk of tornadoes west of I-75 tonight and an ELEVATED risk of tornadoes east of I-75. The black hash marks from the Storm Prediction Center indicate that EF2–EF5 tornadoes will be possible.

WIND RISK: Aside from tornadoes, winds of 60–70 mph will be possible and could easily topple trees across metro Atlanta and north Georgia. Take Severe Thunderstorm Warnings seriously tonight—you could see the same level of damage as a tornado, just from damaging winds.

HAIL RISK: Hail is likely the least of our concerns tonight. It will be possible but only up to about an inch in diameter.

SEE ALL THE LATEST FOX 5 STORM TEAM WEATHER ALERT MESSAGES

Please know where your tornado-safe place is. For many people, that’s a basement. If you don’t have a basement, go to the lowest level of a sturdy structure, in the most interior room, away from windows, and put as many walls between you and the outside as possible.

If you live in a manufactured or mobile home, please leave tonight—these structures are not safe in a tornado threat. Likewise, if you live in a house with a foundation and know someone in a mobile or manufactured home, please invite them to stay with you through the overnight hours.

Gather essential items now to put in your tornado-safe place or to take with you if you are leaving a mobile home. These can include important documents, prescriptions, and food/water. Have items like pillows, blankets, helmets, hard-soled/closed-toe shoes, and flashlights on hand.

Officials bracing for storm damage

Dig deeper:

In Brookhaven, officials are shutting down the Peachtree Creek Greenway on Friday afternoon ahead of the weekend’s storms.

The trail is set to stay open until storms move out of the area on Sunday morning. Officials say high winds and flash flooding could make the trail dangerous.

Georgia Power prepares for outages

Georgia Power says it is tracking the storm and crews are prepared to respond to any issues quickly.

Emergency shelters open

As of 6 p.m. Saturday, the City of Atlanta has opened the following emergency shelters.

  • Central Park Recreation Center, 400 Merritts Avenue NE, Atlanta, 30308
  • Old Adamsville Recreation Center; 3404 Delmar Lane NW, Atlanta, 30331 (overflow location)

The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office has made the following shelters available for residents:

  • Sheriff’s Office Training Room; 997 Newnan Road, Carrollton, 30116 (Former West Georgia Technical College, back of building, lower level)

DeKalb County will open four severe weather centers for residents seeking shelter starting at 8 p.m. Saturday.

The list of shelters is below:

  • Frontline Response International, 2585 Gresham Road, Atlanta, 30316.
  • North DeKalb Senior/Community Center, 3393 Malone Drive, Chamblee, 30341
  • Mason Mill Recreation Center, 1340 McConnell Dr., Decatur, 30033
  • Exchange Park Intergeneration Center, 2771 Columbia Dr., Decatur, 30034

Transportation pickups will also be available in parts of the county. You can find the full list on DeKalb County’s website.

Emergency Management Director Robby Westbrook says Pickens County will use this location now that the county is under a tornado watch:

  • County Administration Building basement; 1266 East Church Street, Jasper, 30143

Keep an eye on their Facebook page for the latest information.

Overnight Danger: Stay Weather Aware

Why you should care:

Saturday has been declared a Storm Alert Day by FOX 5 Atlanta. The severe storms will push into the Atlanta metro area by midnight, making it critical to have a way to receive weather alerts that will wake you up if needed. This will be a fast-moving system, and while flash flooding is less of a concern, damaging winds and tornadoes are the main threats.

Weather officials say Georgia residents who live in mobile or other manufactured homes should find another place to shelter due to the severe weather. 

By Sunday morning, the storms will move southeast, and most of the rain will clear out by sunrise.

Stay with FOX 5 Atlanta for the latest updates as this system develops. Be sure to download our STORM TEAM weather app and enable emergency alerts to stay informed overnight Saturday into Sunday. 

You can also watch FOX 5 Atlanta for free on the FOX LOCAL app. Just click here to find out how to get it on your connected TV or cellphone. 

Additionally, NOAA weather radios are also reliable sources of information in emergency situations. 

Looking Ahead

Coming Up:

After the stormy weekend, Sunday afternoon is expected to stay dry, with a much calmer and pleasant start to next week. Temperatures will remain mild, with sunshine returning Monday.

Severe WeatherAtlantaGeorgiaNews

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *