Strong storms spark 7 tornado warnings across north Georgia

ATLANTA — QUICK FACTS:

• Strong storms prompted seven tornado warnings across north Georgia Thursday
• Roads are closed across the area because of serious flooding and downed trees
• Biggest threat now is continuous rain, adding more water to the already saturated soil
• Several flood warnings have been issued across north Georgia
• Cold weather is now moving in, which will create some flurries in parts of north Georgia Friday

Strong storms that moved across north Georgia and the Atlanta metro left a destructive path across the region

Severe Weather Team 2 tracked the storms all day that sparked at least seven tornado warnings for parts of the metro and the eastern part of the state around Lake Oconee.

• Download the FREE Severe Weather Team 2 app for alerts about weather where you live
• PHOTOS: Storms cause damage in metro Atlanta
• SCHOOL CHANGES: Severe weather causes several districts to close early

We have reporter and photographers spread across north Georgia surveying the damage left behind by the storms. LIVE reports, plus a look at tomorrow’s plummeting temperatures, on the Channel 2 Action News Nightbeat at 11 p.m.

A MINUTE-BY-MINUTE Look at how the day unfolded:

5:42 p.m.: Gilmer County Schools will be on a two-hour delay Friday because of road conditions.

5:23 p.m.: Butler Creek have risen over its banks and has flooded Loring Road NW in Cobb County.

4:08 p.m.: Cobb County has closed four parks because of flooding.

4:03 p.m.: The Pickens County Health Department in Jasper said it will be closed on Friday because of the inclement weather conditions.

3:53 p.m.: Keheley Road in Cobb County is closed due to flooding.

3:50 p.m.: 2 lanes of I-20 WB blocked because of flooding.

3:35 p.m.: The Little River in Woodstock has risen about its banks, flooding a nearby little league field.

3:28 p.m.: GDOT says a tree onto power lines has closed part of Georgia 16:

1:49 p.m.: Severe Weather Team 2′s Brad Nitz says the severe storm risk is over but the risk for flooding continues.

1:34 p.m.: The Hall County Sheriff’s Office have closed part of Calvary Church Road because of a water line break and partial road washout.

1:21 p.m.: The tornado warning for Greene County will likely be allowed to expire at 1:30 p.m.

1:19 p.m.: The tornado warning for Greene County likely to be expanded into Oglethorpe County.

1:18 p.m.: A new tornado watch has been issued for the eastern part of the state until 8 p.m.

1:16 p.m.: Channel 2′s Tony Thomas says Rock Creek in Barrow County is flowing well above its banks.

1:03 p.m.: Willeo Road in Roswell is closed because of flooding.

12:56 p.m. Tornado warnings for Greene, Putnam counties have been extended until 1:30 p.m.

12:46 p.m.: A new tornado warning issued for Greene, Morgan and Oglethorpe counties.

12:36 p.m.: A Tornado warning has been issued for Putnam County.

12:34 p.m.: Legacy Park Circle in Kennesaw is closed because of flooding.

12:29 p.m.: Pickens County Schools announces they will release early today and will delay start times tomorrow.

12:23 p.m.: Channel 2′s Justin Gray is in Cherokee County where floodwaters has washed out Wrights Mill Road.

12:05 p.m.: One of our photojournalists made this great time lapse video as storms rolled through midtown this morning.

11:26 a.m.: Channel 2′s Tyisha Fernandes is getting photos of damage in Fairburn.

10:56 a.m.: Dramatic video shows a tree falling onto a car in Dunwoody.

10:46 a.m.: Fannin County Schools announced it will close two hours early today. All buses will run their routes two hours early today. Student drivers can leave Fannin County High School at 11:00 a.m.

10:34 a.m.: A Channel 2 photographer sees planes backed up as far as he can see at Atlanta’s airport.

10:28 a.m.: All Tornado Warnings have been discontinued. There are no active severe weather warnings in metro Atlanta.

10 a.m.: A Tornado Warning has been issued for Barrow, Walton and Jackson counties until 10:30 a.m.

9:52 a.m.: Severe Weather Team 2 is tracking storms moving through Clarke County right now.

9:47 a.m.: A tornado warning has been issued for Oconee, Clarke, Ogelthorpe and Madison counties.

9:40 a.m.: A groundstop is in effect for Hartsfield Jackson-Atlanta International Airport until 9:45 a.m., according to the FAA.

9:22 a.m.: A tree down and hanging on a power line on Spring Lake Drive just off Collier Road in Collier Road in northwest Atlanta.

8:52 a.m. A tree fell on a car on Interstate 285 eastbound at Ashford Dunwoody Road in Dunwoody.

8:50 a.m.: There is flooding in a Douglasville subdivision on Grace Lake Drive.

8:41 a.m.: Meteorologist Brian Monahan says to stay weather aware until for the rest of the day.

8:37 a.m.: Dalton Police say they had to rescue two people overnight.

8:30 a.m.: An estimated 2,100 people are without power across north Georgia.

8:25 a.m.: Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office says Union Hill Rd. near Marvin Land is closed due to water across the roadway. Avoid the area if possible.

8:17 a.m.: Tornado Warning for Barrow County and southwestern Jackson County until 8:45 a.m.

8:07 a.m.: There have already been 1 to 3 inches of rainfall in metro Atlanta this morning. Flooding is a main concern.

8:05 a.m.: Lightning hitting Cleburne County, AL and Haralson County, Ga. Storms moving northeast at 60 mph.

8:02 a.m.: Flash Flood Warning issued for areas including Atlanta, Sandy Springs and Roswell until 2 p.m.

8 a.m.: Standing water reporter on Dabbs Bridge Road in the area of Washington Blvd.

7:50 a.m.: Walker, Murray, Catoosa and Dade counties are closed for the day.

7:47 a.m. Chattooga County Schools will be closed Thursday

7:45 a.m.: Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton and Gwinnett counties until 8:15 a.m.

7:38 a.m. We’re receiving reports of flooding in Douglasville.

7:35 a.m.: Severe Weather Team 2 Brian Monahan warns that the rest of the day is going to be a messy one.

7:15 a.m.: Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Katie Walls says weather is about to get even messier in Atlanta.

7:05 a.m.: Tornado Watch issued for much of metro Atlanta.

7 a.m.: Georgia Northwest Technical College in Rome will delay opening until 10 a.m. due to “dangerous road conditions.” Walker County Schools are closed Thursday due to weather.

6:51 a.m.: Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for Cobb and Paulding counties.

6:40 a.m.: Crash cleared on I-285 but delays remain.

6:22 a.m.: Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office shares a video of rain and lightning in the area.

6:04 a.m.: Triple Team Traffic’s Mark Arum is calling this the “worst traffic morning in recent memory.”

6:02 a.m. There is a tree down on Interstate 20, blocking three lanes in DeKalb County.

6 a.m.: There are more than two dozen crashes already across metro Atlanta interstates.

5:55 a.m.: Tornado Warning cancelled for Cleburne County and Randolph counties.

5:44 a.m.: Tornado Warning issued for Cleburne County, AL and Randolph County, AL.

5:38 a.m.: All lanes are blocked after a crash on I-285 N at Bolton Road in northwest Atlanta.

5:35 a.m.: Traffic alert: Crash on I-75/85 southbound near University Avenue in downtown Atlanta has all lanes blocked. There are major delays to the airport.

5:30 a.m.: Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for parts of Gordon, Pickens and Gilmer counties until 6:15 a.m.

5:20 a.m.: Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Brian Monahan says he’s keeping an eye on some rotation near Adairsville. There is a risk of isolated brief spin-up tornadoes today.

4:45 a.m.: Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for Chattooga, north Floyd County, Gordon County and possibly part of Bartow County.

4:40 a.m.: Tornado Watch extended into Georgia counties including Bibb, Butts, Crawford, Crisp, Dooly, Houston, Monroe, Peach, Fayette, Carroll, Haralson, Chattahoochee, Coweta, Harris, Heard, Lamar, Macon, Marion, Meriwether, Muscogee, Pike, Schley, Spalding, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Troup, Upson.

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