ATLANTA — Multiple rounds of showers and storms will move across north Georgia through Thursday morning, starting in the mountains later this morning. The main severe weather risks, though, will move in late today and overnight.
Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Brian Monahan says a cold front will bring multiple rounds of strong storms, with severe weather risks increasing through the day. The main impact will be the heavy rain, but damaging wind gusts, large hail and a few tornadoes are all possible.
The latest hour-by-hour timing for the storms and impacts, LIVE on Channel 2 Action News This Morning from 4:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
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FLOODING RISK
With the heavy rain, Severe Weather Team 2 is also watching out for the possibility of flooding. Monahan says 1-3 inches of rainfall is likely with the system and up to 4 inches of rainfall in isolated spots.
That much rain that fast may cause flooding of smaller rivers, streams, creeks, and also urban areas. A flood watch has already been issued for the following counties:
Banks, Bartow, Barrow, Butts, Carroll, Catoosa, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Fannin, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Fulton, Gilmer, Gordon, Gwinnett, Hall, Haralson, Heard, Henry, Jackson, Jasper, Lamar, Lumpkin, Meriwether Monroe, Murray, Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Pike, Polk, Rockdale, Spalding, Towns, Troup, Union, Upson, Walker, Walton and White counties.
TORNADO SAFETY
With the risk for tornadoes, it’s important to make sure you have a safety plan if a tornado warning is issued.
Identify the safest place to seek shelter
The safest place to seek shelter will be an interior room on the lowest level of your home such as basement, closet or bathroom. Stay away from windows and exterior walls.
If you are in a mobile home or outside, get to the closest shelter and protect yourself from debris. If a shelter isn’t available, stay in a low-lying area such as a ditch. But do not get under an overpass or bridge.
Have multiple ways to get tornado watch or tornado warning alerts.
Download the free WSB-TV Weather App for alerts sent straight to your phone when a tornado watch or tornado warning is issued. Remember: Tornado sirens are only to warn people who are outdoors. You may not hear sirens if a warning is issued.
Severe Weather Team 2 will come on the air immediately when a tornado warning is issued and stay on the air until the threat is over.
If your power goes out, there are several ways you can still get Severe Weather Team 2 coverage. You can stream on the free WSB-TV news app or stream on the free WSB-TV weather app on your smart devices.
Know your county and be able to identify it on a map.
Weather warnings include county names, and our maps have county outlines. Severe Weather Team 2 will get hyper-local tracking any tornadoes, but knowing counties helps.
Familiarize yourself with where your county is, but also make sure you know the counties that surround yours as well.