Saturday evening forecast
A powerful wave of summertime thunderstorms hit North Georgia on Saturday afternoon, knocking down trees and leaving thousands of residents without power as intense lightning and heavy rain pummeled the region.
ATLANTA – A powerful wave of summer thunderstorms hit North Georgia on Saturday afternoon, knocking down trees and leaving thousands of residents without power as intense lightning and heavy rain pummeled the region.
What we know:
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground delay Saturday at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport until at least 11 p.m. That ground delay could be extended depending on weather conditions.
A severe thunderstorm warning went into effect early Saturday afternoon as the storms rapidly intensified, but that warning has since expired. The weather system brought a tremendous amount of lightning, heavy rain, and damaging winds that downed trees across the area.
The storm damage knocked out electricity for about 3,000 people, causing brief but widespread power outages. The severe weather activity stretched across North Georgia, stretching from Braselton through Athens.
The Atlanta FIFA Fan Festival’s opening was delayed by several hours due to reported lightning in the vicinity. The festival has since opened.
The backstory:
Saturday started warm with a morning temperature of 75 degrees at the Atlanta airport, while surrounding areas like Covington and Eatonton hit 76 degrees.
Temperatures will push into the low 90s by the afternoon, with humidity levels making conditions feel more like the mid-90s.
Rain chances sit between 40% and 60% through the afternoon, meaning anyone planning to cook outside will likely contend with isolated storms until the activity fades after sunset around 8:30 p.m. or 9 p.m.
What’s next:
Forecasters warn that North Georgia will face a repeat performance as the weekend wraps up. Daytime heating is expected to trigger another round of popping summer thunderstorms on Sunday, bringing a persistent severe weather threat.
A marginal level one severe weather threat covers most of the region, while the eastern side of the state faces an elevated level two risk. An upper-level weather feature will swing through Alabama and Georgia on Monday, which forecasters say will likely make it the wettest day of the upcoming week.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FOX 5 meteorologist Greg, who tracked the storm models, radar data, and regional temperature readings on Saturday afternoon.
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