A potentially dangerous weekend of severe weather is expected in Georgia, including in parts of metro Atlanta.
Gov. Brian Kemp declared a State of Emergency Saturday afternoon and that all resources of the state will be made available to assist in preparation, response and recovery activities.
Georgia’s western border and parts of the metro’s west side are under a Level 4 of 5 risk for severe weather Saturday and Sunday, the National Weather Service warns.
Much of that area had been under a Level 3 of 5 risk until the agency’s Storm Prediction Center upgraded the threat level Friday afternoon.
“This storm will hit at the worst possible time, as people are heading to or already in bed,” Kemp said. “Be prepared ahead of time and remain weather aware as long as this system is in the state.”
Locals in those areas should prepare for strong tornadoes with wind speeds of 111 mph or more, 70 mph gusts and hail of up to 2 inches in diameter.
A large portion of the rest of the state is under a Level 3 risk.
The locations under a Level 4 threat carry a 15% chance of tornado formation within 25 miles of any given point. Areas under a Level 3 threat have a 10% chance.
The exact timing of the storm’s arrival remains fluid. But forecasters are fairly certain that Saturday evening — from roughly 8 p.m. and into the night — is when Atlanta will start to see blustering winds, heavy rain and thunder.
The line of severe storms is projected to reach the west metro area by around midnight and then continue through Atlanta past 2 a.m. It will start moving out toward east metro Atlanta and East Georgia around 4 a.m.
With storms moving through overnight, be sure to have your phone on max volume, the news running on a TV, or sleep in an area of your home that is away from windows and exterior walls. You may wake up to a tornado watch or warning, and should be ready to move if needed.
A tornado watch means the conditions are favorable for a tornado to form; this is your signal to have a plan in place. A tornado warning means a tornado has been spotted or indicated on the radar; this is your signal to take shelter immediately.
Some rain and thunderstorms will develop prior to the storm, though. By 7 a.m. Saturday, scattered showers will start popping up in northwest Georgia. They will continue and turn more widespread and heavy by around noon through 4 p.m. Atlanta is expected to stay mostly dry, but a passing shower cannot be ruled out.
By the time the rain is over and done with Sunday morning, rainfall totals could reach up to 4 inches in portions of North Georgia. Other areas are more likely to see just above an inch.
A Flood Watch has been issued for portions of extreme North and northwest Georgia from Saturday morning through Sunday morning.
The storms are part of a larger system expected to pour heavy rain over the western United States before roaring eastward, where it will dump large amounts of snow on the Great Plains and Upper Midwest, according to The Associated Press.
In the Southeast, the highest tornado threat is in Alabama and Mississippi, where a Level 5 threat is in place, the highest possible. There is also a 30% probability that a twister may spawn within a 25-mile radius, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
The NWS has been warning of the heightened threat since Tuesday, giving Atlanta-area residents more time to prepare for the approaching storm than usual.
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