Forecasters expanded the moderate risk area for severe storms to include more of northwest Georgia this morning.
🌪️ What We Know: Widespread severe thunderstorms will slam Georgia starting tonight at 8 p.m. and continuing until 8 a.m. Sunday. Officials warn tornadoes and damaging winds pose the greatest threat to residents.
The storms will carry multiple hazards including possible strong tornadoes, winds exceeding 60 mph, large hail the size of quarters, and flooding. Weather experts upgraded the threat level to 4 out of 5 for tonight, indicating a high risk of destructive weather.
🤔 What We Don’t Know: The exact path individual storms will take remains uncertain. Meteorologists cannot predict precisely which communities will face the most severe impacts or exactly when storms will hit specific locations.
⚠️ Why It Matters: These storms threaten lives and property across a large portion of Georgia. Residents need to prepare immediately, as nighttime tornadoes are particularly dangerous because people may be sleeping and miss warning alerts.
📊 By The Numbers:
- Threat level: 4 out of 5 (moderate risk)
- Wind speeds: Potentially above 60 mph
- Hail size: Quarter-sized or larger
- Timing: 12-hour window from 8 p.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday
🔍 In Context: The National Weather Service in Peachtree City issued this morning’s update at 8:37 a.m. The moderate risk designation represents a significant escalation from earlier forecasts and indicates meteorologists have growing confidence in the severity of tonight’s weather event.
⏭️ What’s Next: The storm system will move through Georgia tonight with conditions improving by Sunday afternoon. Sunday’s threat level drops to 2 out of 5 for remaining areas.
🛡️ Take Action: Review your severe weather plan immediately. Ensure you have multiple ways to receive warnings, including weather radio, smartphone alerts, and local news. Secure outdoor items that could become projectiles in high winds. Identify the safest room in your home – typically an interior room on the lowest floor away from windows.
❤️ Remember The Golden Rule: Check on your neighbors and those without reliable transportation who might need assistance preparing for the storms. Offer shelter to those who live in mobile homes or other vulnerable structures.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
