COVINGTON, Ga. — If you were in metro Atlanta communities such as Covington or Villa Rica on New Year's Eve, you were jolted out of your celebratory mood on Friday evening by tornado activity that produced several injuries and damage in areas.
Elsewhere, in communities from suburban Atlanta to near Athens to north Georgia, tornado sirens rang out as warnings were issued.
It was a scary moment for many across the metro. Here's what we know about what the storms produced and what they left in their aftermath:
- A confirmed tornado hit Covington: Newton County saw what is so far the only tornado confirmed by the National Weather Service. People in Covington caught the funnel on video and sent in photos of the damage after the tornado swept through. The NWS said on Saturday it was an EF-1 tornado.
- It caused injuries and damage: The Newton County fire chief confirmed at least five injuries on Friday night - three adults, a teenager and a child, with two of the injured having to go to the hospital. Viewers sent in video of cars flipped over at a Chick-fil-A and damage at Veterans Memorial Middle School. Recovery efforts began Saturday.
- A confirmed tornado also hit Villa Rica: The Carroll County Sheriff's Office said it received reports of a tornado touching down in the area and reported damage. County emergency management reported at least one tree fell onto a home. On Saturday, the National Weather Service declared it officially had been an EF-1 tornado. Saturday, 11Alive's Dawn White went to the area. A tarp covered a home where a tree toppled onto a house, into a bedroom, and on top of a woman. The woman had to be cut out of a house.
- There were warnings issued all around the region: The storm activity brought tornado warnings to Atlanta's doorstep as a warning was issued for Cobb County as well as Paulding County, triggering tornado sirens in cities like Smyrna. To the east, near Athens, Oconee, Walton and Morgan counties saw a warning, and up in north Georgia, Pickens and Gordon counties had warnings.
- More severe weather is on the way: Stay weather aware, because late Saturday night into early Sunday morning is expected to bring more severe weather to the region. Looking ahead, we have a Level 3 threat of severe weather in northwest Georgia, a Level 2 threat for the Atlanta area, and a Level 1 threat for areas southeast of the metro. Find a timeline of what to expect and when and where to expect it:
Tornadoes in Covington and Villa Rica
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