ATLANTA — (Editor's note: This live updates story was published Wednesday night and as of 6:30 a.m. Thursday morning, we are providing updates at a new story you can find here.)
A round of storms producing damaging winds moved into north Georgia overnight, with a second round of potential sever weather on the way Thursday morning that will impact Atlanta and the inner metro area.
The Storm Prediction Center has highlighted part of our area, including Atlanta, as a Level 3 "Enhanced" threat of severe weather.
Storms will be around Thursday morning for the commute with heavy rain, lightning and gusty winds. There is also a lower risk of hail and tornadoes, though wind remains the main threat.
According to 11Alive Meteorologist Chesley McNeil, that second round will start to arrive in north Georgia around 7 a.m. and make its way into the closer metro Atlanta area around 9 a.m.
Before 6 a.m. a tornado watch was issued until 1 p.m. for virtually the entire metro Atlanta and north Georgia region. Counties in the watch include:
- Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, Clayton, Henry, Madison, Fayette, Towns, Bartow, Forsyth, White, Meriwether, Paulding, Union, Carroll, Haralson, Barrow, Pike, Chattooga, Hall, Rockdale, Butts, Dawson, Jackson, Lamar, Morgan, Greene, Troup, Upson, Floyd, Oglethorpe, Gordon, Clarke, Oconee, Jasper, Walton, Coweta, Pickens, Gilmer, Newton, Spalding, Cherokee, Heard, Douglas, Putnam, Fannin, Banks, Polk, Rabun, Habersham.
11Alive will track any other weather developments this evening.
Latest update
Thursday, May 9
6:19 a.m. | Severe thunderstorm warning for Gilmer, Fannin and Union counties until 7 a.m.
6:16 a.m. | A little ways outside of our region, but Bradley County and Hamilton county in east Tennessee are under a tornado warning until 6:45 a.m.
Closer to home, the National Weather Service reports a "severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado" was located at 6:08 a.m. near Cohutta, 9 miles northeast of Ringgold.
5:45 a.m. | A tornado watch has been issued until 1 p.m. for the following counties: Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, Clayton, Henry, Madison, Fayette, Towns, Bartow, Forsyth, White, Meriwether, Paulding, Union, Carroll, Haralson, Barrow, Pike, Chattooga, Hall, Rockdale, Butts, Dawson, Jackson, Lamar, Morgan, Greene, Troup, Upson, Floyd, Oglethorpe, Gordon, Clarke, Oconee, Jasper, Walton, Coweta, Pickens, Gilmer, Newton, Spalding, Cherokee, Heard, Douglas, Putnam, Fannin, Banks, Polk, Rabun, Habersham.
5:45 a.m. | A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Catoosa, Whitfield, walker and Dade counties until 6:45 a.m. Additionally, a tornado watch in the eastern Alabama counties of Cleburne and Randolph is in place until 10 a.m.
5:36 a.m. | The severe thunderstorm warning for Oglethorpe County has been extended to 6:15 a.m.
5:25 a.m. | North Georgia is waking up to widespread power outages. You can check them at the Georgia Power website here and the Georgia EMC website here.
5:15 a.m. | Severe thunderstorm warning issued for Clarke County and Oglethorpe county until 6 a.m.
4:52 a.m. | Flash flood warnings are in place for parts of Dawson, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Pickens, Gordon, Murray and Whitfield counties until 8:45 a.m.
4:18 a.m. | New tornado watch issued for a large stretch of the Southeast until 10 a.m.; one Georgia county included in it, our farthest northwest corner up in Dade County:
3:52 a.m. Update: Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued from the National Weather Service until 4:30 a.m. for Madison and Oglethorpe County.
1:39 a.m. Update: 11Alive's Cody Alcorn saw heavy rain, some hail and wind on I-75 Southbound near Carbondale Road (exit 326).
1:36 a.m. Update: 11Alive's Cody Alcorn continues to provide the latest information in the field. Here are pictures of some wild clouds the crew saw in Dalton.
1:27 a.m. Update: Severe thunderstorm warning issued for Chattooga County until 2:15 a.m.
1:23 a.m. Update: Severe Thunderstorm warning issued for Gordon County until 1:45 a.m.
1:20 a.m. Update: Walker County Schools posted on Facebook that it will operate on a 2-hour delay on Thursday due to the severe weather. Walker County EMA also opened a storm shelter earlier at 8 p.m. The shelter is located at Saddle Ridge School 9858 N. Hwy 27 Rock Spring, GA.
1:06 a.m. Update: 11Alive's crew in Dalton around Fourth Avenue helped the fire department carry children to their family's car. There are several ground-level units in an apartment complex being evacuated. The fire department said it's been a very busy night.
1:05 a.m. Update: Severe thunderstorm warning for Hall and Banks counties until 1:45 a.m.
1:04 a.m. Update: 11Alive's Cody Alcorn said that Dalton Fire is helping to evacuate an apartment complex.
Wednesday, May 8
12:58 a.m. Update: 11Alive's Cody Alcorn posts about flooding on Fourth Avenue in Dalton.
12:52 a.m. Update: A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Pickens, Gilmer and Dawson counties until 1:30 a.m. There's also a severe thunderstorm warning issued for Rabun and Habersham counties until 2 a.m.
12:44 a.m. Update: 11Alive's Cody Alcorn sees lightning off to the distance from Dalton. He's seeing a lot of flooding. Dalton Fire is responding to multiple calls, he said. The flash flooding is shutting down roads. See below for the full rundown.
12:32 a.m. Update: Severe thunderstorm issued for Hall, Dawson, White and Union counties until 1:15 a.m.
12:31 a.m. Update: 11Alive's Cody Alcorn reports of flooding in Dalton.
12:27 a.m. Update: Tornado warning issued for Chattooga County until 1:15 a.m.
12:15 a.m. Update: 11Alive's Cody Alcorn is near Dalton, giving an update on the flooding in the area. An awning collapsed at an Exxon gas station.
See some raw footage of the gas station below.
There's a lot of rain. He said there's thunder and lightning. Dalton police have said there are flooded roads.
There was also a tree down toward Dalton on S Dixie Highway.
12:10 a.m. Update: Severe thunderstorm warning for Gordon and Gilmer counties until 1 a.m.
12:02 a.m. Update: The NWS issued a flash flood warning for Gilmer County until 6 a.m.
11:58 p.m. Update: Severe thunderstorm warning for Gilmer, Fannin and Union counties until 12:45 a.m.
11:56 p.m. Update: Severe thunderstorm warning for Towns County, Fannin County and Union County until 12:45 a.m.
11:39 p.m. Update: Tornado warning for Clay County, North Carolina, until 12:30 a.m.
11:38 p.m. Update: The tornado warning for Gilmer County has been canceled.
11:26 p.m. Update: Severe thunderstorm warning until 12:30 a.m. for Clay County, North Carolina.
11:23 p.m. Update: 11Alive's Cody Alcorn said that Dalton Police posted on Facebook that a lot of roads are flooded and are asking people to stay off the roads.
11:16 p.m. Update: Tornado warning issued for Gilmer County issued. It is expected to expire at midnight. There is also a severe thunderstorm warning for Fannin and Union counties until midnight.
11:12 p.m. Update: Tornado watch issued for Hall, Banks, Rabun and Habersham counties. Also, for Clay County, North Carolina.
11:05 p.m. Update: 11Alive's Cody Alcorn is in Calhoun in Gordon County and is seeing lightning to the north of him. So far, there's not a lot of wind, and there's some raindrops, he said.
10:43 p.m. Update: Tornado warning issued for Gilmer County until 11:15 p.m.
10:27 p.m. Update: A severe thunderstorm warning for Gordon County is issued until 11:15 p.m.
9 p.m. Update: 11Alive's Chief Meteorologist Chris Holcomb gives the latest forecast and information about the tornado watch.
5:16 p.m. Update: A tornado watch has been issued for Pickens, Chattooga, Towns, Gordon, Gilmer, Fannin, Dawson, White, Union and Clay counties from 5:16 p.m. until midnight.
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