ATLANTA -- 11Alive Chief Meteorologist Chris Holcomb says a line of strong to marginally severe showers and thunderstorms is expected to move across north and central Georgia Tuesday night and in the early morning hours of Wednesday.
The primary threat for metro Atlanta from these storms are damaging winds, hail and the possibility of a brief, isolated tornado. Much of northwest and west Georgia is under a Marginal Risk area for severe weather in advance of these storms, while the far northwest corner of the state is under a Slight Risk area for severe storms, with that risk zone stretching back into parts of Alabama and Tennessee.
A severe thunderstorm watch was issued just before 11 p.m. for the far northwest corner of the state, including Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Polk, Walker, Whitfield until 3:00 a.m.
The storms moving through Georgia overnight are part of an extensive area of severe weather pushing through the nation's midsection, which has spawned severe thunderstorms and tornadoes in parts of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas, Louisiana and Alabama on Wednesday afternoon and into the evening hours.
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Skies are expected to clear out on Wednesday and bring cooler temperatures to the area. The high for the day will occur just after midnight with temperatures remaining in the 50s throughout the day with gusty winds.
A Freeze Watch has been issued for parts of the North Georgia Mountains from late Wednesday night through Thursday morning with temperatures up there dropping into the lower 30s.
It will become drier on Thursday and Friday, but rain returns to metro Atlanta for the start of the weekend.
Stay with the 11Alive Storm Trackers for the latest information through the evening as the heavy weather moves into Georgia.
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