North Georgia is currently being hit by an unusual period of bad weather as isolated thunderstorms, heavy rain, are affecting communities from Atlanta to Northeast Georgia mountains. Thursday, May 14, was the date of issuance of the hazardous weather outlook by the National Weather Service (NWS), warning of vigorous thunderstorms, destructive wind gusts, and the possibility of big hail, especially in northeast Georgia.
Showers started late Monday and continued into Tuesday, leading to slips in roads and loss of power to some areas around the area. Tuesday was announced as First Alert Weather Day, meaning there was a significant risk of disruptions due to the weather for the morning as well as evening commutes.
Hail and Wind: Main Concerns
In the opinion of the Cobb County Courier and Atlanta News First, hail is the main danger, and the strongest storm cells can generate hailstones big enough to damage vehicles and roofs of the buildings. In some, there may also be gusts of wind of up to 60 mph, enough to bring down trees and power lines.
The storms do not show signs of being grouped in prolonged clusters, but will come in the form of scattered thunderstorms that will cover 30 to 50 per cent of the forecast area. Although not all communities will get hit, the storms can be strong where they hit.
Disruptions to Daily Life
The inclement weather has had a significant impact on the daily routines of the North Georgia areas. There were traffic delays on I-285 and I-75 due to heavy downpour, which reduced visibility and hence led to increased cases of accidents. Public safety suggested that drivers reduce speeds and that they do not drive through flooded intersections. Some of the nearby school districts released a casual day or changed to online learning to prevent students from leaving for school when the storm was at its worst…