Storms are once again rolling through metro Atlanta on Thursday evening, and forecasters are warning of golf ball-sized hail and more rain to come Friday.
The system brought isolated thunderstorms to northwest Georgia in the afternoon. Stronger storms then moved in, reaching the city in time for the evening commute and even causing delays at the Braves game at Truist Park.
Showers are expected to linger into the night.
The state’s northwest corner, including metro Atlanta, is under a Level 2 of 5 risk for severe weather. The threat is projected to last through 2 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.
“Something a little bit unusual with today’s forecast is not just the possibility of hail, but large hail,“ Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said. “What’s going to drive that today is a cold pocket of air.”
The cold front is creating instability in the atmosphere as it clashes with the afternoon’s warmer air, he said. Highs on Thursday reached the low 70s.
That cold pocket is about 15,000 feet above ground, he said, which “helps thunderstorms grow tall.” As raindrops get pulled into the pocket, they can freeze and form hailstones that will fall when their weight can no longer be supported by the updraft.
Damaging winds are also a concern, and the possibility of a tornado cannot be ruled out, the NWS said.
At around 7:20 p.m., the Weather Service reported hail measuring 2 inches in diameter just north of Cedartown in Polk County.
It’s peak severe weather season in the Southeast. Thursday’s wet and windy weather comes just days after storms left two dead in Columbus on Sunday and produced at least five tornadoes in Georgia between then and Monday.
By 2 a.m. Friday, most of the storms should have moved to the south of the metro area. Some isolated showers and storms are still possible throughout the day, according to forecasters. But dry, sunny weather is in store for the weekend.
Saturday will be mostly sunny, but Sunday will be the prizewinner. After a dip into the mid 60s on Friday and Saturday, Sunday’s highs are expected to reach 73 degrees under sunny skies.
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