ATLANTA – Across metro Atlanta and northern Georgia, people are preparing for strong storms overnight Saturday and into Sunday morning.

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning until 9 a.m. for many Georgia counties

Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Ashley Kramlich says a strong line of storms will move across Georgia between 3 a.m. and 8 a.m. Sunday.

This line carries a small risk of damaging wind gusts and the possibility of short-term tornadoes.

A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Fulton and Heard counties until 3:45 a.m

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Those storms, Kramlich said, are expected to bring heavy rainfall and move into West Georgia around 3 a.m. and move into the Atlanta metropolitan area just before dawn.

According to Kramlich, this is the first severe storm system to threaten Metro Atlanta since Hurricane Helene on September 27th.

The region experienced calm weather for a long time, with only a trace of rain throughout October. Still, 2024 has been the 15th rainiest year on record in North Georgia.

Channel 2’s Bryan Mims spoke with Janasthisa DeJesus, who lives in Buckhead and has grown accustomed to the uneventful weather forecast.

“I think it could be better,” she said of Sunday’s forecast. “I would rather have more sunny days. It’s bleak.”

DeJesus spoke Saturday night at a gas station on Peachtree Road in Buckhead, where vehicles were splashing through standing water.

Peachtree Creek, which burst its banks during Helene, was flowing calmly.

The storm system overnight could cause flash flooding and down trees and power lines.

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Chris Harper, who delivers mail for the U.S. Post Office, said he doesn’t typically shy away from bad weather, but he plans to stay dry on his rest day.

“I’ll be home tomorrow,” he said. “So I’m fine.”

Emmanuel Park had the same idea. “Just stay off the road,” he said. “It’s the weekend. Just stay in.”

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Kramlich says most of the rain will be out of the area by Sunday afternoon.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Thunderstorms are possible on Saturday night and into Sunday morning
• The rain will ease off on Sunday afternoon

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