Atlanta, GasStrong thunderstorms that passed across metro Atlanta and north Georgia on Thursday night caused felled trees, damaged homes, and delays at the airport. Local emergency personnel are still responding to flooding, lightning strikes, and road blockages even though the storm system’s worst has passed.
Powerful Storms Spark Fires and Disrupt Travel
The following counties saw major effects as storms moved through:
-
Jackson County Emergency Management
reported
multiple trees down
, prompting road closures and cleanup efforts. -
In
Braselton
, a structure on
Michigan Circle
was hit by lightning, according to the
West Jackson Fire Department
. -
Two separate homes in Jackson County
caught fire after
lightning strikes
, with firefighters responding to
Washington Parkway in Jefferson
and
Michigan Circle in Braselton
.
Emergency Manager Bryan Bullock stated during the response that the county is currently experiencing heavy rain, thunder, and lighting.
Flight Disruptions at Hartsfield-Jackson
Significant flight delays and a temporary ground stop were caused by the severe weather at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport:
-
6:35 p.m.
Departures to the airport were
grounded due to thunderstorms
-
The
ground stop
lasted until at least
8:00 p.m.
, with officials warning of a
30 60% chance
of further extensions -
By
7:00 p.m.
,
departures were delayed an average of two hours
Storm System Moves Out, Cleanup Underway
The storm system had mostly left the metro Atlanta region by 11:05 p.m. Cleanup operations are still in progress, though, especially in areas affected by falling trees and fires caused by lightning.
Weather Safety Tips and Alerts
The 11Alive Weather Impact Team is still advising locals to exercise caution and remain vigilant for any lingering weather threats:
-
Avoid downed power lines and blocked roadways
-
Report local damage
using local emergency hotlines or the 11Alive app -
Enable severe weather alerts
to receive updates in real time
By texting 404-885-7600 or joining the StormTracker11 Facebook Group, you can connect with more than 11,000 weather enthusiasts throughout Georgia and exchange weather images or video recordings of the storm damage.
Did the storms in Georgia last night have an impact on you? Send the US Weather Desk your images and narratives atSaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.
