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Storms cause damage in parts of Cobb County; expert explains science of the season

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Published  December 10, 2023 8:57pm EST
Severe Weather
FOX 5 Atlanta

Storm damage in Cobb County

Storms that moved through our area overnight brought down dozens of trees in Cobb County.

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - Storms that moved through our area overnight brought down dozens of trees in Cobb County. That same system brought deadly tornadoes to Tennessee. While you may think of the spring as the time for severe weather like this, experts say it's important to prepare now.

Tree service companies were busy in Marietta Sunday helping clean up the downed trees.

"We're here on Brownmore Drive and there are eight trees. So far on this count there are eight trees down on three different houses," John Booht with VMG Tree Care said.

Several counties in North Georgia were under a tornado watch Sunday morning. The same system brought deadly tornadoes to middle Tennessee on Saturday, killing six.

Deadly tornadoes in Tennessee

6 people are dead and dozens are injured after deadly tornadoes ripped through middle Tennessee.

TORNADO OUTBREAK IN TENNESSEE KILLS 6, INJURES DOZENS MORE

This all falls on the two-year anniversary of the deadly tornado outbreak across Kentucky leaving towns like Mayfield and Dawson Springs in pieces. At least 80 people were killed.

"This is the time of year when we're having these really strong cold fronts that come through and the cold fronts have the perfect set up of ingredients to provide the fuel that really makes the severe weather happen," Pan Knox, Director of the UGA Weather Network explained.

Knox said both the 2021 storm in Kentucky and this weekend's system had warm moist air ahead of the cold front which played a role in the severe weather.

"Certainly the fact that we were in this warm flow ahead of the front and temperatures are slowly creeping. In fact, in Georgia the winter is getting warmer faster than any of the other seasons...it's likely that the storm season is going to increase so that we're going to get more storms all times of the year as temperatures get warmer," Knox explained.

She said that's why it's important to make sure your family has a severe weather plan in place even in traditionally cooler months.

"You cannot prepare when it's barred down on you. You have to do it ahead of time. And so, as we go now towards spring when severe weather is more likely, it's going to be even more important that people are ready ahead of time," she added.