Weather alert: Georgia bracing for severe storm threat this weekend

ATLANTA - Metro Atlanta is bracing for up to three inches of rainfall this weekend as two waves of strong to severe storms move across the region.

On Friday, a strong wedge pattern will dominate, keeping temperatures cooler across north Georgia. Highs will stay in the 40s and 50s. 

Drizzle is expected to develop early in the day and transition to scattered showers by the afternoon. Thunderstorms will likely arrive late Friday evening and continue into Saturday morning. Wind gusts could reach up to 40 mph at times throughout the day.

Following the overnight storms, dense fog is expected to settle across the area on Saturday morning, reducing visibility and potentially creating hazardous travel conditions. During the daylight hours, widely scattered and intermittent showers will move across the region, with temperatures climbing into the low 60s under mostly cloudy skies.

A stronger line of thunderstorms moving into North Georgia will bring a more significant threat Saturday night into Sunday morning. This period poses the highest risk of severe weather. Saturated soils combined with heavy rainfall could lead to localized flash flooding. Strong winds associated with these storms may bring down trees and power lines, and isolated, brief tornadoes cannot be ruled out, particularly in areas south of Atlanta where conditions will be most conducive.

Conditions are expected to improve by Sunday afternoon as the storm system moves out of the region. Temperatures will warm into the low 70s, providing a break from the weekend’s active weather.