GA Weather: Storms, Flooding Ahead Of Gorgeous Memorial Day Weekend

GEORGIA — Strong thunderstorms with the potential to produce flooding, damaging wind gusts and lightning are slated to hit Georgia Wednesday through Friday before giving way to a gorgeous Memorial Day weekend, forecasters said.

Most of north and central Georgia is under a hazardous weather outlook with scattered severe thunderstorms likely Wednesday afternoon through Friday evening, according to the National Weather Service.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms will be possible Thursday afternoon and evening. Some storms could become strong. Storms will be capable of producing gusty winds, locally
heavy rain, and frequent cloud to ground lightning, the NWS said.

On Friday, storms could become strong to severe and will be capable of producing gusty winds, frequent lightning, and locally heavy rainfall. Flooding is possible across north Georgia, where 3 inches or more of rainfall is possible.

Areas included in the hazardous weather outlook are: Bartow, Cherokee, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Macon, Oconee, Paulding, and Walton counties.

"A line of showers and storms is tracking N/NE across western GA this afternoon," the weather service tweeted about 4 p.m. "Some storms within this line have been strong w/ gusty winds, frequent cloud-to-ground lightning & heavy rain. This activity will gradually weaken through the evening."

But Saturday, Sunday and Monday are all expected to be sunny with highs climbing from the upper 70s to the upper 80s by Memorial Day.

Nationwide, more than 39 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles from home this holiday weekend, according to the auto club and insurance company AAA.

“Based on our projections, summer travel isn’t just heating up, it will be on fire," Paula Twidale, senior vice president ofAAA Travel told AccuWeather. "People are overdue for a vacation, and they are looking to catch up on some much-needed R&R in the coming months.”

Here's the latest forecast:

Wednesday Afternoon: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79. Southeast wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Wednesday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 2pm, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm between 2pm and 3pm, then showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. High near 77. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday Night: Showers and thunderstorms before 1am, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 1am and 4am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4am. Low around 63. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 8am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 79.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 60.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 85.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 64.

Memorial Day: Sunny, with a high near 88.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 67.

Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 88.