Severe Storms Roll Through; More To Come

A storm system left behind a trail of damage across north Georgia on Wednesday moing. Another round of storms could slam the area with toadoes and hail.

”It’s a very serious weather situation that is building throughout the day for us, Severe Weather Team 2 meteorologist Karen Minton said.

Minton said northwest Georgia was at a high risk for long-track toadoes, damaging winds, hail and lightning later in the evening, while metro Atlanta was at a moderate risk.

The first round of thunderstorms rolled through shortly before 9 a.m. Fallen trees and power lines left more than 20,000 Georgia Power customers without power. Floyd County was among the hardest hit areas with 16,000 power outages.

Floyd County Emergency Management officials reported ”widespread damage, including a hospital with shattered windows, a fire chief hit by a flying shed and a woman trapped in a car struck by a tree on Highway 27.

News Chopper 2 flew over Berry College, where numerous large trees littered lawns and building rooftops. Several roads and Floyd County public schools were closed due to the weather. Channel 2’s Ross Cavitt said county officials advised residents to avoid driving at all costs.

But the "main event" is still to come by late evening, Minton said.

”The instability is off the charts as far as the possibility of toadoes and those thunderstorms rotating with damaging winds, Severe Weather Team 2 meteorologist David Chandley said.

Minton waed residents to be ready.

”Make sure your family has an action plan for what to do when these storms start rolling in, Minton said.

She told residents to seek safe haven in their basements and stock them with flashlights, fresh batteries, blankets and helmets ahead of time. Residents without basements will be safest in an interior hallway, closet or bathroom, Minton said. She told apartment dwellers to head to lower floors, and mobile homeowners to find a friend with a sturdy shelter.

”I don’t want you to be frightened. I want you to be proactive and prepared, Minton said.