Fire Risk Prompts Red Flag Warning In GA

GEORGIA — Multiple northeast Georgia counties will be under a red flag warning Wednesday due to risks of rapid fire spread, the National Weather Service said.

The warning, which will go into effect from noon to 8 p.m., indicates critical fire weather conditions are occurring or will occur within 24 hours, weather officials said. Dry and windy conditions are expected.

"If a fire is present, it can become extreme," the NWS said.

These counties were placed under the warning: Murray, Fannin, Gilmer, Union, Towns, Gordon, Pickens, Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Bartow, Cherokee, Forsyth, Hall, Banks, Jackson, Madison, Paulding, Cobb, north Fulton, Gwinnett, Barrow, Clarke, Oconee, Oglethorpe, DeKalb, Rockdale, Walton, Newton, Morgan and Greene.

Northwest winds are expected to move at 10-18 mph with gusts up to 30 mph, the NWS reported. Relative humidity levels may be at 15-25 percent, while temperatures may linger in the 70s.

The NWS suggested residents in these counties advise fire crews and refer to their local burn-permitting authorities about burning outdoors.

This all comes after the Georgia Forestry Commission reported nearly 500 wildfires in early March, resulting in one death. Gusty winds and low humidity contributed to the fires, the GFC stated at the time.

Furthermore, the NWS has slightly shifted its timeline of impending thunderstorms that could roll into Georgia this weekend. Weather officials stated the storms could arrive between Saturday afternoon and Tuesday, with severe weather possible Sunday into Monday.

The private weather company AccuWeather previously said while the central U.S. is primarily expected to be impacted by severe weather this week, a southern storm with damaging wind gusts and large hail could possibly trek its way to the East Coast by Monday.

AccuWeather reported the storm could potentially spin off tornadoes. Specific details regarding Georgia and the system were not immediately available.

Here is an updated detailed forecast for metro Atlanta from the National Weather Service as of mid-morning Wednesday:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 73. Northwest wind 5-15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 47. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 76. East wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. South wind around 5 mph.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 81. South wind 5-10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.

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

Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers after 2 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent.

Sunday: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

Sunday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.

Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 80.

Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 52.

Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 75.