Tornadoes, Hail Risks With Severe GA Storms: Week Ahead Forecast

GEORGIA — Residents may want to prepare for a strong western system that seeks to usher in a severe thunderstorm that could threaten parts of Georgia with tornadoes by the coming weekend.

But before then, the National Weather Service reported a few storms will continue to trouble north and central Georgia on Monday, but the downpours are not expected to be severe.

Both the NWS and AccuWeather predicted a powerful storm to batter Georgia, starting Saturday. The NWS puts the storm's arrival between Saturday night and Sunday morning, while an AccuWeather forecast map showed rainfall could potentially begin on Saturday afternoon.

The NWS highlighted the lack of clarity with specific details as of Monday morning, "but if the ingredients align, there will be potential for all hazards (tornadoes, hail and damaging winds)," the NWS shared on Facebook.

Targeting much of the central and southern U.S., the system will travel from the central Gulf coast northward into the Great Lakes region, dropping a few thunderstorms along the way, AccuWeather reported.

The private weather company forecasted severe storms will heavily flock to the southeastern Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, middle and eastern Tennessee, the western part of the Florida Panhandle and western Georgia.

Counties in north Georgia and metro Atlanta were at a moderate risk for severe weather on Saturday, while areas south and east of Interstate 75 were at some risk as of Monday, according to an AccuWeather forecast graphic.

"The concentration of severe weather in the southern states could limit the scope of severe weather in the Midwest," AccuWeather stated, which reported similar hazards agreeable with the NWS.

Sunday is when the storms are expected to gain forward speed as they barrel toward the Atlantic coast, AccuWeather reported.

Here is the National Weather Service's detailed forecast the week ahead for metro Atlanta as of around 8:15 a.m. Monday:

Today: Showers, mainly before 1 p.m. High near 57. North wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 40. Northwest wind around 5 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 71. Northwest wind 5-10 mph.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 45. West wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 75. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 50.

Thursday: A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 69. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Thursday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8 p.m., then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Friday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74.

Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers after 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59.

Saturday: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Saturday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 54. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.

Sunday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Sunny, with a high near 67. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.