Georgia Weather: Bracing For One Last Wave Of Storms

(Updated at 8:53 p.m.) PEACHTREE CITY, GA — Metro Atlanta, and much of Georgia, was bracing for one last wave of thunderstorms Wednesday night.

A tornado watch remained in effect until 10 p.m. for 32 counties in north and west central Georgia on a day that had already seen severe storms, heavy flooding and at least one tornado from virtually sunup to sundown.

City workers got caught in a flooded creek in Atlanta, lightning strikes caused house fires in the Atlanta suburbs, trees fell on homes and cars and residents were left without power for hours as the state was lashed with one storm front after another.

The National Weather Service reported an apparent tornado ripping through south-central Georgia at about 1:30 p.m. A tornado emergency was declared for a band of the state stretching from south of Americus east to Cordele to the south and Vienna and Lilly to the north.

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National Weather Service meteorologist Keith Stellman said there have been other tornado reports that have not yet been confirmed, including one near Peachtree City, where the weather service is based in Georgia.

The weather service also declared flash flood warnings for parts of metro Atlanta and a flood warning for Big Creek near Alpharetta, affecting Forsyth and Fulton counties.

The hazardous weather outlook called for scattered to numerous severe thunderstorms expected to continue into the night.

Damaging winds in excess of 60 mph were possible, as well as hail up to 2 inches or greater.

The National Weather Service had issued a tornado watch Wednesday morning for much of north and central Georgia. That watch expired in metro Atlanta at 1 p.m. but was quickly followed by new ones.

A more urgent tornado warning was issued shortly after 8 a.m. for parts of Fayette, Carroll, Heard, Coweta and southwestern Fulton counties, with the NWS saying a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was spotted over Plant Wansley, 7 miles north of Franklin.

»SEE ALSO: Tips for Tornado Safety Ahead Of Severe Storms in Georgia

Tornadoes "could be strong and have long tracks on the ground, causing extensive damage," according to the watch.

Flooding is also possible in the metro Atlanta area and elsewhere in the state, the weather service said.

The widespread tornado watch was in effect until 1 p.m.

Severe flooding in Atlanta at Peachtree Creek was reported around 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

At the world's busiest airport, flights were grounded Wednesday morning due to the storms. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport shortly before 9 a.m. By Wednesday afternoon, the stop had been lifted, but delays remained plentiful.

Wednesday's severe weather came just two days after much of Georgia was hit by severe storms that spurred tornadoes on Monday. The National Weather Service was investigating 21 "locations of interest" where tornadoes may have touched down in the state Monday.

Anyone outdoors is urged to take shelter in the impacted areas of the state. In tornado conditions, you should get as low in your home as you can. People in mobile homes are urged to leave well before storm conditions arrive in their area.

Image via National Weather Service