Community Corner

Big Creek Flooding Greenway Trails, Wind Will Wreak Havoc With Outdoor Activities

Sustained winds of 20 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph are forecast for most of the day.

UPDATED-FLOODING, WIND ADVISORY: Big Creek was already at 8.8 feet at 4 a.m. this morning in Alpharetta and rising, which means residents should expect the greenway trails to be impassable if not closed by the city.

But today's real danger will be high winds. The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory, forecasting sustained winds of 20 mph and gusts up to 35 mph. The wind advisory lasts from 10 a.m until 8 p.m. Saturday.

While tne Weather Service predicts rain today for a large swath of north Georgia, both Accuweather and The Weather Channel call for an end to the rain. The day will start off mostly cloudy this morning, becoming partly cloudy by noon and partly sunny this afternoon.

Find out what's happening in Alpharetta-Miltonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

 

Find out what's happening in Alpharetta-Miltonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

10:40 p.m. The tornado warning expired a few hours ago, and now Alpharetta and Milton remain under a tornado watch until 6 a.m. Saturday.

8:33 p.m. National Weather Service Doppler radar at 8 p.m. indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado near Sandy Springs, moving east at 40 mph.

At 8:33 p.m., radar continued to indicate strong storm with some rotation located 11 miles southeast of Johns Creek, moving east at 40 mph.

Other locations in the tornado warning include, but are not limited to, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Buckhead, Roswell and Dunwoody.

The National Weather Service said that when a tornado warning is issued based on doppler radar, it means that strong rotation has been detected in the storm. A tornado may already be on the ground or is expected to develop shortly.

"If you are in the path of this dangerous storm, move indoors and to a basement or interior room on the ground floor. Stay away from windows. If driving, do not seek shelter under a highway overpass.

The Weather Service asks residents who see wind damage, large hail or significant flooding to wait until the storm has passed, and then call 1-866-763-4466.

A tornado watch remains in effect until midnight Saturday morning for northern Georgia.

Damaging wind and frequent lightning will threaten Alpharetta and Milton this evening, according to a National Weather Service forecast.

Showers may begin in Alpharetta and Milton as early as 2 p.m. today, but the biggest threat will be after 8 p.m. when the severe weather threat enters northwest Georgia. The latest forecasts from The Weather Channel and AccuWeather call for a sunny, but windy, Saturday.

Cogburn Woods Elementary School already has rescheduled its Spring Festival, moving it from Friday night to Sunday. Volunteers need to arrive earlier, but bring the family out from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The Alpharetta Arts Streetfest, scheduled to open at 10 a.m. on Milton Avenue in downtown, has dealt with stormy conditions in the past. But Saturday is forecast to be dry if a bit windy.

The city's Special Events manager, Kim Dodson, said her office has shifted to a different schedule because of tonights weather. Instead of setting up on Friday night, many more artists have been directed to set up their booths early on Saturday morning. Sunday will be even better weather, with a sunny sky and light winds. That will be even more favorable for the arts festival on its second day, and the city's annual egg hunt at North Park.

Milton's Earth Day Festival at Birmingham Park also may be affected by the weather on Saturday, but likely only if the ground is still damp from overnight rainfall. Boy Scouts have blazed some trails in the park that will make it a better experience.

The primary hazards from the thunderstorms will be damaging wind and frequent lightning. Large hail and isolated tornadoes will also be possible. The severe weather threat will continue across Georgia through the overnight hours, exiting central Georgia late Saturday morning, according to the forecast. 

Although isolated supercells will be possible ahead of the main squall line, the main threat will be the damaging wind associated with the squall line. 

According to the National Weather Service, a supercell is a large severe storm occurring in a significant vertically-sheared environment; contains quasi-steady, strongly rotating updraft . It usually moves to the right of the mean wind and can evolve from a non-supercell storm.

The National Weather Service forecast for the 30004 Zip Code:

This Afternoon: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. Southeast wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could be severe. Low around 57. South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to between 15 and 20 mph. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. Northwest wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph


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