Isolated severe storms are expected to occur across parts of Georgia today, with the heaviest activity south of I-20.

[Keep reading for the details, including the affected counties and how meteorologists define “isolated.”]

The National Weather Service forecasts that rain will enter Cobb County and other parts of north and central Georgia today, Friday, March 15, 2024. More rain is expected Sunday, but dry conditions are expected Monday through Wednesday. Then, another round of rain is forecast beginning Thursday.

What is in the statement?

The statement gives the following details:

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of North and Central Georgia.

.DAY ONE…Today and Tonight…

Showers and thunderstorms expected across north and central GA

today. Will see some isolated severe storms This afternoon mainly

along and south of the I 20 corridor. The biggest threat will be

strong gusty winds, frequent lightning strikes, and hail.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Saturday through Thursday…

Another round of showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected

across north and central GA Sun. Not expecting any severe storms

with this system. Dry conditions expected Mon through Wed with

another wave moving into area Thu.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT…

Spotter activation is not requested but spotters are encouraged

to submit reports of severe weather through the web by going to

weather.gov/atlanta. Please relay any information about observed

severe weather to the NWS.

What is meant by “isolated” and “scattered”?

The NWS defines “isolated” as follows:

A National Weather Service convective precipitation descriptor for a 10 percent chance of measurable precipitation (0.01 inch). Isolated is used interchangeably with few.

“Scattered” has the following definition:

When used to describe precipitation (for example: “scattered showers”) – Area coverage of convective weather affecting 30 percent to 50 percent of a forecast zone (s).

In other words isolated means a few showers, scattered means the showers are likely to cover 30 to 50 percent of the affected region.

What counties are affected?

The following counties are included in the hazardous weather outlook:

Baldwin, Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Bleckley, Butts, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattahoochee, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Crawford, Crisp, Dade, Dawson, DeKalb, Dodge, Dooly, Douglas, Emanuel, Fannin, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Gilmer, Glascock, Gordon, Greene, Gwinnett, Hall, Hancock, Haralson, Harris, Heard, Henry, Houston, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Lamar, Laurens, Lumpkin, Macon, Madison, Marion, Meriwether, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Murray, Muscogee, Newton, North Fulton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Peach, Pickens, Pike, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Rockdale, Schley, South Fulton, Spalding, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taliaferro, Taylor, Telfair, Toombs, Towns, Treutlen, Troup, Twiggs, Union, Upson, Walker, Walton, Warren, Washington, Webster, Wheeler, White, Whitfield, Wilcox, Wilkes, Wilkinson

About the National Weather Service

The National Weather Service (NWS) is a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The NWS describes its role as follows:

“The National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather, water, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy. 

“These services include Forecasts and Observations, Warnings, Impact-based Decision Support Services, and Education in an effort to build a Weather-Ready Nation. The ultimate goal is to have a society that is prepared for and responds to weather, water and climate events.”

>>> Read all the Cobb County Courier climate and weather coverage by following this link.