Northern Virginia Weather: Latest on damaging storms Thursday

A large tornado toppled trees and power lines in rural Georgia and almost a half-dozen suspected twisters roughed up other areas of the Southeast on Wednesday as heavy rain and hail fell in spots.

With reports of a large tornado touching down in west-central Georgia Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for Gadsden and Liberty counties ahead of a strong line of eastward moving storms.

Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Brian Monahan says the severe weather threat is far from over.

The heavy downpours also led to flooding in some areas.

Thunderstorm and tornado warnings were issued across Georgia and the Carolinas on Wednesday. We might even get some accumulating snow in the mountains Thursday night.

The severe weather threat for Wednesday along with the locations of inoperable radars.

Threats from the storm include 60 miles per hour wind gust and quarter-size hail, according to the weather service.

Early spots of rain and thunderstorms as a warm front moved to the north from the Gulf this morning were not particularly intense or severe, except in isolated cases.

Jefferson County, St. Clair County, and Trussville City schools along with numerous other school systems across the state are all closed on Wednesday due to the threat of severe weather.

This is a five on the NWS’ five-point scale, the highest level of risk.

Some Savannah schools didn’t take any chances.

Tornado Watch in effect for metro Atlanta until 10 p.m.

Storms will exit our eastern counties by 9 p.m., if not earlier. Classes were canceled and all campus events were canceled for the remainder of Wednesday.

The timing of the system for the Shoals is noon to 3 p.m., forecasters said.

The risk for severe weather continues for areas along and east of I-65. They produce carbon monoxide-an odorless, colorless gas that can be fatal.

About the “risks:” The Storm Prediction Center’s outlined “risk” areas mean more to meteorologists than the general public. The University of SC canceled afternoon classes at its main campus in Columbia.