FORSYTH COUNTY -- Following are updates to severe weather sweeping through Forsyth County.
2:35 p.m.
According to 911 dispatch, the tornado warning for Forsyth County has been lifted.
A watch remains in effect until 6 p.m. Wednesday.
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2:13 p.m.
A tornado warning is in effect in Forsyth County until 2:45 p.m.
The National Weather Service said a tornado touched down about seven miles north of Atlanta and was moving northeast about 40 miles per hour just before 2 p.m., according to the Associated Press.
Schools are sheltering students and faculty in hallways and safe areas, and the district issued a statement on social media that dismissal is being delayed until further notice. "Students may not be checked out and parents/drivers in the car line should enter the building for safety."
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1:22 p.m.
A tornado watch is in effect in Forsyth County until 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30.
The National Weather Service issued the watch – which is not as strong as a warning – in conjunction with forecasted thunderstorms that are expected to impact portions of north and central Georgia through Wednesday night after killing three people in Alabama and two in Tennessee.
The agency predicted a few of the storms may be severe, with the potential to produce damaging wind gusts and brief tornadoes.
“Lightning and locally heavy rainfall” were also expected.
A tornado watch is issued when conditions are favorable for cloud rotation and possible tornadoes to form. A warning is issued when one has been sighted or a tornado is imminent.
A high near 70 degrees in Forsyth County was predicted for Wednesday with winds around 15 miles per hour and gusts up to 20 mph.
New rainfall was forecasted to reach between a quarter and half an inch.
Wednesday night, the highest change of rain and thunderstorms was thought to occur before 8 p.m. with a low of 41 degrees.
The weather should clear up from Thursday until Saturday night, when more showers are likely.
The counties included in the tornado watch are: Baker, Barrow, Bartow, Butts, Calhoun, Carroll, Chattahoochee, Cherokee, Clay, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Crawford, DeKalb, Dougherty, Douglas, Early, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Haralson, Harris, Heard, Henry, Lamar, Lee, Macon, Marion, Meriwether, Miller, Monroe, Muscogee, Newton, Paulding, Pike, Quitman, Randolph, Rockdale, Schley, Seminole, Spalding, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Terrell, Troup, Upson, Walton and Webster.
