A strong arctic cold front is expected to bring a risk for severe storms then flurries to North Georgia on Sunday night into Monday.
Severe Threat
The Storm Prediction Center has placed all of North and Central Georgia under a slight (level 2/5) risk for severe storms on Sunday night. An enhanced risk (level 3/5) is in place to our west where storms are expected earlier in the day on Sunday.
Severe risk Sunday into Sunday night
A line of strong to severe storms is likely to develop along or just ahead of a rapidly advancing arctic cold front. Additional storms may develop just in front of this line, of which some could also be strong/severe. Current modeling shows the line arriving in northwest Georgia around 2 a.m. on Sunday night and quickly advancing east through 6-7 a.m.
Radar from 1AM Sunday night through 9AM Monday
Damaging winds are the primary threat, but this set-up will also be ripe for quick spin-up tornadoes along the line. Any storms that develop ahead of the line will have a higher risk for brief tornadoes as well. The severe threat should push east of the state by 9 a.m. on Monday.
Cold, flurries and gusty winds
Behind the arctic front temperatures will go into free-fall mode. Temperatures will be in the low/mid-60s ahead of the front, but fall quickly into the low/mid-40s in its wake. Temperatures will be below freezing region-wide by midnight and lows on Tuesday morning are expected to bottom out in the low/mid-20s.
Temperature freefall from Sunday morning through early Tuesday morning
Because of this quickly moving cold air, flurries are likely across a pretty big portion of the mountains on Monday afternoon and evening. Most short range modeling now shows potential for at least some snow to mix in with the rain as far south as Metro Atlanta as the system departs early Monday afternoon. No accumulations or impacts are expected, but the total turnaround from storms to possibly snowflakes is only about 6 hours.
Potential rain/snow mix early Monday afternoon
Regardless of any severe storms, winds will be very gusty immediately ahead of and just behind the front. South winds gusting at 30-35 m.p.h. are likely ahead of the front early Monday morning, with gusts from the northwest at 30-35 m.p.h. just behind.
These gusty winds will continue through the day on Monday and into Tuesday. Some mountain locations could see gusts up to 40-45 m.p.h. both early Monday morning and Monday afternoon as well.
Stay weather aware and we will keep you up to date on the latest.
ATHENS, Ga. — Police have arrested a suspect in connection with a triple shooting early Saturday that left one man dead and two others critically injured.
According to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, 22-year-old Mark Desousa of Jefferson has been charged with malice murder, aggravated assault, and aggravated battery in the shooting death of Clayton Adams.
3 shot in parking lot
Officers responded to reports of gunfire around 2:20 a.m. Saturday, March 14, in a parking lot in the 400 block of North Jackson Street.
Investigators say three people were shot during the incident.
Adams, a 22-year-old from Hull, was pronounced dead. The two other victims were transported to a local hospital, where they remain in critical condition.
Police have not released additional details about what led to the shooting. The investigation remains active. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Athens-Clarke County Police Department at [email protected] or 762-400-7060.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Athens district attorney’s office, Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, FBI Safe Streets, FBI Atlanta Field Division, and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office are assisting with the investigation.
Maj. Alex Klinner of Alabama was among six crew members killed when their refueling plane went down over Iraq on March 12, 2026. (James Harrill/Facebook)
A pilot from Alabama had just been promoted to major in January and had been deployed less than a week when the refueling aircraft he was aboard crashed in Iraq this week, killing him and five others, his brother-in-law said Saturday.
Alex Klinner, 33, leaves behind three small children: 7-month-old twins and a 2-year-old son, his brother-in-law, James Harrill, said Saturday while confirming his death.
“It’s kind of heartbreaking to say: He was just a really good dad and really loved his family a lot — like a lot,” Harrill said.
Also aboard the aircraft was an Ohio man whose loved ones remembered him for his smile, his parents said.
The Pentagon hasn’t yet announced the identities of the six, but families began revealing who had died Saturday.
The aircraft was in “friendly” airspace, supporting operations against Iran, when an unspecified incident involving another aircraft occurred, according to U.S. Central Command. The other plane landed safety, U.S. military officials said.
The Ohio Air National Guard’s 121st Air Refueling Wing said in a Facebook post late Friday that three of the dead were airmen who served in the Columbus-based unit.
“We share in the sorrow of their loved ones, and we must not forget the valuable contributions these Airmen made to their country and the impact they have left on our organization,” according to the 121st Air Refueling Wing’s post.
A new father and a new major
Klinner, a graduate of Auburn University and an eight-year U.S. Air Force veteran from Birmingham, Alabama, had just moved with his family into a new home, his wife, Libby Klinner, said in an Instagram post mourning his death.
An outdoorsman who enjoyed hiking, Klinner was also ready to help others. When Harrill last saw him in January, Klinner had shoveled Harrill’s vehicle out of the snow during a family wedding.
“Alex was one of those guys that had this steady command about him,” said Harrill, who helped set up a GoFundMe site for Klinner’s family. “He was literally one of the most kindest, giving people.”
Libby Klinner said in a post that her heart is broken for their children, who will grow up not knowing their father.
“They won’t get to see firsthand the way he would jump up to help in any way he could,” she wrote. “They won’t see how goofy and funny he was. They won’t witness his selflessness, the way he thought about everyone else before himself. They won’t get to feel the deep love he had for them.”
A man with a ready smile
In this photo provided by the U.S. Air National Guard, U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Tyler Simmons, a boom operator assigned to the Ohio National Guard’s 121st Air Refueling Wing in Columbus, Ohio, speaks during the Enlisted Leadership Symposium at Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Youngstown, Ohio, on June 27, 2023. (Airman 1st Class Nicholas Battani/U.S. Air National Guard via AP)
Sgt. Tyler Simmons of Columbus, Ohio, also was among six service members who died Thursday in the crash of a KC-135 Stratotanker, his mother, Cheryl Simmons, confirmed on Saturday. Cheryl Simmons said she was making funeral plans for her son.
In a statement obtained by WCMH-TV in Columbus, Tyler Simmons’ family said it was saddened beyond measure to hear of the fatal crash.
“Tyler’s smile could light up any room, his strong presence would fill it. His parents, grandparents, family and friends are grief stricken for the loss of life,” they said.
The refueling aircraft is a mainstay in the US military
U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, has said the crash occurred on a combat mission but was over “friendly” territory in western Iraq. Military officials said it is being investigated and was “not due to hostile or friendly fire.”
The KC-135 aircraft refuels other planes in midair, allowing them to fly longer distances and sustain operations without landing. The plane can also be used to transport wounded personnel and conduct surveillance missions, according to military experts.
The Congressional Research Service says the Air Force last year had 376 KC-135s, including 151 on active duty, 163 in the Air National Guard and 62 in the Air Force Reserve. It has been in service for more than 60 years.
By AP’s David A. Lieb, Mark Scolforo and Julie Walker
A major front will bring strong storms to the region on Sunday night into Monday with a much colder airmass behind the storms.
SUNDAY: A major weather change will start on Saturday night as moisture begins streaming in with strong southerly flow aloft ahead of our next front. Clouds will quickly increase as this upper level flow runs over a wedge of cooler air in place at the surface. Highs will be cooler with east winds gusting up to 15-20 m.p.h. and scattered showers, especially during the afternoon. Overnight a strong to severe line of storms is expected to move through the region from 3-7 a.m. Winds will be very gusty at 30-35 m.p.h. ahead of and behind the line, with gusts of 40-45 m.p.h. with the line even outside of any severe storms.
MONDAY: Behind the front showers are likely to continue as cold air rushes in behind the front. Temperatures will start out in the upper-50s/low-60s ahead of the front but fall into the 30s in the mountains and 40s elsewhere by afternoon. Winds gusting at 30-35 m.p.h. are likely on Monday afternoon with higher gusts in the mountains.
Some snow showers are even possible late in the day as the coldest air rushes in and there is enough moisture left to squeeze out some flurries/light snow showers. No accumulations are expected but it would make the second time for seeing snowflakes across the region amidst the warm weather.
Overnight lows Monday night will bottom out in the low/mid-20s with a widespread hard freeze likely.
TUESDAY: Sunshine will dominate behind the front. Winds will remain gusty at 25-30 m.p.h. and highs will reach only the mid/upper-40s.
WEDNESDAY: Temperatures will continue to go up with highs returning to the low-50s and light winds.
THURSDAY: We’ll remain in a dry stretch through at least Thursday with highs quickly recovering into the mid-60s.
A weak wedge will have hold of our weather to start the day. Temperatures will be slow to warm with clouds and a stiff east wind, but very strong southerly winds just overhead will slowly eradicate the wedge. Showers are possible, particularly this afternoon, as moisture streams north. Temperatures won’t fall much overnight with a line of strong to severe storms likely to move through in the 3-7AM timeframe.
A strong south wind will bring very warm temperatures, clouds and isolated showers to the region today. Highs will reach the mid/upper-70s with generally cloudy skies. We could see some peeks of sun during the afternoon but those are expected to be limited. An isolated shower is possible at any point today but chances are low.
A line of strong to severe storms is expected in the 3-7AM timeframe along or just ahead of an arctic cold front.
Man arrested in stolen vehicle after police pursuit (Opelika Police Department)
The Opelika Police Department has arrested a Dora, Alabama, man on multiple charges after a vehicle pursuit. On March 13, 2026, just after 11:30 a.m., an Opelika Police officer initiated a traffic stop on a white Chevrolet Silverado in the 2000 block of West Point Parkway.
The driver, later identified as 53-year-old Bill Bret Brown of Dora, Alabama, refused to stop, leading officers in a pursuit onto Interstate 85 South. The pursuit ended near Exit 60, where Brown was taken into custody.
Upon a search of the vehicle, officers located illegal drugs and a handgun. Further
investigation revealed that the Chevrolet Silverado was reported stolen out of the Birmingham, Alabama area. Records also indicated that Brown had an active arrest warrant originating in Dora, Alabama, for possession of a forged check.
Brown was charged with Receiving Stolen Property, 4 counts of Possession of a
Controlled Substance, Possession of Marijuana, Driving Under the Influence,
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Attempting to Elude, and Resisting Arrest. He
is being held at the Lee County Justice Center.
If you have any information about this incident, please contact the Opelika Police
Department Detective Division at (334) 705-5220. Tips can be submitted through
our Opelika Police Mobile App.
Republican Rick Jackson speaks to schoolchildren after qualifying to run for governor on Friday, March 6, 2026, at the Georgia Capitol in Atlanta (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)
But that certainty crumbled after health care tycoon Rick Jackson unexpectedly cannonballed into the race in February, dumping more than $30 million of his money into television ads. That already is more than any candidate has ever spent in a primary race for Georgia governor, with more than two months before the May 19 election.
The blitz has left Jones clinging to Trump’s endorsement like a life preserver while Jackson consciously evokes Trump. Jackson even descended in a glass elevator at his office building to announce his candidacy, echoing Trump’s 2016 campaign start when he rode down a golden escalator in his eponymous New York skyscraper.
Jay Morgan, a former executive director of the state Republican Party, said “there’s no template” for what Jackson is doing in Georgia.
“We’re on a different playing field,” he said. “It’s like going from Little League to major leagues.”
Jackson’s emergence is yet another challenge to Trump’s influence in a critical battleground state. The president’s kingmaker record in Georgia is shaky, failing to dislodge Gov. Brian Kemp and others in 2022 and backing Herschel Walker in a Senate loss that year.
More recently, Trump nudged Clay Fuller to the front of a crowded Republican field in the special congressional election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene. Fuller advanced to a runoff against a Democratic opponent.
Jones could be the Georgia politician most closely tied to Trump in this year’s campaigns, and a loss would again show the limits to the president’s sway over the party.
“The Trump endorsement is still valuable to get, but it can’t be the be-all and end-all,” said University of Georgia political scientist Charles Bullock. “I guess $50 million or whatever Rick Jackson is spending will be a real test of that.”
Trump sticks with Jones
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and President Donald Trump in Rome, Georgia. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
In all, it is a picture of an election turned upside down. The two other top Republican candidates — Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Attorney General Chris Carr — have largely stayed out of the crossfire, but are struggling for attention.
Democrats want to break a Republican winning streak that dates to 2002. Among the candidates are former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Geoff Duncan, a onetime Republican lieutenant governor.
Trump has stood by Jones, who risked facing criminal charges when he tried to help Trump overturn his election loss in 2020.
“Burt Jones has been here and been with you and been with me right from the beginning,” Trump said Feb. 19 at an event in Rome, Georgia.
Jones is trying to counter Jackson by questioning his “Make America Great Again” bona fides, noting his history of giving to Republicans other than Trump and saying his health care staffing company assisted Planned Parenthood and gender-affirming care.
Jackson swatted back on Monday, filing a lawsuit claiming Jones was defaming him. Jones responded with a negative ad barrage the next day.
Jackson’s entry into the race was preceded by a $19 million bombardment from a mystery dark money group accusing Jones of using his office to enrich himself. There is little evidence to support the most serious claims — that Jones used his position as lieutenant governor to promote a giant data center development his family partly owns.
Jackson has repeatedly denied that he is bankrolling the ads that began in November.
On Feb. 4, Jackson launched his candidacy at the faux Italian office park he custom-built for Jackson Healthcare in suburban Alpharetta. Jackson likened himself to Trump as a businessman inspired to enter politics and said he would be “Trump’s favorite governor.”
“I saw a so-called front-runner who was as weak as can be and as lazy as the day is long,” Jackson said of Jones. “Really, he wants the title of governor, but not the job.”
A Jackson lawsuit at least temporarily cut off a key source Jones’ money — his leadership committee. That unusual Georgia fundraising vehicle lets Jones and a few other entities raise unlimited contributions. A federal judge ruled the structure illegal because Jackson’s contributions from others remain subject to Georgia’s $8,400 limit. Jones was ordered not to spend from the committee, but a judge froze the order Friday to let Jones appeal.
Although Jones has ramped up his spending from other sources, political consultants said Jackson has purchased so many television spots already that he may crowd out his competitors.
From foster child to riches
Republican Gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson speaks with reporters at the Capitol after filing paperwork to run. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
Jackson is a former foster child who now calls himself a billionaire. His fortune stems from Jackson Healthcare, which recruits medical workers and leases them as well-credentialed temp workers. Among his biggest clients has been the state of Georgia. His companies have collected nearly $1 billion from state government in recent years, including providing medical workers during the pandemic.
He’s been a force in Georgia politics for more than a decade as a Republican megadonor and policy advocate. In the early 2010s, he bankrolled an unsuccessful effort in Georgia and Florida to overhaul medical malpractice claims. He unsuccessfully pushed to privatize Georgia’s foster care system. Later, he successfully backed efforts to increase support for foster children.
While Jackson has aired hard-edged ads pledging to cut taxes, deport immigrants and block gender-affirming care to minors, some said he is driven by Christian faith and concern for others.
“He’s a rock-solid conservative and just a terrific guy,” said Eric Tanenblatt, a Republican operative who has worked for Jackson. “He’s obviously a successful business person, but also someone with just a genuinely kind heart.”
Jackson made powerful Republican friends over the years.
He put former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush on his company’s advisory board, and Jackson and his company gave more than $1 million to a political action committee backing Bush’s failed 2016 presidential bid. That’s now part of Jones’ attack that Jackson is a “never Trumper.” Jones also slams donations to Nikki Haley, who unsuccessfully opposed Trump in 2024, and to former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney’s PAC.
Jackson has tried to offset that history, writing a $1 million check to Trump’s MAGA Inc. PAC on Dec. 10. Jones supporters aren’t buying it.
“My Chihuahua Izzy is closer to being MAGA than Rick Jackson is,” said pro-Jones Republican activist Debbie Dooley.
Even if people question Jackson’s pro-Trump credentials, his entry seems to have stifled a push by Republican officials to crown Jones. Before Jackson entered the race, Georgia Republican Party Chairman Josh McKoon, and the state’s two Republican National Committee members sought to waive a party rule against taking sides in primaries so the party could back Jones. But with local party groups condemning the move, the national party now says it won’t wade in.
“We’re not spending any money in that race,” the RNC chairman, Joe Gruters, told WSB-AM on Feb. 19.
Being a huge self-funder doesn’t guarantee election success. Republican Kelly Loeffler and her husband pumped more than $34 million into her unsuccessful Georgia Senate campaign in 2020. Of 65 candidates who spent more than $1 million of their own seeking federal office in 2024, only 10 won, according to Open Secrets, a group that tracks spending.
But for now, Jackson’s money makes his message feel inescapable.
“The landscape that we were looking at 30 days ago looks radically different today,” Morgan said.
Jonathan Lee Jordan of Alto is charged with aggravated assault in connection with an incident that launched a large-scale manhunt off Mud Creek Road in south Habersham County on March 12, 2026. (Source: Habersham County Sheriff's Office)
HABERSHAM COUNTY, Ga. — The subject of a recent manhunt in Habersham County remains in jail after a judge denied him bond on an aggravated assault charge. 41-year-old Jonathan Lee Jordan was taken into custody following a nearly nine-hour-long search in the Mud Creek community.
Authorities say tips from the public led to Jordan’s arrest on Thursday, March 12, when he was seen walking along Creasy Patch Road in the Mud Creek area. The search began earlier that morning when deputies responded to a reported assault at a residence in the 3800 block of Mud Creek Road.
Investigators say Jordan lived at the residence and knew the victim, who suffered superficial injuries after allegedly being choked during the incident. Jordan fled the home before deputies arrived.
Prior charges
Court records show Jordan has a history of prior charges in neighboring Hall County dating back to 2006. In addition to several traffic citations, he has previously been charged with criminal trespass in 2006, three counts of theft in 2009, simple battery in 2021, and criminal trespass under the Family Violence Act in 2022.
Records indicate he pleaded guilty or no contest in those cases. A separate charge of making a false report of a crime filed in 2022 was later dismissed.
Authorities have not yet released a full incident report or an official press release regarding the alleged assault in Habersham County.
We’ve seen a decent amount of rainfall across the state over the past couple of weeks with several weather systems. This has helped keep the drought from getting worse, but long-term drought conditions continue to maintain.
Current Conditions
The US Drought Monitor continues to show 100% of the state in at least D0, or abnormally dry, conditions. 97% of the state remains in at least D1, moderate drought, conditions with 81% still in at least D2, severe drought. The D3, or extreme drought, area continues to slowly expand with a noticeable jump in the Northeast corner of the state this week to include parts of White, Lumpkin and Union Counties. This brings the total extreme drought area to 38%.
Current drought conditions across North Georgia
Recent rainfall
Compared to one week ago, that change in the northeast is the only difference thanks to some good rainfall totals across much of the state. Looking back at the past 3 weeks a large portion of the I-20 corridor and nearby areas have seen 5-7″ of rainfall, including much of Metro Atlanta. The entire northern 4/5 of the state have seen at least 2-3″ in the last 3 weeks with just the far south/southeast having some areas below 1″.
Total 21 day rainfall
This rain has really helped ease the 3 month rainfall deficits across the state, dramatically reducing them to just 1-2″ across much of Northwest and West-Central Georgia. Elsewhere in the state the 3 month deficits continue to be much greater- as much as 7-8″ across south Georgia and 4-6″ elsewhere.
3 month rainfall departure from normal
Future rainfall
We are heading quickly into the beginning of the growing season, which will have a noticeable impact on soil moisture and general drought conditions. As trees and other plants begin to leaf out and grow, they will remove quite a bit of moisture from the soil. This will worsen the sensible effects of the drought as people begin to plant their gardens for the summer.
Unfortunately for us, after the upcoming cold front it does appear we will be re-entering a fairly dry period. Over the next 10 days both the GFS and Euro models show at most 1-1.5″ of rainfall across North Georgia, with less further south. Most, if not all, of this precipitation comes from the arctic front on Sunday into Monday.
Total 10 day rainfall from the Euro model
Total 10 day rainfall from the GFS model
So, while we have been able to maintain our long-term drought without any worsening, there is a good chance we will continue to see it expand as we head through the next 7-10 days.
Columbus Police to present two checks to local charities (Daniel Purcell/NowGeorgia.com)
The Columbus Police Department will join Rally Point Harley-Davidson for two charitable check presentations on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. at Rally Point Harley-Davidson (3230 Williams Road).
The first presentation will feature proceeds from the 2026 SOUP’er Bowl Chili Cookoff, held earlier this year in February. CPD once again dominated the competition, winning both Best Tasting Chili and Overall Winner. As part of the event tradition, the winning team selects a charitable organization to receive the proceeds. This year, the funds will benefit the Teen Center at the Boys & Girls Club of the Chattahoochee Valley, which provides programs and a safe space for local teens.
The second presentation will recognize proceeds raised during the 6th Annual River City Motorcycle Rodeo, held in October 2025. Hosted by CPD in partnership with Rally Point Harley-Davidson, the annual event brings riders and spectators together for a day of motorcycle skills competitions and community engagement. Proceeds from the rodeo
will benefit Special Olympics Georgia, which provides year-round sports training and competition opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities.
The donation amounts for both organizations will be revealed during the presentations.
Firefighters use a ladder truck to fight a house fire on Wolf Pit Road in the early morning hours of Saturday, March 14, 2026. (Eastanollee Fire Department/Facebook)
EASTANOLLEE, Ga. — Two weekend fires destroyed a house and a shed in separate incidents in Stephens County.
Early Saturday morning, at approximately 3:20 a.m., the Eastanollee Fire Department, along with the Martin and Big Smith fire departments, responded to reports of a fully involved structure fire on Wolf Pit Road.
When crews arrived at the scene, they found the structure heavily involved in flames.
Fire broke out at this house in Stephens County in the early morning hours of Saturday, March 14, 2026. (Eastanollee Fire Department/Facebook)
The Eastanollee Fire Department said firefighters quickly deployed an aerial ladder and began attacking the flames. Crews used an engine apparatus to battle the blaze on the ground. Officials say coordination and teamwork among the responding departments helped quickly bring the fire under control.
No injuries were reported.
Homeowner treated at scene
Saturday’s response came just hours after firefighters from the same departments were dispatched to a structure fire in Martin on Friday, March 13.
Units responded to the 800 block of Hurricane Grove Road and found a shed on the property burning. An eyewitness said a vehicle was also involved in the fire.
Firefighters hose down a burning shed in the 800 block of Hurricane Grove Road in Martin, Georgia, on Friday, March 13, 2026. (Photo by Zachary Palmer, Toccoa)
Emergency services personnel reportedly treated the homeowner on the scene but did not transport them to the hospital.
