A strong storm system passed through northern Georgia early Saturday, bringing with it heavy rain and high winds. By noon, the rain had cleared, but high winds continued into the late evening hours.
Gusty winds created dangerous conditions, causing small woods fires to spread. The U.S. Forestry Service was called to assist with a fire off Piedmont Mountain Road north of Clarkesville.
Off Highway 115, a shed reportedly caught on fire and spread to the nearby woods. Firefighters managed to contain it.
The wind toppled trees and power lines from northwest Georgia east. There were multiple reports of trees down in Habersham. Shingles and gutters blew off roofs, causing minor damage across the county.
Officials suspect Saturday’s storm sparked a small electrical fire at a middle school in Hall County.
The weather forced the FAA to ground planes at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport temporarily.
The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning early Saturday for Georgia’s Clayton, Fayette, and Henry counties, then quickly canceled it.
The storm system that struck Georgia sparked a severe weather outbreak across the country’s midsection on Friday. The system spawned tornadoes from Arkansas to Wisconsin, leaving at least 21 people dead and injuring dozens more.
The outbreak came just a week after a rare, long-lasting twister left 25 people dead in western Mississippi and one person in Alabama.
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Storm suspected of sparking fire at Hall County middle school
