ATLANTA — Thunderstorms return to north Georgia Thursday evening and overnight in advance of a cold front. 

With a strengthening upper low working into the region, thunderstorms could become strong to severe with damaging winds and a lower chance of hail. The tornado risk is incredibly low, but not zero.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for north Georgia until Midnight. Damaging winds could top 60 mph. Large hail between quarter and golf ball sized will be possible through the evening. Storms will also bring heavy rainfall and lightning.

11Alive has issued a Weather Impact Alert until Friday at 3 a.m. for the risk of strong to severe thunderstorms. Be sure to have a way to get warnings, especially while you’re asleep.

Much of our area is now included in the Storm Prediction Center’s “slight” (level 2) risk for severe weather. The level 2 risk has been pushed further east to include northeast Georgia. The “marginal” (level 1) risk extends into far eastern and central GA.

Isolated storms may be capable of producing heavy rain, damaging winds, frequent lightning, and large hail. The tornado threat is very low. 

Isolated showers are possible, but much of Thursday is dry and mild.

As we get through the evening commute, storms will likely pick up. This will first happen in far north Georgia, then they’ll increase across the metro area as well. 

A complex of storms comes rolling into northwest Georgia late this evening. We’ll be watching for broader organization as these storms develop to our west.

Storms will approach metro Atlanta after 9 p.m., quickly moving southeast.

The storms should gradually weaken the further into the overnight we go. The main line exits our area around 2 a.m.

The last of the rain is out of our area by sunrise. Additional isolated showers are possible Friday afternoon, but there will be no additional threat of severe weather.