FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ga. — A powerful thunderstorm toppled trees and created hazardous travel conditions Saturday afternoon in parts of Northeast Georgia.
The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for southern Franklin County and portions of Elbert and Hart counties shortly after 4:15 p.m. The radar-indicated storm was capable of producing wind gusts of up to 60 mph and nickel-sized hail. Forecasters warned that the winds could damage trees and power lines.
Franklin County residents described frightening moments as the storm swept through the area.
“That was crazy. We were literally trapped between a space where 2 trees fell. Scary and freaky!” Donna Goff wrote on Facebook.
Karen Oliver reported experiencing similarly dangerous conditions.
“At one point we couldn’t see anything,” she wrote. “I could hear limbs hitting the car.”
Anne Marie Phillips said the storm “came out of nowhere.”
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office said trees were down throughout the county and issued traffic warnings for Campbell Ridge Road and GA 327/Bryant Park Road. Several residents reported that Highway 320 was hit hard by the storm.
Officials urge motorists to avoid those areas if possible and expect delays as crews work to remove trees and debris. Additional roads could be blocked as officials continue assessing the damage.
Trees fell on houses, power outages reported
Franklin County was not the only area affected by Saturday’s storms. Farther west, storms toppled trees and power lines across metro Atlanta, leaving more than 50,000 customers without electricity. A large tree fell onto a home in Roswell, and crews responded to numerous reports of trees blocking roads.
In Habersham County, first responders responded to a call about a tree falling onto a house on Cody Road. Habersham EMC reported power outages in that area. And more than 5,000 Jackson EMC customers lost power in Hall County where nearly two dozen roads were reported blocked by downed trees and power lines.
Drivers who encounter a fallen tree or power line should turn around and find another route. Never approach or drive over a downed utility line because it could still be energized. Extra caution is urged after dark, when fallen trees, limbs and power lines may be difficult to see.
More thunderstorms are possible in Franklin County Sunday afternoon and evening, according to the National Weather Service forecast.
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