The National weather Service has a serious concern about the severe weather potential for Thursday evening and overnight. A few quotes from the Atlanta office of the NWS:

"EITHER WAY...SEVERE WEATHER AND FLOOD POTENTIAL ARE SIGNIFICANT AND WORTHY OF ATTENTION."

"THE THREAT OF TORNADOES...STRONG WINDS...AND FLASH FLOODING FROM
HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT WITH THIS EVENT IN AND AROUND METRO ATLANTA AND POINTS SOUTH. ENVIRONMENT IS VERY FAVORABLE TO REPEAT OUR PATTERN FOR QLCS ACTIVITY...WHICH HAS PROVEN TO BE POTENT AT PRODUCING TORNADOES IN NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA."

The part that makes this even more dangerous is that it will occur at night, when people are sleeping and generally unaware, and that fact that the darkness hides the tornadoes from view. We'll keep you updated.

The SPC (Storm Prediction Center) has now placed the metro Atlanta area in a Slight Risk category for severe weather for late tomorrow.

Here's an excerpt from the latest forecast discussion from the Atlanta NWS office:

"...AS A RESULT...CAN EXPECT TO SEE LOCALLY DAMAGING WINDS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING AS THE AIR MASS DESTABILIZES AHEAD OF THE MAIN LINE OF CONVECTION. SPC ALREADY HAS MAINLY WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA OUTLOOKED FOR A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS. WITH THIS STRONG EVENT EVOLVING THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...IT IS IMPORTANT TO PREPARE NOW. DO NOT LET THESE STORMS CATCH YOU OFF GUARD."

I would highlight the last sentence if I could...

I would like to share a VERY valuable piece of information that I got today from Steve Nelson. Steve is responsible for the operations of the Atlanta NWS office in Peachtree City and I'm very lucky to be able to occasionally pick his brain for information. We had been talking about storm shelters and I got this response:

"Shelters are no laughing matter. They're expensive but the only way you could survive a violent tornado. What we're going to be telling people (kids, tours, etc..) is to have a helmet with you in your safe area/room. A team of doctors reported that 80% of the deaths in AL in April were from head trauma. Sure you'll be injured if you get hit by a violent tornado head on, but you have a much better chance of surviving if your head is fully protected. A motorcycle, football or baseball helmet would be best."

It appears that the cost of a helmet might be a small price to pay to save a life during a tornado.

Storms should be arriving here between 6-8pm tonight. Latest from the NWS:

RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER INCREASES AS SYSTEM NEARS NORTH
AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. WHILE SPC ALREADY HAS A SLIGHT RISK FOR
PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA...GUIDANCE PARAMETERS
CONTINUE TO SUGGEST A GREATER THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER EXTENDING INTO A LARGER AREA THAN THE CURRENTLY OUTLOOKED REGION...GENERALLY SOUTH AND WEST OF A LINE FROM ROME TO ATHENS TO VIDALIA THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. ISOLATED TORNADOES...STRONG WINDS...AND HEAVY FLOODING RAINS ARE ALL POSSIBLE FROM THIS SYSTEM AS IT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA.

A new Tornado Watch will likely be issued for us. Map posted.

MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 0076
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
0216 PM CST THU JAN 26 2012

AREAS AFFECTED...GA...NRN FL
CONCERNING...SEVERE POTENTIAL...WATCH LIKELY
VALID 262016Z - 262215Z

ONE OR TWO ADDITIONAL WWS MAY BE NEEDED ACROSS PARTS OF THE EASTERN GULF STATES AND SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS REGION BETWEEN NOW AND 00-01Z.
(between now and 7-8pm our time)

.UPDATE...DESPITE AN ABUNDANCE OF SHEAR AND THE PRESENCE OF A
BOUNDARY ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA...INSTABILITY HAS BEEN LACKING
FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THIS EVENT. ACTUALLY...A CLASSIC GULF BLOCK SETUP
WITH SQUALL LINE OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO NOT ALLOWING RICH MOIST
AIR TO STREAM AS FAR NORTHWARD AS MODELS HAD PROJECTED. STILL HAVE
ACTIVITY AHEAD OF THE ACTUAL FRONT AND THIS IS ACTUALLY ENTERING
AN AREA OF ENHANCED HELICITY THAT HAS BEEN LAGGING FIRST WAVE OF
PRECIP. IN ADDITION...500 TEMPS HAVE DROPPED TO -17C ALONG THE
SHRA ACTIVITY IN AL. THUS FAR HOWEVER...VERY LIMITED LIGHTNING...AND NO SIGNS OF LOW LEVEL INSTABILITY REBOUNDING LOCALLY. CANNOT TOTALLY RULE OUT A STRONGER STORM PRODUCING SOME SMALL HAIL BUT CHANCES APPEAR MINIMAL AT THIS POINT.

Thanks for the info. Hopefully we'll be spared all of the severe storms. I'm taking up donations to build an ark though.