Atlanta wakes up to wild storms, but no tornadoes

Atlanta dodged tornadoes when a line of strong thunderstorms blew through the area Saturday, but still faced dangerous winds, forecasters said. Tornado warnings expired without any twisters touching down; however, the Atlanta area faced a blustery day with stiff winds and rain. "Strong winds with the most intense thunderstorms can knock down trees and power lines, creating electricity service disruptions and possibly damage to property," said AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Matt Rinde. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said the storms Saturday morning toppled several trees, including one that fell on a mobile home in Cherokee County, trapping two kids for a time. "They were able to get the 2-year-old out pretty quickly and she was transported to an area hospital with some abrasions, but seemed to be doing fine," said Tim Cavender, spokesman for the Cherokee Fire Dept. "The 14-year-old was conscious and alert and was talking to some of the paramedics, so we hope she is going to be OK as well." The storm dropped well over an inch of rain in many areas of north Georgia and was rolling through South Carolina at midday. Flash flood warnings were in effect in the northwest corner of the state. Elsewhere, significant rain was on tap in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. The Midwest dried out but winter storm advisories were posted in the Pacific Northwest by the National Weather Service.