Shaky Knees reopens after severe storms move through metro Atlanta
Saturday evening weather forecast
Scattered storms and unseasonably high heat near 90° continue across North Georgia this evening. While severe warnings have expired, heavy downpours, gusty winds, and hail remain possible through 10 p.m. Quieter, sunnier weather arrives Sunday before cooler fall temps settle in next week.
ATLANTA - Shaky Knees Music Festival organizers announced gates will reopen at Piedmont Park at 9:20 p.m. Saturday following a severe weather delay that forced attendees to evacuate the grounds earlier in the evening.
Shaky Knees reopens
What we know:
Festival crews worked to clear the park and prepare the grounds to safely welcome attendees back as severe thunderstorm warnings across metro Atlanta expired.
Due to the extended weather delay, organizers made key adjustments to Saturday night's schedule. Organizers stated headliner Twenty One Pilots would be the sole remaining performance of the evening and the show would end at 11 p.m.
The temporary evacuation at Piedmont Park was one of several major disruptions across the area. The Atlanta Beltline canceled its Saturday Lantern Parade, with plans to announce a rain date, while the Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Severe thunderstorm warnings covering Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Douglas, Clayton, Fayette, Coweta, and Meriwether counties have since expired.
High heat, humidity trigger evening storm threat
Unseasonably warm temperatures topped out in the 90s across North Georgia Saturday afternoon, driving heat index values into the triple digits for parts of the Metro Atlanta area.
The Storm Prediction Center placed much of the region under a Level 1 out of 5 risk for severe weather as that intense heat collided with lingering humidity.
The storms brought localized threats of 60 mph wind gusts and dime-sized hail. They followed a line of severe weather earlier in the day that prompted warnings across several North Georgia counties, including Polk, Floyd, Gordon, Fannin, and Murray, before those alerts expired.
What we don't know:
It's unclear when Shaky Knees performances will continue at this time, but all performances are temporarily paused at this time.
Sunday weather outlook
Heavy downpours will accompany storms through the evening and hang on into the overnight hours, with additional scattered shower activity expected to linger into Sunday morning.
What's next:
Rain chances drop slightly to 40% on Sunday and Monday before rising back to 60% on Tuesday for the first official day of fall.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from the FOX 5 Storm Team, official statements from Shaky Knees festival organizers and the National Weather Service.