Tropical Storm Zeta leaves 3 dead, widespread damage and power outages (2024)

ATLANTA — Zeta has moved out of north Georgia but it left behind a trail of widespread damage.

Severe Weather Team 2 tracked the storm for days before it arrived and warned you about the potential impacts.

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Strong wind gusts slammed north Georgia, causing trees and power poles to come crashing down. Three people were killed. A couple in their 20s died after a tree fell on their home in Buford. Another man in his 20s was killed when a tree fell on his mobile home in Coweta County.

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At one point, more than 1 million people were without power Thursday morning. Georgia Power said power had been restored to nearly half a million people by Thursday night, but it could be until Sunday night before some people got their power back.

Several school districts across metro Atlanta have announced they will be closed for a second day on Friday. Check the FULL LIST HERE.

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LIVE UPDATES:

9:00 p.m.

Georgia Power says some customers could be without power until Sunday night. Nearly 490,000 customers have already been restored.

6:38 p.m.

Atlanta Public Schools has announced Friday will be a “non-instructional” day for students. Teachers and staff are asked to work remotely. Individual schools will make decisions about athletics and extracurricular activities.

5:34 p.m.

The FCC is monitor reports of widespread cell carrier outages.

5:20 p.m.

Hall County schools will also have a digital learning day Friday. Check the FULL LIST HERE.

5:16 p.m.

Paulding County schools are closed Friday after Tropical Storm Zeta. Check the FULL LIST HERE.

Gwinnett County Schools will have a digital learning day Friday. Teachers will work from home.

5:15 p.m.

Power is still out at a few early voting locations in Fulton County. Mobile precincts are open at Wolf Creek Library and Milton Library until 7 p.m.

5:05 p.m.

Fannin County schools will also be closed Friday in the wake of Tropical Storm Zeta. FULL LIST HERE.

5:00 p.m.

Officials in Kennesaw say several roads are still blocked and traffic lights are still out.

4:53 p.m.

Habersham County officials said they have received reports of almost 498 down trees. Of those reported, 249 trees were on roadways. The other 249 trees were reported to be embedded within power lines.

Emergency crews conducted two home rescues after trees fell, trapping people inside.

4:30 p.m.

Fulton, Cobb, Bartow, Dawson, Habersham and Lumpkin county schools have announced that they will remain closed Friday.

4:44 p.m.

Bartow County schools joins the list of counties where classes are canceled Friday.

4:39 p.m.

Officials in Milton gave an update on Twitter about road closures.

4:32 p.m.

Johns Creek police say power should be returned soon for the area of Barnwell Road.

4:15 p.m

Sunshine has returned! Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Brad Nitz says cooler, drier air is moving in.

1:40 p.m.

2 people were killed when a tree fell onto a house in Gwinnett County. READ MORE HERE.

1:18 p.m.

Trees down are blocking Roswell Road at Bishop Lake Road in Roswell.

12:46 p.m.

Two Douglas county voting sites are opening back up -- UPDATE FOR ADVANCE VOTING: Dog River Library will open today at 1 p.m. for early voting and Boundary Water Aquatic Center is expected to be open later Thursday.

12:25 p.m.

Traffic lights are out across metro Atlanta.

11:28 a.m.

Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office updates on road closures due to the storms.

10:08 a.m.

All 6 early voting locations in Douglas County are down because of power outages.

10 a.m.

Cobb EMC says this is the worst storm system to cut power to homes in 3 years.

9:11 a.m.

Video captures tree falling down in East Atlanta.

8:56 a.m.

Early voting in Rockdale County delayed until 10:30 a.m.

8:52 a.m.

At least one early voting polling place in Henry County will be delayed.

8:47 a.m.

Forsyth County government says early voting locations will open as usual today.

8:35 a.m.

Cobb County says early voting locations will not open until 10 a.m. due to storm damage in the county.

8:28 a.m.

Power outages from Zeta has forced some early voting locations in Fulton County to delay opening.

8:15 a.m.

There is a wind advisory for the south side of metro Atlanta.

8:05 a.m.

Cobb County DOT crews say there were 150 calls of trees down in the county.

7:40 a.m.

Channel 2 Action News has confirmed that a man was killed when a tree crashed onto his home in Cherokee County. READ MORE HERE.

7:30 a.m.

More than 1 million people are without power right now due to Tropical Storm Zeta.

7:07 a.m.

The strong wind gusts are gradually dying down in Georgia as Zeta races out of the area.

6:55 a.m.

More than 920,000 people across Georgia are without power due to Tropical Storm Zeta.

6:28 a.m.

Bells Ferry Road in Cherokee County is shut down due to a fallen tree.

6:22 a.m.

A Douglas County spokesperson says the local courthouse and other local government offices will have a delayed opening until 11 a.m.

5:54 a.m.

Gusty wind is causing damage in east Cobb.

5:50 a.m.

The number of power outages in Georgia has risen to more than 710,000 this morning.

5:40 a.m.

Tree down on Cascade Palmetto Highway at West Stubbs Road in South Fulton County.

5:30 a.m.

More than 530,000 people without power as Tropical Storm Zeta moves through Georgia.

5:25 a.m.

Tree down on I-20 W just before MLK in Atlanta. Multiple lanes blocked.

5:22 a.m.

The city of Roswell is reporting multiple trees down on roads in the city.

5:10 a.m.: More than 356,000 people are now without power in Georgia. The number keeps rising.

5:08 a.m.

Channel 2′s Chris Jose in Cobb County says he’s seeing thousands of homes in the county without power.

4:57 a.m.

49+ mph wind gusts are being reported in metro Atlanta.

4:50 a.m.

The number of power outages has jumped to more than 284,000 across Georgia.

4:25 a.m.

More than 100,000 without power in Georgia, according to Georgia Power and local EMCs.

4:04 a.m.

Wind gusts as high as 49 mph are hitting downtown Atlanta.

3:50 a.m.

50 mph wind gusts in parts of western Georgia.

3:28 a.m.

At least 10,000 power outages are being reported so far in Georgia, according to Georgia Power.

3:10 a.m.

Tropical storm force wind gusts are reaching parts of western Georgia.

2:54 a.m.

Bands from Zeta are starting to push through Georgia. This is the area to watch for brief, spin-up tornadoes.

2:41 a.m.

More than 150,000 people without power to the west of us in Alabama.

2:40 a.m.

Tropical storm force winds can be felt in some parts of north Georgia now, according to Burns.

2:28 a.m.

Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Brian Monahan says the worst comes of Zeta comes through between about 3 a.m. and 8 a.m.

2:27 a.m.

Areas in west Georgia are seeing the winds start to pick up more.

2:13 a.m.

To our west, the wind gusts are around 60 mph in Alabama. Monahan says strong winds will move through metro Atlanta soon.

2:09 a.m.:

2:00 a.m.

The 2 a.m. advisory from the National Hurricane Center downgraded Zeta to a tropical storm with sustained winds of 70 mph.

1:45 a.m.

Severe Weather Team 2 Chief Meteorologist Glenn Burns says the center of Zeta is in central Alabama.

1:12 a.m.

Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Brian Monahan says the wind is starting to pick up in north Georgia. Stronger winds are expected as we head throughout the morning.

1 a.m.

The latest advisory shows Zeta barely hanging on as a Category 1 hurricane. It has sustained winds of 75 MPH moving through Alabama.

12:33 a.m.

A tornado watch has been issued for counties south of the Channel 2 viewing area until 6 a.m.

12:33 a.m.

Sandy Springs reports a downed tree and power lines has blocked off Scott Valley Road

11:57 p.m.

Severe Weather Team 2 Chief Meteorologist Glenn Burns reminds everyone to have a plan before going to sleep.