Updated: Storm Damage, Injuries Nearby

Updated 7:30 p.m.

Early reports indicate the storm spared Bartow, but hit hard in adjacent counties.

Several people were injured as strong winds downed trees and damaged structures in Floyd and Gordon counties, reports 11Alive, which also is gathering damage photos from people in those areas.

Georgia Power officials said about 7:30 p.m. via Twitter that about 19,500 customers across the state have power outages, and 12,500 of those are in the Rome area. The power is out for about 6,500 metro Atlanta customers.

Meanwhile, 11Alive meteorologist Mike Francis in his blog said the tornado threat for north Georgia is decreasing.

Original Report

, Cartersville and much of north and central Georgia is under a tornado watch until 11 p.m. Thursday. 

The National Weather Service also has issued a hazardous weather outlook for the rest of the evening as a system of thunderstorms and high winds are moving in from Alabama. 

While already has seen a drenching, which left water standing on roads and streets, Atlanta and local media outlets are reporting storm damage  near Highway 53 in Gordon County, just north of Bartow on Interstate 75.

Unseasonably warm temperatures greeted the first official day of winter in Georgia, with highs in the metro Atlanta area nearing 70. 

The NWS forecast for the rest of Thursday calls for stronger rains, thunderstorms and damaging winds as the evening progresses.

Those conditions, according to the NWS, are strongest between 4 and 9 p.m. Thursday.

But rains will continue overnight, with low temperatures around 50.

More rain is expected early Friday with highs around 60 and lows in around 40. 

Temperatures are forecast to get cooler through the Christmas holiday, with sunny skies on Saturday and another chance of rain on Sunday.