ATLANTA — Big hail and heavy rains pelted the Deep South early Wednesday, and schools and churches shut down as severe storms that forecasters said could spawn powerful tornadoes began moving across the region.

Alabama’s governor declared a state of emergency because of the threat, resulting in multiple school closings, and schools in South Carolina planned to dismiss classes early.

The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily halted flights to Atlanta’s airport because of storms. Churches that normally have mid-week dinners or worship services canceled activities rather than risk having members out in dangerous weather.

In the east Alabama city of Oxford, convenience store manager Don Copeland was working up courage to go outside and look at his truck after a storm dumped so much grape-sized hail the ground turned white.

“It’s a 2015. I just made a $550 payment this morning,” Copeland said.

The National Weather Service predicts widespread thunderstorms across much of Alabama and Georgia and into the Florida Panhandle and southwestern South Carolina.