Flood Watch Issued for Metro Atlanta and North Georgia Through Thursday
Heavy rainfall expected to trigger flooding across metro Atlanta and dozens of Georgia counties from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA — The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for metro Atlanta and several counties across north and central Georgia, warning that excessive rainfall could trigger dangerous flooding from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning.
The watch, issued at 2:55 p.m. Monday by the NWS Peachtree City office, remains in effect until 8:00 a.m. Thursday and covers portions of central, north central, northeast, northwest, and west central Georgia.
Counties Under Watch
In the metro Atlanta area, the flood watch includes Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton, North Fulton, Rockdale, South Fulton, and Walton counties. North central Georgia counties under the watch are Barrow, Cherokee, Dawson, Fannin, Forsyth, Gilmer, Hall, Lumpkin, Pickens, and Union.
Central Georgia counties affected include Butts, Jasper, and Monroe, while northeast Georgia areas under watch are Banks, Jackson, Towns, and White counties.
Northwest Georgia counties in the watch area are Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Polk, Walker, and Whitfield. West central Georgia counties include Coweta, Harris, Heard, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Talbot, Troup, and Upson.
Flooding Risks and Impacts
Weather service meteorologists warn that excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Urban areas and locations with poor drainage systems face particular risk during the expected heavy rainfall period.
The combination of saturated soils from recent precipitation and the forecast of additional heavy rainfall increases the likelihood of flash flooding across the watch area. Residents in flood-prone areas should monitor weather conditions closely and be prepared to take action if flooding develops.
Safety Preparations
Officials recommend residents review their emergency plans and ensure they have multiple ways to receive weather warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should identify higher ground locations and evacuation routes before conditions deteriorate.
The flood watch indicates conditions are favorable for flooding but does not guarantee flooding will occur. A flood warning would be issued if flooding becomes imminent or is already occurring in specific areas.
Motorists should never attempt to drive through flooded roadways, as just six inches of moving water can knock down an adult and twelve inches can carry away a vehicle. The Weather Service continues to monitor conditions and may extend or modify the flood watch based on updated forecasts.
