Residents across a large part of Georgia face the risk of flooding as heavy rain is expected to move through the state in multiple rounds.
What’s happening: The National Weather Service has issued Flood Watches covering most of Georgia. A Flood Watch means flooding is possible but not certain. It is not the same as a Flood Warning, which means flooding is already happening or is about to.
The rain threat: Both watches call for 2 to 5 inches of rain over two days, with some spots possibly getting more. The southwest Georgia watch specifically warns that high rainfall rates will increase the chance of dangerous or life-threatening flash flooding. The central and north Georgia watch notes that a very wet, tropical-like atmosphere will push rain rates higher and raise the flash flood risk in urban areas and places where water drains slowly.
Where the watches apply:
- Southwest Georgia (expires Thursday, June 18, at 5 a.m.): Baker, Calhoun, Clay, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Quitman, Randolph, Seminole, Terrell, Turner and Worth counties.
- Central, north and west Georgia (expires Wednesday, June 17, at noon): Bartow, Barrow, Baldwin, Bibb, Bleckley, Butts, Carroll, Chattahoochee, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Crawford, Crisp, DeKalb, Dooly, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Greene, Gwinnett, Hancock, Haralson, Harris, Heard, Henry, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Macon, Marion, Meriwether, Monroe, Morgan, Muscogee, Newton, North Fulton, Oconee, Paulding, Peach, Pike, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Rockdale, Schley, South Fulton, Spalding, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Troup, Twiggs, Upson, Walton, Washington, Webster and Wilkinson counties.
What this means for you: Rivers, creeks, streams, low-lying areas, and neighborhoods with poor drainage are most at risk. People who live in areas that flood regularly should be ready to move quickly if conditions get worse.
The path forward: The National Weather Service says Flood Warnings could be issued as conditions develop. Residents should check for updated forecasts before Thursday morning.
I wonder which Biblical plague I’ll be experiencing next week. Knowing Georgia’s weather, I’m betting on hail.
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B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
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