Residents across a large part of Georgia are facing the threat of flooding and damaging wind gusts through Friday, with two weather alerts now in effect.
What’s Happening: A flood watch and a wind advisory cover dozens of Georgia counties, stretching from the Atlanta suburbs south through central Georgia and into parts of the southeast. The flood watch runs from Thursday morning through late Friday night. The wind advisory kicks in at 6 p.m. Thursday and runs through 8 a.m. Friday.
The Rain Threat: Multiple rounds of rain are expected from Thursday morning through Friday evening. Forecasters say a large amount of tropical moisture in the atmosphere will push rain rates higher than normal and raise the chance of flash flooding. Most of the affected area can expect 2 to 4 inches of rain, with some spots seeing 5 inches or more. Rivers, creeks, streams, and low-lying areas are all at risk. Urban neighborhoods and areas with poor drainage face the greatest flash flood danger.
The Wind Threat: Southwest winds of 15 to 20 mph are expected, with gusts up to 35 mph. Some isolated gusts may go even higher. The wind advisory covers many of the same counties as the flood watch, including metro Atlanta and the surrounding area.
By the Numbers:
- Flood watch: more than 70 Georgia counties
- Wind advisory: more than 70 Georgia counties, with heavy overlap with the flood watch area
- Expected rainfall: 2 to 4 inches across most of the area, up to 5 inches or more in some spots
- Wind gusts: up to 35 mph, with some isolated higher gusts possible
- Wind advisory: 6 p.m. Thursday to 8 a.m. Friday
- Flood watch: 8 a.m. Thursday through late Friday night
What This Means for You: Unsecured outdoor items can blow around or be damaged. Tree limbs may come down, and some power outages are possible. Drivers of tall vehicles, including trucks, vans, and RVs, should use extra caution during the wind advisory. Anyone who lives near a river, creek, or in a low-lying area should be ready to act quickly if flooding develops.
The Path Forward: Forecasters say residents should keep an eye on updated forecasts and watch for flood warnings, which would mean flooding is actively happening rather than just possible.
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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