Flash Flood Watch Issued For GA As Heavy Rains Move In: Forecast

ATLANTA, GA — The last thing we need is more rain, but the Atlanta region is about to see its heaviest rainfall of this soggy week. A flash flood watch has been issued by the National Weather Service for north and central Georgia; it went into effect Wednesday morning and runs through 1 p.m. Thursday with up to 3.5 inches of rain expected in some areas.

Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to occur today through Thursday afternoon, with the highest amounts expected to begin this morning and taper off late Thursday morning. The watch
area includes counties generally along and south of Interstate 20.

Widespread rainfall amounts of 1.5 to 3.5 inches are expected over the area, with the highest amounts expected over middle Georgia. With high streamflows and already saturated
soils, runoff from this additional rain will lead to a greater threat of flash flooding, the NWS said.

Communities in the watch area include: Paulding, Cobb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Barrow, Oconee, Douglas, and DeKalb counties. The cities of Marietta, Atlanta, Lawrenceville, Douglasville, Decatur, Newnan, Peachtree City, Macon are also included.

With high stream flows and already saturated soils, runoff from this additional rain will lead to a greater threat for flooding, forecasters said. Some isolated thunderstorms are also expected Wednesday afternoon, primarily across central Georgia. There is a chance that a few storms could become strong to marginally severe in portions in southern Georgia, with damaging wind gusts being the primary threat.

A flash flood watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation, the Weather Service said.

"Please remember that small creeks and streams can rise rapidly, and to never drive through flooded roadways," forecasters said on the NWS Facebook page.

Here's the latest forecast:

Wednesday: Showers, mainly after noon. High near 59. North wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Wednesday Night: Showers. Low around 48. North wind around 5 mph becoming east after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Thursday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 53. East wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Thursday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers, mainly before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest after midnight.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 54. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 32.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 56.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 35.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 61.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 42.