Flood Watch Issued For Atlanta Area With More Heavy Rains Coming

ATLANTA, GA — Heavy rain has already fallen in the Atlanta metro and another couple inches of rain is likely, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a flood watch for parts of the state. Several weather systems moving across the area through Wednesday morning will bring periods of heavy rain throughout the period. Within the watch area rainfall amounts of 2 to 3 inches will be likely with locally higher amounts possible, the weather service says.

Several creeks and rivers could rise out of their banks, closing roads and impacting homes, businesses and farms. High water may not recede until well after the rain has ended. The Chattahoochee River in parts of Fulton and Cobb counties is expected to flood some homes.

"Multiple rounds of rain will affect much of north and central Georgia through Thursday," the weather service said. "Additional rainfall of 2 to 4 inches, with locally higher amounts, can be expected. On top of what has already fallen today, the additional rain will increase the flood potential across the area, especially along creeks and small streams."

Areas in the flood watch include: Bartow, Cherokee, Forsyth, Paulding, Cobb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Barrow, Douglas, and DeKalb counties. Cities in the watch include Calhoun, Dahlonega, Cleveland, Rome,Cartersville, Gainesville, Marietta, Atlanta, Lawrenceville, Carrollton, Douglasville, East Point, Decatur, Conyers, Covington, Newnan, Peachtree City, and Griffin

A Flood Watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts. The weather service says you should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.

A Flood Warning has been issued for the Chattahoochee River near Vinings Paces Ferry Road affecting Cobb and Fulton counties from Monday night until Tuesday morning. At 5:45 p.m. Monday the river stage was 13.1 feet and rising.

Minor flooding is forecast; flood stage is 14 feet. The river is expected to rise above flood stage by Monday evening and rise to near 14.7 feet by after midnight tomorrow. The river will fall below flood stage by early tomorrow.

At 14 feet minor flooding begins in the woodlands along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on Paces Ferry Road. Portions of an athletic field at Lovett School, backyards of homes on Cochise Drive, Paces Ferry Drive, Paces Manor and Farmington Drive, as well as walking paths by a restaurant will be under one foot of water.

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Here's the foreast for the Atlanta metro for the rest of the week:

Monday Night: Showers. Patchy fog between 7pm and 9pm. Low around 47. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Tuesday: Showers. High near 52. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Patchy fog before 10pm, then patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 43. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.

Wednesday: Rain likely, mainly after 1pm. Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 49. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Wednesday Night: Rain. Low around 40. East wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Thursday: Rain likely, mainly before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 46. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54.

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