State Of Emergency In GA Due To Flooding; One Of Wettest Winters

ATLANTA, GA — In response to the flooding across Georgia associated with prolonged heavy rainfall, Gov. Brian Kemp signed an executive order Thursday declaring a state of emergency for 120 Georgia counties south of I-20.

“The state is working to ensure counties impacted by flooding across Georgia have access to all the resources necessary to respond,” Kemp said. “I encourage residents to listen to their local officials and news sources and heed the directions of their local emergency management officials. We will continue to closely monitor this situation.”

Counties included in the State of Emergency are: Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Baker, Baldwin, Ben Hill, Berrien, Bibb, Bleckley, Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Butts, Calhoun, Camden, Candler, Carroll, Charlton, Chatham, Chattahoochee, Clay, Clayton, Clinch, Cobb, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Cook, Coweta, Crawford, Crisp, DeKalb, Decatur, Dodge, Dooly, Dougherty, Douglas, Early, Echols, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans, Fayette, Fulton, Glascock, Glynn, Grady, Greene, Hancock, Haralson, Harris, Heard, Henry, Houston, Irwin, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Jones, Lamar, Lanier, Laurens, Lee, Liberty, Long, Lowndes, Macon, Marion, McDuffie, McIntosh, Meriwether, Miller, Mitchell, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Muscogee, Newton, Peach, Pierce, Pike, Pulaski, Putnam, Quitman, Randolph, Richmond, Rockdale, Schley, Screven, Seminole, Spalding, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taliaferro, Tattnall, Taylor, Telfair, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Toombs, Treutlen, Troup, Turner, Twiggs, Upson, Ware, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Wheeler, Whitfield, Wilcox, Wilkinson and Worth.

While rain ended across north and central Georgia, ongoing flooding issues will continue with many creeks and streams continuing to rise, the National Weather Service said. Flooding will continue for the next several days as area creeks, streams and rivers continue to transport the runoff from the recent heavy rains.

An active weather pattern has persisted through the winter months, and is expected to continue into the spring, the NWS said. Since early December, the weather pattern produced storm tracks that brought substantial precipitation to north and central Georgia generally every one to three days, lasting one to two days at a time. In the last three weeks, rainfall events were occurring twice a week, for two to three days at a time, and short-term relief in between. The active pattern is expected to continue, with the long-term outlook showing above normal precipitation changes over Georgia through the spring months.

During the past 90 days, above normal rainfall has occurred over north and central Georgia. Most areas accumulated 20 to 30 inches, with locations along the I-20 corridor, the northeast Georgia mountains, and portions of west central Georgia receiving 30 to 35 inches. These amounts were 150 to 300 percent of normal for this period. The totals at the primary climate sites all ranked in the top 5 for wettest winters:

1. Athens: 24.28"
2. Macon: 22.71"
3. Columbus: 25.48"
4. Atlanta: 23.73"

Rainfall over just the last 30 days was also significant, with most of the state receiving 300 to 600 percent of normal rainfall, NWS said.

"Isolated to scattered river flooding has persisted since December, with a peak in flooding events in January and February," NWS said. "River flooding has persisted in the Coosa, Oconee, Ocmulgee, and Altamaha River basins for days to weeks at a time through the winter due to the repeated heavy rainfall events and the routed water from upstream. Although a majority of the river rises in the last two months were within the minor flooding category, a few sites hit moderate flooding, and at least one observed major flooding. With wet conditions and higher than normal stream flows, Georgia is primed for additional flooding events as heavy rainfall occurs through the spring months."

The southeast U.S. is expected to remain in an active weather pattern through the spring, with continued chances of heavy rain, NWS said. The current outlook for March through May is for above normal chances of rainfall over all of north and central Georgia.

Considering the season precipitation outlook and the pre-existing wet soil conditions and high stream flows, the outlook is for an above normal chance of flooding this spring for north and central Georgia.

Additionally, a wind advisory has been issued for much of north and central Georgia through 7 p.m. Friday. Strong northwest winds of 20 to 25mph will be likely with frequent gusts to 30 to 40 mph are possible.

Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result, NWS said.