Overnight rain has come to an end in North Georgia and metro Atlanta, but the potential for flooding will linger into late Thursday morning and standing water has hindered travel on some area roads.
“Several flash flood and flood warnings in effect behind the rain,” said Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan. “That’s because rivers, creeks and streams, they don’t stop rising once the water stops falling. It takes some time for all that water to drain off.”
In metro Atlanta, just over two inches of rain has fallen since Tuesday. Further north and west, some areas have seen up to 5 inches.
Credit: Ben Hendren
Credit: Ben Hendren
The state’s northwest portion was under a flood watch until 7 a.m., but some localized flood and flash flood warnings remain in place where creeks and rivers are swelling. Those warnings are set to expire late Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
“Turn around, don`t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles,” the NWS warns.
Flood and flash flood warnings are issued when flooding is imminent or already happening. A flood watch, however, only means that conditions are favorable, not that flooding is a certainty.
For more detailed information about flood warnings in your area, check the NWS watches, warnings and advisories.
Some Atlanta roads have standing water. Portions of North Avenue in northwest Atlanta had water high enough to cause some drivers to turn around under the Marietta Street bridge.
In Cobb County, several flood-prone roads are closed, officials warned, including parts of Columns and Eula drives.
And in Sandy Springs, the intersection of Meridian Mark and Johnson Ferry roads is closed.
“We’re currently trying to pump the water off the road and will provide an update once completed,” the city posted on social media.
In Newton County, some residents who live near the Yellow River evacuated, Channel 2 reported.
With saturated soil, several trees toppled across the region, too. Between Georgia Power and Georgia EMC, about 2,600 customers were without power in areas hit by the storms.
After all of the rain, temperatures Thursday night will plummet into the 30s, but we should have a dry Friday under partly cloudy skies. More rain is coming over the weekend, though.
Scattered showers and rolling storms are forecast for Saturday and Sunday. Some of those storms could become severe, especially in the state’s northwest portion. A Level 2 of 5 risk is expected on Saturday into Sunday.
Damaging wind gusts and the potential for tornadoes will be the primary threat, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
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