Metro Atlanta starts off Memorial Day dry. But it won’t stay that way.
Rounds of storms left metro Atlanta waterlogged entering Memorial Day, and while the holiday’s early hours started off dry, don’t bet on that to remain true all day.
Thunderstorms and flash flooding popped up across metro Atlanta throughout Memorial Day weekend, dumping more rain on already sodden areas and washing away outdoor holiday plans.
“It’s been a weekend of heavy rain and storms and flooding risks across North Georgia,” Brian Monahan, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist, said early Monday. “And that is not going to change on your Memorial Day.”
Georgians who have battled wildfires and continue to suffer from a long drought may be relieved to hear about a forecast full of desperately needed rain. But the string of stormy days has caused localized flash flooding at times.
A flood watch is in place across much of metro Atlanta through the end of Memorial Day, according to the National Weather Service. The flood watch encompasses northwest Georgia, stretching from Heard to Hall counties and including most of Atlanta.
Daily rounds of showers and thunderstorms, expected through the week for all of North and Middle Georgia, will continue, the National Weather Service said.
The Weather Service warned of an elevated flash flood risk Monday, especially in places where heavy rain fell Saturday and Sunday. Storms hitting the same places “back to back” bring higher flash-flood risks, according to the NWS. Northwest Georgia has the highest risk because of localized flooding issues over the past few days, but areas near rivers, creeks and streams are also susceptible.
“Basically, we’re in a very wet pattern right now, and this pattern looks like it’s going to continue at least for another week or two,” Vaughn Smith, a National Weather Service forecaster, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in a Thursday phone interview.
That’s on top of what Atlantans saw Wednesday, when downpours caused flash flooding, stranding drivers and temporarily creating a shallow waterway on the Downtown Connector.
Along with the showers, heat has also settled over the area. Smith said temperatures have hovered in the 80s and 90s, about 4 to 10 degrees above normal for this time of year.
On Memorial Day, the high will reach the low to mid-80s and rain is expected throughout the day in Atlanta, with the heaviest and most widespread showers coming after 2 p.m.
The daily rainfall could come anytime throughout the day, but afternoons tend to get soggier. The risk for severe weather beyond the lowest Level 1 threat remains low, according to the Weather Service, but gusty winds, frequent lightning and flash flooding could occur.
From Thursday to Wednesday, Smith said areas north of I-20 could get 2 to 4 inches of rain. That means every day will see about a half inch. Some isolated areas, such as parts of northeast Georgia and northern Fulton County, could get higher totals.
Smith said North Georgia got between a half inch to 2½ inches of rain Wednesday, flooding Atlanta roads during rush hour. Some of that standing water had yet to fully recede the following morning. Storms since Wednesday have not caused flooding to that extent.
Smith described Wednesday’s storm as a “typical Georgia summertime storm” and said poor drainage caused water to settle on roads in urban areas. The downpours expected over the next several days won’t be much different from what came Wednesday, he added.
“It also looked like there were some drainage issues with some of the drains, so that water didn’t have anywhere to go, so it just piled up very quickly,” Smith said. “But we did notice that some of our creeks around the area did not really rise as fast as what you saw on the roadways, so we didn’t have any creek flooding or any river flooding.”
The city of Atlanta said in a Wednesday statement it coordinated with departments to address hazards, drainage concerns and public safety because of flooding. A city spokesperson said drivers should avoid standing water and report nonemergency issues through ATL311.
Natalie Dale, a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Transportation, said crews worked late Wednesday to check and clear drains of trash and debris.
“A good reminder to people that their trash has to go somewhere and when they litter on a roadway system … their trash will end up in the system, often causing issues,” Dale said, adding that it includes tires and other vehicle debris.
The Georgia Department of Public Safety added that it’s been a busy weekend for traffic violations, namely driving while under the influence arrests. The agency made 259 DUI arrests by Monday morning and has investigated nearly 200 crashes, including nine reported fatalities. Those are preliminary figures that could increase as additional overnight incidents are reported.
In South Georgia, the Weather Service said there are also daily chances for afternoon thunderstorms through the end of the week and into next week.
According to the most recent data by the National Integrated Drought Information System, North and Middle Georgia remain in an extreme and severe drought. Most of South Georgia is under an exceptional drought. As of Tuesday, just over half the U.S. was in a drought.
The drought is not likely to end because of the daily rounds of showers, but anything helps. For the drought to be eliminated in the Atlanta area, Smith said 18½ inches of water would need to be dumped.
“It’s just going to take a lot more rain, probably months. Now, if we had a tropical system come through here and drop a lot of water, that would definitely (eliminate the drought), but that much water that fast would also be flooding issues,” he said.
About the Authors
Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.
