A flood watch now includes Atlanta and a broad stretch of metro and north Georgia through Friday evening as repeated storms move along a stalled front.
The National Weather Service in Peachtree City expanded the watch Friday morning to include Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Gwinnett, North Fulton, South Fulton, Rockdale and several neighboring counties. Atlanta, Marietta, Decatur, Lawrenceville and East Point are among the cities named in the watch.
The watch remains in effect through Friday evening. It means flooding is possible, not that every location will flood.
Forecasters expect widespread rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches, with localized amounts of 5 inches or more. The Weather Service says an unusually moist atmosphere will support high rainfall rates, while repeated rounds over the same places could increase the chance of flash flooding.
Urban areas, low-lying roads and places with poor drainage are considered especially vulnerable.
Metro counties added Friday morning
The expanded watch includes Barrow, Carroll, Clarke, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Gwinnett, Haralson, Jackson, Madison, North Fulton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Rockdale, South Fulton and Walton counties.
A continuing portion of the watch covers much of north Georgia, including Bartow, Cherokee, Dawson, Forsyth, Hall, Lumpkin, Pickens and other counties farther north and west.
The Weather Service’s Friday morning hazardous weather outlook calls for increased shower and thunderstorm coverage, mainly across north Georgia. Locally heavy rain could produce isolated flash flooding during the day and into the evening.
The outlook also says storm coverage will remain elevated through Saturday. The strongest storms may bring frequent lightning and gusty winds in addition to heavy rain.
What a flood watch means
A watch is an early-warning stage. It tells residents that conditions could support flooding and that they should monitor updates. A flood warning or flash flood warning is more urgent and indicates flooding is occurring or imminent in a specific area.
People in flood-prone neighborhoods should be prepared to act if warnings are issued. The Weather Service advises residents to keep up with later forecasts, especially where creeks, drainage channels and low-water crossings have flooded before.
Drivers should not assume a familiar road is safe simply because water appears shallow. Depth can be difficult to judge, pavement may be damaged below the surface and moving water can push vehicles off the roadway. If a road is covered, turn around and use another route.
For Atlanta commuters, the most likely trouble spots include underpasses, low intersections and streets where storm drains are overwhelmed by short bursts of intense rain. Conditions can vary sharply across the metro area, so a dry trip at departure does not guarantee a dry route home.
Keep alerts available
Residents should keep Wireless Emergency Alerts enabled on their phones and have a second way to receive warnings, such as a weather-radio or trusted weather app. Anyone living near a creek or in a known flood zone should know where to move if water begins rising.
The Weather Service does not currently request storm-spotter activation, but it encourages reports of severe weather through its Atlanta office website.
Once the flood threat eases, heat may return quickly. Friday’s outlook says heat-index values could climb into the triple digits across many areas early next week, and a heat advisory may be needed Monday or Tuesday if current trends continue.
For now, the immediate concern is repeated rainfall through Friday evening and additional storms Saturday. Residents should check the latest county-specific alerts before traveling and avoid flooded roads.
