UPDATE: (10:15 a.m.) -- Forsyth County is under a tornado watch until 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 24, and the flash flood watch that was supposed to expire at 2 p.m. Wednesday has been extended through this evening.
5/24, 5 a.m.
FORSYTH COUNTY -- The threat of flooding continues across Forsyth County and several southern states as heavy rain falling from a slow-moving system has soaked the area since the weekend.
The National Weather Service said flash flood watches that began Monday will, as of early afternoon Tuesday, last through 2 p.m. Wednesday in Forsyth County. Watches extended from southeast Louisiana across Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas and a sliver of southern Virginia.
The agency warns flash flooding is “a very dangerous situation” and is urging residents to monitor later forecasts and “be prepared to take action should flash flood warnings be issued.”
Flood fears come as the ground is already saturated from heavy rains.
If where the storm started is any indication, Montgomery, Alabama, saw more than 8 inches of rain Saturday, and neighboring counties got more than 6 inches.
Locally, the watch warns those in portions of north and central Georgia that “flooding in low lying and flood-prone areas will be likely, especially in urban areas. In addition, creeks, streams and rivers may overflow their banks.”
The Peachtree City forecast office — the National Weather Service location that serves Forysth — recorded 3.08 inches of rain fell in Atlanta Sunday morning through Wednesday morning, with Gainesville totaling 2.95 inches and Canton getting 2.13 inches, “making soils less permeable to additional rainfall.”
Rain early Wednesday may fall at 1-2 inches per hour with frequent lightning, the agency is predicting.
Strong to isolated severe thunderstorms are possible with damaging winds and hail.
Wednesday’s high of 73 degrees is expected to drop to 55 overnight before there being only a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms on Thursday with a high of near 70.
Friday is expected to return to sunshine and 84 degrees, while the weekend has chances of showers and thunderstorms and highs in the 80s.
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