Fay may bring floods to South Georgia today

Flood watches were posted across extreme South Georgia Thursday as the outer rain bands from meandering Tropical Storm Fay began spreading into the state.

While heavy rain is forecast for the southern part of the state, forecasters at the National Weather Service do not expect Fay to have a major effect on the metro Atlanta area.

At 11 a.m. Thursday, Fay was centered about 15 miles east-northeast of Daytona Beach, Fla., with sustained winds near 60 mph.

The storm had been nearly stationary for much of the morning, but the National Hurricane Center predicted Fay would soon begin moving slowly to the west, tracking across northern Florida to near Mobile, Ala., by early Sunday, then turning to the northwest into Mississippi.

A tropical storm warning remained in effect Thursday afternoon for Bryan, Chatham, Liberty and McIntosh counties in southeast Georgia.

Camden and McIntosh counties closed schools Thursday in expectation of the storm. The National Park Service closed Cumberland Island, Georgia’s southernmost barrier island, to visitors but expects to reopen the island on Saturday. All Park Service employees living on the island were evacuated.

The Weather Service said as much as 5 to 10 inches of rain could fall across South Georgia through Friday night. Flood watches were posted for most counties south of a line from Americus to Statesboro.

The forecast for metro Atlanta calls for mostly cloudy skies tonight, with lows in the low 70s. Friday will be mostly cloudy, with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms and highs in the low 80s.

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms is forecast for Saturday and Sunday, along with highs in the mid-80s and lows in the upper 60s.

The chance of rain is 30 percent on Monday, increasing to 40 percent Tuesday and Wednesday, the Weather Service said. Highs will be in the 80s, with lows in the upper 60s.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.