Rain saturates ground with more rain in forecast

By Ralph Ellis and Larry Hartstein

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Heavy rains washed over metro Atlanta on Monday like a recurring bad dream, leaving creeks overflowing, streets flooded and the ground dangerously saturated once again.

The rain was blamed for contributing to the death of one driver who lost control of his car when it hydroplaned in Douglas County, authorities said.

Skies may be blue Tuesday, but don’t relax. The chance of rain on Wednesday is nearly 100 percent, and more, heavier flooding is coming, predicted the National Weather Service.

Kent Frantz, senior service hydrologist with the weather service, said Monday’s storm poured 2 to 4 inches of rain over a widespread area and re-saturated the soil.

“We just have saturated soil so the response of the rivers will be very fast," he said Monday. "We can expect flooding again. ... It will be even easier to have flooding on Wednesday than it was today."

That’s bad news for a weather-weary state. About three weeks ago it rained several days in a row, leading to floods that killed 10 people across the state and left thousands homeless.

Numerous creeks neared or crested their banks and much of the metro area was under a flash flood watch until about midnight Monday. The Chattahoochee, Alcovy and Yellow rivers, Big Creek, Nancy Creek, Peachtree Creek and Level Creek flooded. The bridge over Deep Creek in North Fulton was closed when water crossed the bridge. Many roads in low-lying areas were closed.

The good news is that Lake Lanier is likely to reach full pool for the first time since September 2005. At 5:30 p.m. Monday, the lake level was 1,070.6 feet, Frantz said. Full pool is 1,071 feet.

Emergency management agencies and law enforcement said problems resulting from the rain on Monday were manageable, but many agencies remained on standby.

Jason Milhollin, emergency management director in Douglas County, said several people called to report flooding in their basements, especially residents near Sweetwater Creek. He hoped residents learned a lesson from three weeks ago, when floods killed seven people in Douglas.

“The biggest thing is pay attention when the National Weather Service issues issue a flood warning for their area,” he said. “Don’t stay in your home if you’re told to evacuate. If you’re in a roadway, don’t attempt to drive across water. … There may not be a roadway under that water.”

The weather contributed to the death of one motorist whose car hydroplaned on I-20 in Douglas County, authorities said. Georgia State Patrol spokesman Paul Cosper said motorists should learn what to do when their cars hydroplane.

“The best thing to do if you feel your vehicle start hydroplaning is stay in your lane and try to stay in a straight line and take your foot off the accelerator,” Cosper said. “Gravity will bring [your vehicle] back down to the pavement and get that water out from between your tire and the road surface.”

Ken Davis, a spokesman for the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, said Monday afternoon the agency has not received a call seeking assistance from local governments.

"I think this close to the September floods, most communities like most homeowners are doing those things to make sure water can flow freely because any backup can cause problems," he said.

In Cobb County, several roads flooded but no evacuations or injuries were reported.

"We had a lot of people concerned, but we've been keeping a close eye on the rivers," said Lanita Lloyd, deputy director of the Cobb County Emergency Management Agency.

"We've not received any reports so far of homes flooded."

Besides the nearly 100 percent chance of rain on Wednesday, the chance is 60 percent Thursday and 20 percent Friday and Saturday.

Staff writers Mary Lou Pickel and Mike Morris contributed to this report.