DEL.ICIO.USUpdated: 1:33 p.m. August 26, 2008
Tornado watch issued for metro Atlanta
West Cobb under flash flood warning
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
A flash flood warning remained in effect Tuesday afternoon for western Cobb County, where heavy morning rain was pushing at least one creek out of its banks even as the remnants of Tropical Depression Fay moved out of the area.
Much of metro Atlanta also was under a tornado watch effective until 7 p.m. Metro counties covered by the watch included Coweta, DeKalb, Fayette, Fulton, Henry, Gwinnett and Rockdale.
HYOSUB SHIN / hshin@ajc.com
A driver navigates a flooded intersection Tuesday at Indian Trl-Lilburn Road and Lawrenceville Highway in Lilburn.
At 1:15 p.m., radar indicated most of the rain was moving to the northeast of metro Atlanta, although more could develop and a 60 percent chance of rain remained in the forecast through Tuesday night.
The morning storms that swept through metro Atlanta caused minor wind damage, but no serious injuries were reported.
In Cherokee County, a large tree was blown onto a house, and a half-dozen trees were toppled by storm winds near the intersection of Butner and Campbellton roads in south Fulton County.
The National Weather Service said 1.5 to 2 inches of rain fell over western Cobb between 3 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., with another 1 to 2 inches possible by afternoon. The flood warning was in effect until 3:15 p.m.
Forecasters warned that high water was moving down Allatoona Creek near Mars Hill Road south of Acworth. Flood stage on the creek is 13 feet, and the water was expected to crest between 13 and 14 feet.
Flash flood warnings were also posted Tuesday afternoon for eastern Lumpkin and White counties in northeast Georgia, effective until 6:30 p.m. The Weather Service said 2 to 3 inches of rain fell in that area between 6:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., with an additional 1 to 2 inches possible by mid-afternoon.
All of metro Atlanta remained under a flash flood watch — a lower level of alert than a warning — through Tuesday night.
Earlier Tuesday, a tornado warning was issued for downtown Atlanta and parts of DeKalb and Cobb counties, but it expired with no sightings as the storm weakened and moved to the north.
Rainfall totals of 3 to 5 inches were reported across the northeast corner of the state, and the Weather Service said another 4 to 5 inches of rain could fall before the rain begins tapering off Tuesday night.
At midday, Fay was centered near Hunstsville, Ala., and was expected to continue moving northeastward into Tennessee.
The forecast for metro Atlanta calls for the chance of rain to diminish from near 100 percent Tuesday afternoon to 60 percent overnight and 20 percent on Wednesday, when highs in the low 80s are predicted.
Mostly sunny skies and highs in the upper 80s are forecast for Thursday, the Weather Service said.
Friday will be partly sunny, with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms and highs around 90 degrees.
Labor Day Weekend will be mostly cloudy, with a 20 pcercent chance of showers and thunderstorms on Saturday, increasing to 40 percent Sunday and 50 percent Monday. Weekend highs will be in the mid- to upper 80s, with lows around 70 degrees.
Beyond the weekend, Georgia’s weather could be affected by Hurricane Gustav, which has developed and strengthened in the Caribbean.
The National Hurricane Center is predicting that Gustav will track across Cuba into the southern Gulf of Mexico by Sunday.
“We no more get rid of Fay then we have to start worrying about Gustav,” the Weather Service office in Peachtree City said in a statement early Tuesday. “There remains considerable question at this point as to when - or even if - Gustav will impact our area.”
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