WEDNESDAY’S WEATHER | Spotty showers before waves of rain spark flood watches

It was a foggy start to Wednesday in metro Atlanta, the precursor to widespread rain moving into the area tonight that is sparking a flood watch that will stretch into Friday.

The fog had visibility down to less than a mile during the morning commute, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Eboni Deon said. It caused trouble on the roads, with multiple crashes reported.

“The clouds are not going anywhere,” Deon said. “Even as the fog starts to lift, we’ll have a very cloudy day with the light rain showers.”

A flood watch for the metro area and North Georgia goes into effect at 7 p.m. and will last through Friday evening. Some areas could see up to 4 inches of rain by then, according to the National Weather Service.

🌧️☔️The next several days will be unsettled with waves of rain & thunderstorms through Saturday. A Flood Watch is in effect for much of the area this evening through Fri PM. Widespread 1-3+" rainfall totals are likely through Sat, especially across the NW half of the area. #gawx pic.twitter.com/meZYLk6pmY
— NWS Atlanta (@NWSAtlanta) January 24, 2024

The rain will mostly hold off for the first half of the day Wednesday. After temperatures climb to a balmy 60 degrees this afternoon, more scattered showers will develop as the evening approaches. Some isolated thunderstorms are possible, too.

A band of more widespread rain is expected to arrive during the overnight hours.

“We need to be prepared for some wet conditions, so much so that we are watching out for the potential of possible flooding,” Deon said.

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“You add that to already very saturated soils, and that could spell out flooding, especially in low-lying areas,” she said.

The NWS warns that excessive runoff could cause rivers, creeks and streams to swell. Those living in flood-prone areas should be prepared to take action should waters rise.

The wet pattern is expected to continue through the weekend, but temperatures dip slightly into the 50s and 60s starting Sunday.

By Monday, things start to dry out and make way for clear skies.

The cold returns early next week with lows falling back to near freezing, the NWS warns. Highs should stay in the 50s at least for the first half of the week.