Heavy rain could drench Georgia, bring flash flooding before temps drop

Put a rain hat on your head and a lid on your pumpkin spice latte. It looks like October’s first weekend will be very wet.

The National Weather Service predicts 1-3 inches of widespread rain, with localized areas, such as along and south of I-85, getting 4-5 inches through Monday. Heavy rainfall could lead to localized flash flooding.

“Basically, Sunday will probably be a washout for most everyone. The upside is the temperatures will be much cooler than the previous few days — back into the 70s for most,” the Weather Service said Saturday afternoon.

The wettest time period is expected to stretch from Sunday afternoon to Monday morning, with Saturday evening bringing some rainfall. Those showers could dampen any patio dinner plans Saturday and outdoor events on Sunday.

Many areas on Saturday saw early morning showers, a dry period and then rainfall again in the afternoon. Rain and a few rumbles of thunder are likely to continue into the evening, but the Weather Service does not anticipate any major risks.

Afternoon highs may have ended up cooler than expected across metro Atlanta because of cloud cover and showers. Areas that saw sunshine were warmer and humid, the Weather Service said.

Rainfall is expected to spread over the area by Sunday afternoon and evening, and heavy rainfall is anticipated by night. The heaviest totals along and south of the I-85 corridor are expected Sunday into Monday.

“Heavy enough rain in the right place (like the urban jungle of Atlanta) can certainly trigger flash flooding, especially when an inch or two has already fallen over the past few hours,” the Weather Service said.

Overall temperatures on Sunday will be lower because of the widespread rain and a wedge of cooler air moving into North Georgia. Afternoon highs will top out in the 70s in North and Middle Georgia, though some parts of Middle Georgia may see higher temperatures.