Sprinkles, showers and outright downpours drenched the region in 2013, making it Atlanta’s fifth wettest year on record.
As December draws to a close, the city is drying off from a final soaking of the year. Sunday morning showers led to flood watches in some areas of metro Atlanta and brought the year’s total rainfall to 66.02 inches, according to Channel 2 meteorologist Brad Nitz.
“That’s likely it for rain for the year,” Nitz said. The forecast is for clearing skies, at least for a couple of days.
The only years with more rainfall than 2013 were 2009, 1948, 1935 and 1929. The record was set in 1948, which was deluged with 71.45 inches.
This year fell just three inches short of the 69.43 inches of four years ago. Atlanta had nearly 17 inches more rain in 2013 than its average annual total.
Marcus Dove, 73, is an avid weather watcher in Roswell and welcomes the rain.
“Boy, it’s more rain than we’ve had in a long time,” Dove said. “We need it.”
The rain made for wet commutes, soaked gardens and farms and an overfilled Lake Lanier. Earlier in the year, the city of Flowery Branch declared a state of emergency after flooding disrupted businesses, government and home-owners more than once. In May, rising waters temporarily shut bridges in Johns Creek and led to power outages in Cobb County.
And elsewhere, people simply got tired of the long stretches of gray skies and drizzles.
“I just don’t like it,” Isabella Bailey of Suwanee said. “I’m a sunny type of person. I’d rather be out in the sun.”
Yet some say a soaking is better than going without.
“I am happy that we’ve had more rain after so many years of drought,” said Shelly Spahr of Stone Mountain. When Lake Lanier’s levels were low, “it was very troubling, so I’m happy to see the rivers and lakes being filled up.”
The unusually wet year came without any big rains from a tropical storm, according to Nitz.
Atlanta isn’t alone in its riches of rain. Macon had its wettest year on record with 72.91 inches in 2013, more than five inches above the previous record set in 1929.
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