Outer rain bands from Tropical Storm Elsa are expected to reach North Georgia as the storm makes its pass to the south later Wednesday.
The heaviest rain will fall closest to Elsa’s center, which could amount to 3 to 4 inches along parts of southeast Georgia, according to Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Eboni Deon. Locally, Deon said rainfall will be lighter, with only about an inch of accumulation expected before the storm moves away early Thursday morning.
“While we are expecting to see a lot of cloud cover around, and some some scattered rain and storms as we go through the afternoon, it’s not going to be a widespread event here,” Deon said. “Any downpours we get are going to be spotty in nature.”
Deon does not expect any severe weather in North Georgia. According to the latest storm track predictions, Elsa will make landfall as a tropical storm on Florida’s west coast before carving a path northeast. By early Wednesday afternoon, Deon said the storm should cross into South Georgia on its way to the coast, where tropical storm warnings are in effect.
Elsa is expected to make its closest pass to North Georgia late afternoon and early evening. There are no watches or warnings issued locally.
“Although it’s staying well off to our south and east, we are certainly going to feel some of that tropical moisture lifting up in our direction,” Deon said.
Rain is 60% likely Wednesday, and no flooding issues are expected, according to Channel 2.
“By the time we get into Thursday morning, it is already moving away from us,” Deon said. “But we’ll still have the clouds around, we’ll still have the opportunity for some showers and storms, and then things will settle down just a bit.”
Deon said the weather should return to a summertime pattern of spotty afternoon storms for the end of the week.
Any rain falling Wednesday morning is contained to northwest Georgia, and it is not impacting the commute in metro Atlanta, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.
“Dry pavement, so that is good news,” traffic reporter Ashley Frasca said just after 6 a.m. “Everything is lighter than normal for the moment across metro Atlanta.”
» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.
» For updated traffic information, listen to News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB and follow @ajcwsbtraffic on Twitter.
» Download The Atlanta Journal-Constitution app for weather alerts on-the-go.
About the Author
