Heavy rain and storms are expected to continue Thursday in North Georgia, so Atlanta commuters should look out for the threat of torrential downpours, widespread flooding, intense wind gusts and — of course — tough traffic delays during the morning drive to work.
A storm system making its way through the Southeast is expected to batter Georgia until midday, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said.
STAY WEATHER AWARE: For the latest updates on the storm system, please visit AJC.com.
In anticipation, the National Weather Service placed all of metro Atlanta and North Georgia under a flash flood watch for the rest of the day. That watch continues through Friday morning.
Some parts of the state can expect 2 to 4 inches of rain by late Thursday night, with metro Atlanta on tap for up to 2 inches.
Overflowing creeks and waterbeds are unlikely to affect the majority of drivers, but the potential for ponding on the roads could. That should be Atlanta commuters’ “primary concern,” Channel 2 meteorologist Katie Walls said.
The heavy rain, however, isn’t the only threat.
Thunderstorms, strong winds and spin-up tornadoes are also a possibility, Monahan said. The storm risk for metro Atlanta and northwest Georgia will be the highest around sunrise.
The metro area is under a low Level 1 storm risk (on a scale of 1 to 5), while the southeastern half of the state is under a more threatening Level 2 risk.
In the areas facing the Level 2 risk, there is the likelihood of severe thunderstorms and 60-mph wind gusts, Monahan said. That includes a line from Griffin to Athens and runs east into South Carolina.
“The main risk will be near and south of I-20 for strong 40- to 60-mph wind gusts and isolated brief spin-up tornadoes,” Monahan said. “Heavy rain will fall much of the day, even as the storm threat drops from west to east.”
Multiple school districts near Columbus announced that classes will be canceled Thursday as a precaution.
“The severe storm threat will be over by the afternoon commute, but scattered showers will linger,” Channel 2 meteorologist Brad Nitz said.
Once the rain begins to taper off, temperatures will begin to fall. Thursday’s projected high is 69 degrees, but colder air will move in after the storms, dropping temps into the upper 30s by Friday morning, according to Channel 2’s latest forecast.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Since the rain chance won’t be completely gone by then, there is the potential for light snow and a wintry mix, especially in the North Georgia mountains, Monahan said. However, Georgia will warm into the 40s, melting any slush that happens to stick.
Georgia won’t get much of a chance to dry out with another system bringing more rain over the weekend.
» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page .
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