Heavy rains could bring flash floods to northeast Georgia

UNDATED - As heavy rains move into the state, forecasters are predicting flash floods for a large portion of the northern tier of the state.

The National Weather Service in Peachtree City has posted a flash flood watch begining at 8:00 a.m. Wednesday through noon Thursday. A flash flood watch means that conditions are favorable for flooding, especially along streams and rivers.

The following is a detailed description of the watch information:

DADE-WALKER-CATOOSA-WHITFIELD-MURRAY-FANNIN-GILMER-UNION-TOWNS-
CHATTOOGA-GORDON-PICKENS-DAWSON-LUMPKIN-WHITE-FLOYD-BARTOW-
CHEROKEE-FORSYTH-HALL-BANKS-JACKSON-POLK-PAULDING-COBB-
NORTH FULTON-GWINNETT-BARROW-HARALSON-CARROLL-DOUGLAS-
SOUTH FULTON-DEKALB

INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CALHOUN...DAHLONEGA...CLEVELAND...
ROME...CARTERSVILLE...GAINESVILLE...MARIETTA...ATLANTA...
LAWRENCEVILLE...CARROLLTON...DOUGLASVILLE...EAST POINT...DECATUR


* A STRONG UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL TRACK FROM THE ARKLATEX
REGION THIS MORNING INTO THE SOUTHEAST U.S. BY THIS EVENING. A
MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR MASS REMAINS IN PLACE ACROSS THE REGION.
WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO ACCOMPANY
THIS SYSTEM. THUNDERSTORMS...WITH HEAVY RAIN...WILL SPREAD
ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA THIS MORNING...WITH ADDITIONAL ROUNDS OF
STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAIN EXPECTED
THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND INTO THE EVENING...BEFORE DIMINISHING
FROM THE NORTH AFTER MIDNIGHT.

* RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF TWO TO THREE INCHES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE
FLOOD WATCH AREA...GENERALLY NORTH OF A CARROLLTON...TO
ATLANTA...TO WINDER...TO HOMER LINE. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF FOUR TO
FIVE INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE IN NORTHWEST GEORGIA...NORTHWEST OF
A CEDARTOWN TO ELLIJAY LINE. WITH THE GROUND SATURATED FROM
RECENT HEAVY RAINFALL AND MANY CREEKS AND STREAMS IN THE AREA
ALREADY NEAR BANKFULL...ADDITIONAL RAINFALL WILL RESULT ALMOST
ENTIRELY IN RUNOFF INTO CREEKS AND STREAMS. CREEK AND STREAM
FLOODING CAN BE EXPECTED...AS WELL AS FLOODING OF LOW-LYING AND
NORMALLY FLOOD PRONE AREAS. SOME ROADS IN THE FLOOD WATCH AREA
WILL LIKELY BECOME FLOODED...ESPECIALLY IN NORTHWEST GEORGIA.

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR FLOODING
ESPECIALLY ALONG LARGER STREAMS AND RIVERS. IF YOU ARE IN THE
WATCH AREA...CHECK YOUR PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS...ESPECIALLY IF
YOU HAVE INTERESTS ALONG AREA RIVERS. KEEP INFORMED...AND BE
READY FOR ACTION IF FLOODING IS OBSERVED OR IF A FLOOD WARNING IS
ISSUED.