Tornado Watch ends for some, Flood Watch remains

UNDATED - The National Weather Service lifts its Tornado Watch for many North Georgia counties.

Elbert, Franklin, Habersham, Hart, Rabun and Stephens counties are the only counties still under a Tornado Watch until 7 p.m. All of North Georgia was under the advisory earlier Wednesday afternoon.

A Flood Watch remains in effect for most North Georgia counties through Thursday morning.

Also, a River Flood Warning remains in effect for The Big Creek near Alpharetta until 5 a.m. Friday.

Details from the National Weather Service are listed below:

TORNADO WATCH 254 REMAINS VALID UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS

IN GEORGIA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 6 COUNTIES

IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA

ELBERT FRANKLIN HABERSHAM HART RABUN STEPHENS

IN SOUTH CAROLINA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 3 COUNTIES

IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

ANDERSON OCONEE PICKENS

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF... ANDERSON... CARNESVILLE... CLARKESVILLE... CLAYTON... EASLEY... ELBERTON... HARTWELL... TOCCOA AND WALHALLA.

... FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING...

THE FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA... NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND NORTHWEST GEORGIA.

* THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING

* A STRONG UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST U.S. THROUGH TONIGHT. A MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR MASS REMAINS IN PLACE ACROSS THE REGION. THUNDERSTORMS... WITH HEAVY RAIN... WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH GEORGIA THIS 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.