Stooksbury, NWS: Storm of the Century

ATHENS - The devastating flooding in Georgia Sunday and Monday can be classified a "storm of the century," according to the National Weather Service (NWS) and state Climatologist David Stooksbury.

"Many locations in north Georgia have exceeded the 100-year, 24-hour rainfall total," Stooksbury said. "For the northern and central piedmont of Georgia, we expect a 24-hour rainfall total of 8 inches once in 100 years. In extreme northeast Georgia this value increases to 10 inches in 24-hours. In Rabun County the once in 100-year, 24-hour rainfall total is 11 inches."

Rainfall totals in many places across north Georgia during recent 24-hour periods totaled 8-to-9 inches... but isolated areas, such as Powder Springs, in Cobb County, picked up 20+ inches, while Douglas County, to the west of there, got more than 16 inches.

The National Weather Service says the rains broke many long-standing records in many places in Georgia.