Heavy rain, winds moving out of North Georgia area

Posted 2:10PM on Tuesday 9th January 2024 ( 10 months ago )

A large storm system with heavy winds and rain is beginning to move out of the North Georgia area as of early Tuesday afternoon.

Meredith Wyatt, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, told AccessWDUN that much of the North Georgia area received anywhere from two to three inches of rain as of 1 p.m. Tuesday.

"I suspect there are some locally higher totals at certain locations," Wyatt said. "Some much-needed rain across the area associated with this system."

AccessWDUN's rain gauge off Thompson Bridge Road in Gainesville estimated a total of 3.67 inches of rainfall in the area within the past 24 hours, as of 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. Wyatt said there may be some lingering drizzle throughout the area throughout the afternoon.

"The severe threat has diminished," Wyatt said. "There's really no impactful weather that we can expect for [North Georgia] for the rest of the day."

Wyatt said parts of North Georgia experienced wind gusts ranging from 20 to 30 mph throughout Tuesday morning, with some spots receiving 40 mph gusts.

Portions of the region will remain under a wind advisory until 1 a.m. Wednesday, including Banks, Jackson and Barrow counties. Gilmer, Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Union, Hall, and Forsyth counties are all under a wind advisory until 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The storm led to closures and delays at multiple public school systems in the region.

Zach Brackett, director of Hall County Emergency Management, said they have seen a few trees fall throughout the county, but there has not been any major damage as of 1 p.m.

"Localized flooding has occurred during the heavy rains but should be subsiding as the rain comes to an end," Brackett said.

Rob Moore with Habersham County Government said several roads are closed. The county is also experiencing flooding in many low-lying areas.

Among the flooded roads is Ga. 197 at the dip near Batesville, where Moore said rushing waters and debris were flowing across the trough in the highway.

Two sections of Wilson Road are also closed due to flooding in the area. The roadway is closed between Keller Road and Serenity Hills in Mt. Airy, as well as between Sky Pine Drive and Lat Wilson Road.

Several other roads have remained closed due to flooding in the area, including:

. East Glade Creek Road outside of Clarkesville

. Boyd Wood Road at Buckhorn Road in Hollywood

. Dooley Road and Buckhorn Road in Hollywood

. Daniel Road where the pavement turns to dirt in the Fairview Community

. Garrison Drive outside of Cornelia

. Zeb Bryson Road outside of Clarkesville

Moore said crews will be monitoring Ansley Road outside of Mt. Airy, West Glade Creek Road outside of Clarkesville, and Beaver Dam Road in Clarkesville.

Sam Pitts Park along the Soque River in Clarkesville is also closed due to rising floodwaters.

All Habersham County Parks and Recreation games, glasses, and activities scheduled for Tuesday night have been canceled.

About 500 Jackson EMC customers were without power as of 2 p.m. Tuesday. Georgia Power said about 140 in Hall County did not have power during that same time frame.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2024/1/1222145/rain-winds-moving-out-of-north-georgia-area