A flood watch is in effect for  Cobb County  and other north Georgia counties from 2 p.m. September 25 and extending through Friday afternoon as Tropical Storm Helene approaches. A widespread area of the state is expected to experience torrential rains (see the list of cities and counties below).

What is in the Flood Watch statement?

The following text is from the flood watch alert:

..FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON

THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON…

* WHAT…Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be

  possible.

* WHERE…Portions of central, east central, north central,

  northeast, northwest, southeast, and west central Georgia,

  including the following areas, in central Georgia, Baldwin, Bibb,

  Bleckley, Butts, Crawford, Crisp, Dodge, Dooly, Houston, Jasper,

  Jones, Laurens, Monroe, Montgomery, Peach, Pulaski, Putnam,

  Telfair, Twiggs, Wheeler, Wilcox and Wilkinson. In east central

  Georgia, Emanuel, Glascock, Greene, Hancock, Jefferson, Johnson,

  Taliaferro, Treutlen, Warren, Washington and Wilkes. In north

  central Georgia, Barrow, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Dawson, DeKalb,

  Douglas, Fannin, Fayette, Forsyth, Gilmer, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry,

  Lumpkin, Morgan, Newton, North Fulton, Pickens, Rockdale, South

  Fulton, Union and Walton. In northeast Georgia, Banks, Clarke,

  Jackson, Madison, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Towns and White. In

  northwest Georgia, Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade,

  Floyd, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Polk, Walker and

  Whitfield. In southeast Georgia, Toombs. In west central Georgia,

  Chattahoochee, Coweta, Harris, Heard, Lamar, Macon, Marion,

  Meriwether, Muscogee, Pike, Schley, Spalding, Stewart, Sumter,

  Talbot, Taylor, Troup, Upson and Webster.

* WHEN…From 2 PM EDT this afternoon through Friday afternoon.

* IMPACTS…Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers,

  creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.

  Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. Flooding may occur

  in poor drainage and urban areas.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…

  – Initial areas of heavy rainfall are expected across mainly

    north Georgia through tonight which could lead to localized

    flash flooding. Widespread torrential rainfall is expected to

    then overspread the area on Thursday into Thursday night as

    Tropical Storm Helene approaches. Storm total rainfall of 4

    to 8 inches with locally higher amounts is expected through

    Friday.

  – http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood

Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared

to take action should flooding develop.

What counties are included in the alert?

The following counties are included in the flood watch:

Baldwin, Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Bleckley, Butts, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Chattahoochee, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Crawford, Crisp, Dawson, DeKalb, Dade, Dooly, Douglas, Emanuel, Fannin, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Gilmer, Glascock, Gordon, Greene, Gwinnett, Hall, Hancock, Haralson, Harris, Heard, Henry, Houston, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Lamar, Laurens, Lumpkin, Macon, Madison, Marion, Meriwether, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Murray, Muscogee, Newton, North Fulton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Peach, Pickens, Pike, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Rockdale, Schley, South Fulton, Spalding, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taliaferro, Taylor, Telfair, Terrell, Toombs, Treutlen, Troup, Twiggs, Union, Upson, Walton, Warren, Washington, Webster, Wheeler, White, Whitfield, Wilcox, Wilkes, Wilkinson

Including the cities of:

Abbeville, Alamo, Americus, Athens, Atlanta, Barnesville, Blairsville, Blue Ridge, Bremen, Buena Vista, Butler, Calhoun, Cartersville, Carrollton, Cedartown, Chatsworth, Cleveland, Cochran, Columbus, Comer, Commerce, Conyers, Cordele, Crawford, Crawfordville, Cumming, Covington, Dallas, Dalton, Dahlonega, Dawsonville, Decatur, Douglasville, Dublin, East Point, Eastman, Eatonton, Ellaville, Ellijay, Fort Moore, Fort Oglethorpe, Fort Valley, Forsyth, Franklin, Gainesville, Gibson, Gray, Griffin, Greensboro, Hiawassee, Hawkinsville, Homer, Jackson, Jasper, Jeffersonville, LaFayette, Lawrenceville, Louisville, Lumpkin, Madison, Manchester, Marietta, McRae, Milledgeville, Montezuma, Monticello, Monroe, Montezuma, Mount Vernon, Newnan, Peachtree City, Pine Mountain, Preston, Riverdale, Roberts, Rome, Sandersville, Soperton, Sparta, Stockbridge, Summerville, Swainsboro, Talbotton, Thomaston, Toomsboro, Trenton, Vidalia, Vienna, Warner Robins, Warrenton, Washington, Watkinsville, West Point, Winder, Woodstock, Wrightsville, Zebulon

About the National Weather Service

The National Weather Service (NWS) is a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The NWS describes its role as follows:

The National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather, water, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy. These services include Forecasts and Observations, Warnings, Impact-based Decision Support Services, and Education in an effort to build a Weather-Ready Nation. The ultimate goal is to have a society that is prepared for and responds to weather, water and climate events.

Read all the Cobb County Courier climate and weather coverage by following this link.