A flood watch remains in effect for Cobb County and other north and central Georgia counties until tomorrow afternoon, Friday, September 27, at 2 p.m. as Hurricane Helene makes landfall in the Big Bend section of Florida’s Gulf Coast and the effects move into Georgia.

Flash flooding is possible in rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations across north and central Georgia.

The most recent overview (5 a.m. ET) stated, “Catastrophic and life-threatening flash and urban flooding are expected … across portions of the southern Appalachians.”

What is in the Flood Watch statement?

The following text is excerpted from the flood watch alert (to read the full alert follow this link):

…FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON…

* WHAT…Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be

  possible.

* WHERE…(see alphabetized county list in the section below)

* WHEN…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…

  – Areas of heavy rainfall will continue across much of north

    and central Georgia through early Friday which will likely

    lead to areas of flash flooding. Additional widespread

    torrential rainfall is expected to overspread the area today

    as Hurricane Helene approaches. Storm total rainfall of 4 to

    10 inches with locally higher amounts over 12 inches are

    expected through Friday. Widespread flooding is expected with

    significant flash flooding and moderate to major river

    flooding possible.

  – 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 covered by the alert:

Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Baldwin, Bibb, Bleckley, Butts, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Chattahoochee, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Crisp, Crawford, Dawson, DeKalb, Dade, Dooly, Dodge, Douglas, Emanuel, Fannin, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Fulton, 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, 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, Toombs, Towns, Treutlen, Troup, Twiggs, Union, Upson, Walker, Walton, Warren, Washington, Webster, Wheeler, White, Whitfield, Wilcox, Wilkes, Wilkinson

Including the cities of:

Abbeville, Alamo, Americus, Atlanta, Barnesville, Blairsville, Blue Ridge, Bremen, Buena Vista, Butler, Calhoun, Carrollton, Cartersville, Cedartown, Chatsworth, Cleveland, Cochran, Columbus, Comer, Commerce, Conyers, Cordele, Covington, Crawford, Crawfordville, Cumming, Dahlonega, Dallas, Dalton, Dawsonville, Decatur, Dublin, East Point, Eastman, Eatonton, Ellaville, Ellijay, Fort Moore, Fort Oglethorpe, Fort Valley, Forsyth, Franklin, Gainesville, Gibson, Gray, Greensboro, Griffin, Hawkinsville, Hiawassee, Homer, Jackson, Jasper, Jeffersonville, LaFayette, Lawrenceville, Louisville, Lumpkin, Macon, Madison, Manchester, Marietta, McRae, Milledgeville, Montezuma, Monticello, Monroe, 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.