Many areas in north Georgia have exceeded the 100-year, 24-hour rainfall total, State Climatologist David Stooksbury said today.
"For the northern and central piedmont of Georgia, we expect a 24-hour rainfall total of 8 inches once in 100 years," Dr Stooksbury said in a news release. "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."
Roads and schools have been shut down across north Georgia and electrical power has been knocked out after the most recent spate severe thunderstorms and heavy downpours.
Dozens of roads in South Carolina were closed because of floodings.
In Columbia County, fire departments are preparing to send from seven to 14 firefighters and seven johnboats to assist in the Atlanta-area rescues, Columbia County Emergency Management Director Pam Tucker said today.
She said her agency got a call early this morning from the Georgia Mutual Aid Group, an organization that mobilizes fire-rescue and public safety officials to respond to disaster areas and would be departing for Atlanta soon.
"They are gathering to get on the road as soon as they can," Ms. Tucker said.
So far, she said, there have been no serious problems caused by the weather in Columbia County.
"We've had a lot (of rain) but we haven't had nearly anything like they have," she said.
Other parts of the state have not been so fortunate. The rolling storms Monday shut down Georgia school systems in Paulding County, Douglas County, Carroll County and Stephens County.
They also washed out roads around metro Atlanta and left standing water on some busy highways.
The metro area was under a flash-flood warning, and emergency workers in at least two counties were rescuing residents from flood waters. Power outages were reported in the Atlanta area overnight.
The storm also flooded homes, washed out roads and left standing water on busy metro Atlanta highways. Officials are warning north Georgia drivers to take caution as they navigate roadways.
Lisa Janak, of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, says the rains caused a mudslide that blocked part of Stone Mountain Freeway. She says that motorists should not drive through standing water and that residents should stay home if they don't have to drive.
A man swept away by floodwater in Chattanooga is presumed drowned as heavy rain and thunderstorms spawned flood warnings from eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina into north Georgia, including the Atlanta area.
In Chattanooga, Tenn., on the north Georgia line, rescuers found two men clinging to a chain-link fence in fast-moving water late Sunday. One of them was saved, but the other was swept into a culvert as he tried to grab a garden hose thrown by a neighbor.
Dr. Stooksbury warned that banks of flooded streams are often weakened.
"The additional weight of an individual standing on the bank may cause the bank to give way," he said.
Trisha Palmer, of the National Weather Service, says that as much as 20 inches of rain has fallen on the Atlanta area since Friday. She says parts of Douglas and Carroll counties have received more than a foot of rain in the past day alone.
Heavy rains have flooded roads in the northwestern corner of South Carolina, prompting the evacuation of a few homes and a delay of school buses.
The weekend rains prompted officials to monitor earthen dams in northern Oconee County. School buses were running 2 hours late Monday, though schools planned to open as usual.
Emergency services director Rodney Burdette says all streams in the northern end of the county were out of their banks. He says about 30 roads were closed at one time Sunday. No injuries have been reported.
The National Weather Service says more than 8 inches of rain fell in Walhalla between Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon.
Mr. Burdette says one family in Walhalla and one in Salem were evacuated.
National Weather Service meteorologist Bob Bruce said the South Carolina rain likely won't stop before Tuesday.
Augusta's forecast calls for a shower or thunderstorm today and a high temperature of 86. Thunderstorms are expected to continue the rest of the week.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported this morning that emergency workers in at least two counties were rescuing residents from high water before daybreak.
Schools were closed Monday in Paulding, Douglas and Carroll counties. Gwinnett County schools were being delayed 90 minutes.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
WOW!!! When the good LORD gives rain He sure does a GREAT job!!!! We sure do need it and maybe it will fill up some lakes and help with the water problem!!! Thank you Lord!!!!!
We need to keep some help in Columbia County to rescue drivers on Evans to Locks Road where the parking lot for the new Food Lion is so poorly designed that water run off turns the road into a "retention Pond". Suggestion: the county block them from opening until they fix the water run off problem.
I'm really surprised that somebody in the CSRA or other parts of GA have not started building an Ark by now.
Thank you, pep. The Evans-to-Locks Food Lion has its designed and constructed retention pond in the back where people won't see it. But naturally, the pond is on higher ground than the front of the shopping center. Great design by Blanchard & Calhoun - - - and it was approved by Columbia County Development Services!
You know I am not a civil engineer but I would venture to say neither are you. It is wrong to accuse Food Lion of something unless you can verify the facts. The fact of water running off is there bt there are probably other issues that led up to this happening. That much rain that fast overwhealms just about any drainage system that is being installed in most places. Here is a fact I know and that people that live in these areas do not want to see drainage systems large enough to accomodate this type of rain but they want the money and conveniences. Another fact is Columbia County is the one that sets this size up and requirement as well. This is amatter for CC to fix and you need to discuss it with your commissioners. I am sure this can be remedied by passing along in the proper manner and not hiding behind a blog.
"You know I am not a civil engineer but I'm the one who keeps that parking lot clear of empty buggies......". Sheesh, resident, lighten up.
One simple step would be to not use solid pavement in every parking lot in town. The brick-like European model can handle much more rain than what is used in the US.
"I'm really surprised that somebody in the CSRA or other parts of GA have not started building an Ark by now." posted by Niko. No need to Niko..if you're familiar with the Bible, God's promise is he'll never destroy the earth by flooding again so no need to build another Ark. As corrupt as this world is getting though, maybe the need to start investing in some flame retardant suits would be a wise idea. I know the man who makes them, if you're interested.
Global warming.....Al said it would!!
This is no laughing matter. Hundreds of roads are closed in Atlanta, and several have been killed, including a toddler swept from his mother's arms. There are people trapped and waiting to be rescued.
go rescue them rose we can spare you for a while
No thanks.
So let me get this right. God gets the credit for giving us rain when we need it. He gets credit for stopping the rain when we get too much. But when we get too much or too little, it's because we are all sinners! Sure, that makes sense!
Why does rainfall cause Clarks Hill Lake to drop faster?
Because they have to increase the water flow through the turbines. Clarks Hill is huge and the topography is steeply sloped to the lake. The water just pours into it and it causes problems if it fills too fast. The water gets horrendously muddy and is very difficult to treat, and it kills the fish and aquatic life.