Atlanta is heading into a wet and potentially dangerous stretch as tropical moisture surges into Georgia, raising the threat of flash flooding across metro Atlanta and North Georgia. The FOX 5 Storm Team has marked Thursday and Friday as Storm Alert Days, signaling a period that could disrupt commutes, outdoor plans, and the scheduled FIFA World Cup match in Atlanta.
A Flood Watch is already in effect from Thursday morning through late Friday morning for a wide stretch of Georgia counties, including several in metro Atlanta and many in central and west Georgia. The National Weather Service is warning that the heaviest rain could fall in urban, low-lying, and poor-drainage areas, where flash flooding can develop quickly.
Heavy Rain, Isolated Tornado Risk, And Travel Problems
The system driving the change is Potential Tropical Cyclone One, which is strengthening off the coast of South Texas and pulling deep tropical moisture into the Southeast. While the Gulf Coast could see up to 12 inches of rain, Georgia is more likely to face localized flooding, strong winds, and isolated tornadoes.
FOX 5 Storm Team meteorologist Jonathan Stacey called it “a tropical takeover” and said Wednesday offers only a brief break before conditions worsen quickly on Thursday. He added that the timing of the strongest storms could still shift as new computer models arrive, but the overall trend points to a very hectic and wet finish to the workweek.
What to expect through Friday
- Wednesday morning: A few light showers and pockets of morning fog.
- Wednesday afternoon: Sunshine returns and highs rise back into the mid-to-upper 80s.
- Thursday morning: Most of the region starts dry.
- Thursday afternoon and evening: Heavy downpours and storms affect downtown Atlanta and the evening rush hour.
- Friday morning and midday: A second wave of heavy rain and thunder moves through as a cold front pushes across the area.
Drivers should be ready for ponding on major highways, possible road closures, and slower travel during the Thursday evening commute. Saturated ground and gusty winds could also lead to isolated power outages if trees come down or roots give way.
A Cool June Record Before The Rain Returns
Before the tropical moisture moved in, Atlanta tied a historic weather mark with a Tuesday afternoon high of 73 degrees, matching the coolest June high temperature ever recorded at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. That cool spell is now giving way to a much more unsettled pattern as the Gulf system pushes moisture into the region.
The heaviest tropical downpours are expected to stay closer to the Gulf Coast, but North Georgia can still see significant rain totals, especially south of Atlanta and across mountain terrain where air is forced upward. Scattered storms on Thursday and Friday could dump several inches of rain in a short time and quickly overwhelm local creeks and river systems.
Weekend Drying Trend And Father’s Day Sunshine
The wet pattern should finally break after the cold front exits on Friday, allowing high pressure to move in from the west. That change is expected to bring back dry air and sunshine in time for the first official weekend of summer and Father’s Day on Sunday.
For metro Atlanta, the forecast points to rain and storms through Friday before drier weather returns Saturday and more typical summer heat builds into early next week. North Georgia should also see a shift toward brighter skies after Friday, with cooler mountain temperatures easing into a sunnier Father’s Day weekend.