WEATHER: Flood Watch in effect through midnight

NWS Peachtree City has Northwest Georgia and surrounding areas under a flood watch through the remainder of the day as repeated rounds of rainfall will be expected through Friday night and potentially longer.

Widespread rainfall amounts around the region are expected to get up to at least an inch and upward of three inches in places with heavier downpours, which could bring on flash flooding.

The watch is extended until midnight Saturday morning, July 25.

The main threat is to those living in low-lying or flood-prone areas and around rivers, creeks and streams.

Officials do remind those who are traveling and come upon any flooded roadways to not travel through the water, since it may be deeper than it appears and could stall vehicles trying to navigate through and sweep them away. Those who see rising waters around their homes should move to shelter on higher ground immediately.

Morning showers and thunderstorms had already begun impacting some of the region including Dade, Walker, Whitfield, Gordon and northern Floyd counties. An additional round of rain was moving in from Gadsden, Alabama and heading toward Floyd, Polk and Haralson counties within the coming hour. Those showers should start impacting Paulding and Bartow counties later this afternoon.

Additional rounds of rain showers will be pushing through as moisture continues to be drawn up from the warm Gulf waters and into the region.

Though temperatures are expected to be officially up into the mid to upper 80s around the region for the day, the humidity and periods of sunshine in between the clouds may fuel the heat index in some spots to spike, getting closer to 100 before the day is out.

The good news? A spell of “cooler” temps is right around the corner. Expect weekend highs in the upper 80s and low 90s with chances of rain to stick around through the day on Sunday, and lows down into the 70s overnight.

The relief will be short lived as highs return to the mid to upper 90s by Monday with sunshine in full swing. Chances of rain will follow for the coming week on Tuesday to cap off the month of July.