Francine's Leftovers To Drench GA With Rain, Dropping Temps

GEORGIA — While meteorologists tell Patch Georgians may not need to worry about a tropical depression spinning in the Atlantic Ocean, the weekend could be damp due to the remnants of Category 2 Hurricane Francine.

After slamming the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts, causing about $9 billion in damage and economic loss, Francine dissipated.

However, the National Weather Service told Patch Friday lingering moisture in the Gulf of Mexico is forecast to bring heavy rainfall to the Peach State, possibly for the next several days.

The leftovers of Francine, a post-tropical storm, is forecast to target north and central Georgia. A maximum of about 1-4 inches of rainfall is anticipated, NWS meteorologist Vaughn Smith said. Impacts are mostly expected in west central Georgia, where the Lagrange and Columbus areas rest.

Friday and Saturday are set to experience the heaviest of the rains though Sunday may not be completely dry, Smith said. He noted the storms could stretch into next week.

A flood watch is in effect until 8 a.m. Saturday for north and west central Georgia. No high winds should occur with storms.

With Georgia currently being in a drought, Smith said the "rain is much needed." He also said the downpour is dropping temperatures, which were below normal Friday.

Around this time of the year, Georgia is usually feeling a high of 85 degrees and a low of 67 degrees. Friday morning, the high temperature was 78 degrees and the low was 67 degrees.

The National Hurricane Center predicted Tropical Depression 7, a system stirring in the Atlantic, could possibly become a tropical storm Friday.

Smith, however, said TD 7 should not be an issue for Georgia as it is "way out in the Atlantic." As of Friday morning, the development was 200-300 miles east of Bermuda, Smith said.

Areas from western Tennessee through northern and central Alabama to central and southern Georgia are slightly at risk for excessive rainfall, the NWS said. Parts of northern and central Alabama were moderately at risk.

The Southeast may be the target of isolated severe thunderstorms, with some areas being at a marginal risk Friday. Possible hazards included few tornadoes or severe wind gusts, the NWS said.

AccuWeather, which forecasted thunderstorms for the entire state of Georgia Friday, said lives and property could be at risk as rain drops into the southern U.S. Flooding could be dangerous.

"Francine will continue to lose wind energy as it spends the remainder of its life over land," AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said in a news release. "However, as it transitions to a tropical rainstorm, it will still be very capable of producing life-threatening conditions."

The hurricane's remnants will start to travel south Saturday night and could eventually stall Sunday along the Gulf Coast, the NWS said.

But, the storms in the Southeast may not be over by then. The NWS said another low-pressure system may assemble along the stalled frontal boundary near the coast, "which will create stormy weather from Florida through the eastern Carolinas through this weekend into early next week."

Around 9:45 a.m. Friday, the National Weather Service predicted the following detailed forecast for metro Atlanta:

Today: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. East wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 2 a.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 3 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. East wind 10-15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Saturday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 75. East wind 10-15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Saturday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly before 2 a.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 a.m. Low around 66. East wind 10-15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.

Sunday: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. East wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent.

Sunday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.

Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 77.

Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64.

Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 80.

Tuesday Night: A 10 percent chance of showers before 8 p.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 64.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 64.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 84.