Atlanta woke up warm, sticky, and on notice Thursday morning, with mostly cloudy skies, muggy air, and temperatures hovering near 77°F. Showers and thunderstorms are expected through the day, but the real trouble starts this afternoon and evening, when the heaviest rain and strongest winds move in. Brief torrential downpours and gusty winds could snarl commutes, wreck outdoor plans, and trigger flash flooding and power problems from Thursday night into Friday.
Afternoon Storms And Flood Threat
Showers and thunderstorms are likely Thursday, June 18, with the main window from late morning into the evening. Temperatures should top out near 84°F before sliding back into the 70s later on.
A Flood Watch runs from 8 a.m. Thursday through late Friday night as multiple waves of heavy rain move across the area. Forecasters say the setup could deliver a widespread 2 to 6 inches of rain, with localized totals potentially topping 5 inches. That is more than enough to trigger flash flooding in low-lying spots and areas with poor drainage.
Officials are urging drivers to stay off flooded roads, no matter how shallow the water looks, and to keep tabs on updated forecasts from the National Weather Service Peachtree City.
Wind Advisory And Severe Threat
A Wind Advisory kicks in Thursday at 6 p.m. and holds through 8 a.m. Friday, June 19. Southwest winds around 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph are expected, and combined with heavy rain these gusts could bring down tree limbs and trigger isolated power outages.
The advisory from the National Weather Service notes, "Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles." On top of that, forecasters say a few storms Thursday afternoon and evening could briefly turn severe, producing damaging gusts or even a quick, spin-up tornado. The advice: if a strong storm is bearing down, avoid unnecessary travel until it passes.
Commute And Juneteenth Plans
The Thursday evening drive is likely to be a slog, with heavy rain and gusty winds cutting visibility and leaving standing water across roadways. Give yourself extra time, slow down, and expect delays.
Friday, June 19 (Juneteenth) is not a guaranteed washout, but scattered showers and a chance of storms will linger. Outdoor events may have to dodge downpours, so organizers and attendees should keep a solid rain plan in their back pocket and stay on top of schedule changes. For background on the broader weather setup, see the earlier forecast on Atlanta's soggy ride home.
Safety Tips
If you live in a flood-prone area, move valuables out of basements or other low-lying spaces before the heaviest rain arrives, and never drive through flooded roadways. Secure loose outdoor furniture and other items that could turn into wind-borne projectiles, and give larger vehicles extra room on the road during gusty conditions.
If the power goes out, steer clear of any downed lines and report outages directly to your utility company. Keep an eye on local alerts until the storms clear out, and follow instructions from emergency officials as the situation evolves.
