Flash Flood Watch, Rain Expected Through Year's End

Georgia may have seen its last sunny sky of 2018.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch to take effect at 7 p.m. Thursday. Everyone north of Columbus in the far western part of the state to the metro Atlanta area and north of Athens is expected to see heavy rainfall into Friday morning.

Rain beginning Thursday afternoon could accumulate to 1.5 to 3 inches by Saturday morning, NWS predicts.

North Georgia is also under a wind advisory through Friday with strong gusts up to 40 mph possible.

Residents above the line from Carrolton to Marietta to Cleveland could experience power outages and down tree limbs.

While the weather is expected to calm down Saturday afternoon, storms will resume again Sunday.

Heavy rain mixed with an expected high of 69 degrees will make for a very muggy New Year’s Eve celebration in Atlanta on Monday.

Revelers can expect a damp and gloomy first day of 2019 following the past few months' trend of increasing rainfall.

Metro Atlanta experienced higher than average amounts of rainfall eight months out of the year of 2018, according to the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District.

According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the new year is anticipated to be a wet one as well with a rainier spring and summer than normal.