Atlanta now in rare high risk for flooding rainfall

 The risk of life-threatening flooding is expanding over the Southeast as Helene nears. Atlanta is now firmly in the center of the rarest risk levels issued: a level 4 of 4 high risk of flooding rainfall.

Earlier this morning, two separate rare level 4 of 4 risks of flooding rainfall were outlooked by the Weather Prediction Center. That extremely hazardous risk area expanded to connect the two in an afternoon forecast update.

CNN Weather

Now, the rare high risk area extends from the Florida Panhandle, through many major population centers in Georgia and into the mountains of western North Carolina.

The combination of Wednesday’s soaking rainfall, Helene’s impending deluge and its powerful winds could bring down trees in soaked soils, down power lines and overwhelm drainage systems, the WPC warned.