It isn’t your average October.
In less than 24 hours Monday, 3.99 inches of rain fell at Gainesville’s Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport.
The day’s total was more than the area usually receives throughout the entire month of October, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Shirley Lamback.
Chances of rain are low today, and temperatures should reach 71 degrees. The nice weather isn’t expected to continue, as meteorologists predict rain will return tonight and stay through the weekend. Some of the rain on the way could be heavy and cause weather officials to issue flood watches, Lamback said.
A flood watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current weather forecasts. Rainfall rates are expected to be high enough to result in rises in some creeks, streams and rivers, which could lead to flooding of
low-lying and more flood-prone locations.
The persistent rainfall is part of a series of fronts that have traveled through the region, Lamback said.
“We’ve just had these series of boundaries come across that open the way for a lot of Gulf moisture to increase across our area,” said Lamback. “So it’s interacting with the frontal boundary and we’re getting these showers and thunderstorms.”
Monday’s rain shut down some recreation and travel in the area.
Ledan Extension in North Hall closed after Monday’s heavy rain damaged the road west of its intersection with Chaco Road. Hall County officials also closed Bryant Quarter Road off of Holly Springs Road to through traffic after noticing that water in a nearby creek bed was rising quickly. Both roads are closed until further notice.
In Forsyth County, six roads were closed due to the weather Monday. Officials reopened all the roads — Tidwell Road, Fowler Road, Shiloh Road, Settingdown Road, Kemp Road and Market Place Boulevard in Cumming — Monday evening.
Organizers for the Cumming Country Fair & Festival also cancelled activities planned for Monday. However, the fair will be open tonight, organizers said.
Though it wreaked havoc on some area roads and recreation, the rain continues to be good news for Lake Lanier, which 1,070 feet above sea level Monday morning, just inches away from the full pool level of 1,071.
Severe drought over the last few years has drained Lanier. The lake was at its lowest level ever, 1,050.79 feet, on Dec. 26, 2007.