‘Gully washer’: Tallahassee area under Flood Watch, may see ‘very high instantaneous rain’
The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for the Tallahassee area and surrounding regions, warning residents to be ready for the possibility of heavy rainfall and potential flash flooding through 8 p.m. Monday evening.
“The good news? Forecast highs are in the middle to upper 80s thanks to clouds and rain around much of the day,” forecasters with the National Weather Service of Tallahassee wrote on Facebook Aug. 3. “The not-so-good news? Some of the showers and storms roaming the area the next few days will be quite the gully washer.”
The alert, due to a “very moist airmass” that will will stall over the region the next couple days, covers a broad swath of the Southeast, including Southwest and South Central Georgia, the western Florida Big Bend, the Florida Panhandle, and Southeastern Alabama.
“With such a moist airmass in place, very high instantaneous rain rates will be possible, allowing a lot of rainfall to pile up in a relatively quickly amount of time,” NWS forecasters wrote in their morning forecast discussion.
Possible local impacts in Tallahassee
- Urban flooding risk: Flash flooding could affect roadways, parking lots, and low-lying residential areas. Storm drains and ditches may become clogged with debris.
- River and creek flooding: Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.
- Power outages: Heavy rain that destabilizes and topples large trees could lead to downed power lines.
Safety and Preparedness
Officials urge residents to stay informed and avoid driving through flooded roads. The National Weather Service emphasizes the message: “Turn around, don’t drown!”
The excessive rainfall risk is rated slight (2 out of 4), indicating a 15–39% chance of flash flooding. While not the highest alert level, the volume of rain expected could still cause disruptions.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: ‘Gully washer’: Tallahassee area under Flood Watch, may see ‘very high instantaneous rain’
