After an unusually dry June, the Savannah area could make up for some of its precipitation deficit in a hurry Monday.
As much as 6 inches of rain is possible in some areas of coastal Georgia and the South Carolina Lowcountry as a cold front dropping south into the region triggers showers and thunderstorms Monday afternoon and evening, according to forecasters.
The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch through 9 p.m. for Bryan, Chatham, Effingham, Liberty and McIntosh counties in Georgia; and Beaufort, Berkely, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Hampton and Jasper counties in South Carolina.
Hourly rainfall could exceed 3 inches per hour at times, the National Weather Service warned Monday.
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That rate “could be sufficient to produce pockets of flash flooding, especially for the more urbanized areas in and around Beaufort, Charleston and Savannah,” NWS said.
Based on historical data, Savannah can expect to experience 3 inches of rain in an hour once every quarter-century, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
However, NOAA’s estimates don’t consider the effects of climate change. As a result, many areas in the U.S. are experiencing extreme rainfall more frequently than the projections suggest they should.
For Savannah and much of the Georgia coast, “widespread showers and thunderstorms with torrential rainfall” could result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying areas,” the NWS Charleston office said.
Some urban areas with poor drainage also will experience standing water.
The heaviest rainfall is expected between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Monday.
The NWS urges drivers and pedestrians to avoid entering areas of standing water because the depths are unpredictable and hazards such as live electrical wires could be hidden.
John Deem covers climate change and the environment in coastal Georgia. He can be reached at 912-652-0213 or jdeem@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah faces flooding Monday as ‘torrential’ rain moves into area
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