Flint flooding, more rain coming

Published 7:25 pm Tuesday, February 2, 2010

The Flint River at Bainbridge is flooding for the second time in a week.

The first crest occurred at just over 27 feet on Jan. 25, before falling back below the flood stage of 25 feet on Jan. 27.

The Flint River and tributaries above Albany have crested and are now falling, according to the National Weather Service.

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Downstream on the Flint, from Newton to Bainbridge, the river is still rising and minor to moderate flooding is expected.

At 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, the river was at 25.7 feet in Bainbridge. The forecast calls for the river to rise to near 27.5 feet by early Thursday morning. The river is expected to fall below flood stage late Saturday morning.

Anywhere from 0.7 to 1.5 inches of rain fell on Bainbridge between Jan. 29 and the morning of Feb. 2, according to the U.S. Geological Service and the University of Georgia’s Attapulgus Research and Education Center.

Another heavy rainfall event is possible on Thursday and Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

A low pressure storm system moving northeast in the Gulf of Mexico is likely to bring widespread rain, with total rainfall amounts generally ranging from 1 to 2 inches. While severe weather appears unlikely, the main concern is the potential for flooding from heavy rain.

The National Weather Service’s Web site is www.weather.gov, or mobile.weather.gov for cell phones. Updated information on the Flint River is online at waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?02356000.