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Record flash flooding swamps Tennessee, Georgia towns
The Weather Channel • • nation
Key Points:
- Torrential rain caused severe flash flooding in northern Georgia and southern Tennessee, with water reaching homes and businesses in towns such as Blue Ridge, Cherry Log, McCaysville, and Copperhill.
- The flooding in McCaysville and Copperhill was particularly intense, with water depths from ankle to waist and first responders using rafts for rescues.
- A rare flash flood emergency was issued by the National Weather Service due to the life-threatening nature of the flooding, which topped an 80-year record at Copperhill.
- The heavy rain resulted from slow-moving showers and thunderstorms that stalled over the southern Appalachians, dropping 5 to 11 inches of rain in a concentrated area, causing rapid runoff in mountainous terrain.
- This event is part of a recent pattern of flash floods across the southern U.S., including Florida and the Desert Southwest, with the overnight timing increasing the danger to residents.
