Full Notification

...SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN EXCESSIVE RAINFALL... .An increasingly moist southerly flow of air ahead of an approaching cold front will promote progressively widespread shower activity through Thursday. Rainfall is likely to fall heavy at times beginning tonight leading to the potential for flooding and landslides in the mountains. The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued a

* Flash Flood Watch for portions of northeast Georgia and western North Carolina, including the following areas, in northeast Georgia, Habersham and Rabun. In western North Carolina, Avery, Buncombe, Burke Mountains, Caldwell Mountains, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Macon, Madison, McDowell Mountains, Mitchell, Northern Jackson, Polk Mountains, Rutherford Mountains, Southern Jackson, Swain, Transylvania, and Yancey.

* from this evening through Thursday evening

* The threat for heavy and/or excessive rainfall will be on the increase tonight through Thursday.

* Rapid rises on streams and creeks are likely to occur along with the threat of flooded roads. Flooding is also likely to occur on larger rivers which would linger through Friday. Storm total rainfall through Thursday evening may be as much as 5 or 6 inches in favored locales across the Northeast Georgia and Southern North Carolina Mountains.

* AFFECTED AREAS: TRANSYLVANIA ... RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS ... HENDERSON ... HAYWOOD ... MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS ... SOUTHERN JACKSON ... CALDWELL MOUNTAINS ... AVERY ... RABUN ... MADISON ... NORTHERN JACKSON ... POLK MOUNTAINS ... HABERSHAM ... BUNCOMBE ... GRAHAM ... MITCHELL ... MACON ... SWAIN ... YANCEY ... BURKE MOUNTAINS

Instructions:

Rainfall of more than five inches in similar storms has been associated with an increased risk of landslides and rockslides. If you live on a mountainside or in a cove at the base of a mountain, especially near a stream, be ready to leave in advance of the storm or as quickly as possible should rising water, moving earth, or rocks threaten. Consider postponing travel along mountain roads during the period of heavy rainfall. A Flash Flood Watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation. You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.