Isaias Remnants Drench Atlanta: Flash Flooding, Power Outages, Weekend Events Scrapped

The remnants of post-tropical Isaias slammed metro Atlanta in the early hours of Saturday, dumping inches of rain that flooded low-lying roadways and highways. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for Atlanta — covering Clayton, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties — in effect until 1:15 p.m. EDT Saturday. FOX News multimedia reporter Sarah Alegre reported live from the city on flooded conditions.

Atlanta under flash flood warning

The Weather Channel put Atlanta at a level 4 out of 5 flood risk. In a six-hour burst early Saturday, most of the metro area picked up 1 to 3 inches of rain, with DeKalb County recording over 2 inches and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport measuring nearly 2.25 inches. One to 3 inches had already fallen by the time the warning went out, with another 2 to 3 inches possible. Urban areas with poor drainage, highways, and low-lying spots saw flooding of varying severity.

Wind plus rain knocks out thousands

Saturated soil and lingering gusts toppled trees across the region, cutting power to thousands of metro Atlanta residents. PowerOutage.us figures cited by The Weather Channel showed more than 95,000 Georgia customers in the dark. A high wind warning ran concurrently, with gusts reaching 50 mph through 8 a.m. Sunday EDT. Emergency management officials have not disclosed a timeline for full power restoration across all affected neighborhoods or a final tally of fallen trees on regional roadways.

Weekend events scrapped

The storm wrecked Atlanta's weekend plans. Atlanta Pride canceled all Saturday festival programming in Piedmont Park, though Sunday activities and the parade were still expected to proceed. Chalktoberfest, the chalk art and craft beer festival in Marietta, was canceled entirely — organizers said it was the first weather-forced cancellation in the event's history. The Mayor's 5K on the 5th Runway at Hartsfield-Jackson was postponed. Georgia was under a statewide emergency declaration covering all 159 counties, and DeKalb County opened emergency shelters as the storm approached.

Storm heads north; mid-Atlantic next

Isaias weakened over Alabama and Georgia on Saturday, but the damage was far from done. In Alabama's Houston County, all roads were closed due to flooding and debris, and deaths were reported in Alabama and Florida. The National Hurricane Center warned of "considerable flash flooding and landslides" across the Southern Appalachians. The remnants will push north on Sunday, spreading rain to the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, including Washington, New York City, and Philadelphia along the Interstate 95 corridor. FlightAware counted more than 700 delays and nearly 300 cancellations linked to the storm.

Sunshine returns to Atlanta on Sunday

The good news for Atlanta is the turnaround is close. FOX 5 Atlanta reported that showers and isolated downpours continue through Saturday night before clearing toward Sunday morning, when a high-pressure system takes over — bringing sunshine and warm weather that should hold through most of the coming workweek. Forecasters repeated the familiar warning for anyone driving near flooded roads: turn around, don't drown — most flood deaths happen in vehicles.