Flash Flood — Gilmer, Georgia

2013-08-01 · near Cartecay, Gilmer, Georgia

Event narrative

The stage height of a USGS stream gage on the Cartecay River near East Ellijay reached flood stage of 7 feet. The river crest at 10.2 feet causing significant flooding. The Gilmer County emergency manager indicated around 7 roads were either flooded or damaged in the East Ellijay area by high water from the Cartecay River. Around 25 structures were flooded with some evacuations on White Water Lane, Bernhardt Road, River Lane and Riverside Drive. The East Ellijay Police Chief was injured by electric shock during an evacuation on Riverside Drive. A power line fell on the patrol car as it was passing through the flooded road. He was hospitalized and released a day or two later.

Wider weather episode

The Southeast remained in an active northwest flow pattern on the 1st, with an upper level disturbance moving through the area. A weak surface trough remained in place across the state as well. Showers and thunderstorms developed early in the morning as a result of the disturbance and tropical moisture already in place over the state. A combination of back-building and training storms over the same areas caused intense rainfall amounts of 5 to 7 inches in less than 8 hours. This caused significant flash flooding in Pickens and Gilmer counties of north Georgia.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.6183, -84.3900)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 469067. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.