More flooding possible for Savannah Thursday; know which areas to avoid, alternate routes

Another round of flooding – the third in less than a week – is possible in the Savannah area Thursday, forecasters say.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for Chatham County and the South Carolina Lowcountry until 11 p.m.

Afternoon and evening thunderstorms are expected to dump 2 to 2.5 inches of rain, particularly “near and east of” Interstate 95, while some areas could see higher amounts, NWS said.

Similar storms caused widespread flooding in Savannah on Saturday and Monday.

As much as 4 inches of rain per hour fell both days, Mayor Van Johnson said in his weekly press briefing Tuesday.

That was after more than 4 inches of rain already had fallen in the seven-day period leading up to Saturday.

NWS estimated 12-hour rain totals of up to 6 inches in Savannah on Saturday and again Monday, a level the city is expected to hit once in a decade, according to NOAA.

Both events quickly swamped many of the city’s flood-prone streets. Saturday’s storm coincided with high tide, adding to the inundation near waterways, while Monday’s deluge hit Savannah’s core during evening rush hour.

Seventeen areas of the city experienced “extreme” flooding, Johnson said.

All wet: Savannah's more-frequent flooding fueled by climate-induced extreme rain

Plan ahead

Here are flood-prone areas that motorists should avoid during extreme rain, according to the City of Savannah:

• Fairmont Avenue-Hanover Street-Hodgson Memorial Drive

• West Victory Drive at Ogeechee Road

• Goebel Avenue at President Street

• East Gwinnett Street at Skidaway Drive

• West Gwinnett Street at Stiles Avenue

• Whitaker Street at West 33rd Street

• Abercorn Street from DeRenne Avenue to Victory Drive

• Habersham Street from DeRenne Avenue to Victory Drive

• Paulsen Street from DeRenne Avenue to Victory Drive

• Reynolds Street from DeRenne Avenue to Victory Drive

• Harmon Street from DeRenne Avenue to Victory Drive

• Bay Street, East of Fell Street/Brittany Street

• Fell Street/Baker Street/Jenks Street from Bay Street to Augusta Avenue

• Henry Street from Cedar Street to Waters Avenue

• Atlantic Avenue at Maupas Avenue

• President Street from General McIntosh Boulevard to Pennsylvania Avenue

• Northbound ramp onto the Truman Parkway at Eisenhower Drive

Alternate routes during heavy rains

• From Downtown to Midtown: MLK Jr. Boulevard, 37th Street., Bull Street and White Bluff Road, DeRenne Avenue, Abercorn Extension

• From Downtown to Westside: I-516/Lynes Parkway

• From Downtown to Southside: MLK Jr. Boulevard, I-16, I-516/Lynes Parkway, Southwest Bypass/Veterans Parkway, GA 204/Abercorn Extension.

• From Downtown to Islands: Bay Street, East Broad Street, Wheaton Street, Ash Street, Anderson Street, Truman Parkway, Victory Drive, U.S. 80 East

John Deem covers climate change and the environment in coastal Georgia. He can be reached at 912-652-0213 or jdeem@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: More flooding possible for Savannah Thursday; know which areas to avoid, alternate routes