UPDATED, 6:20 P.M.:
Cobb Police said just a few moments ago that Columns Drive has reopened. “There is still some standing water and a tree down in the area, but the roadway is deemed passable,” according to a message on its Facebook page posted around 6 p.m.
ORIGINAL REPORT:
Cobb County was spared the worst of Tropical Storm Helene Friday morning, but there’s extensive flooding that’s affecting travel for the remainder of the day.
A local state of emergency remains in place as cleanup crews continue their work.
Cobb also remains under a flash flood watch until 1:15 p.m. Friday, and citizens are urged not to get out on the roads before then, if at all today, unless absolutely necessary.
That’s because even main roads are treacherous after heavy rains, estimated to be in excess of six inches in some places, and trees and power lines were downed.
High winds are also continuing through Friday, with gusts in parts of the East Cobb area topping 40 mph.
Cobb DOT said Friday morning that Columns Drive in East Cobb, along the Chattahoochee River, is closed between Atlanta Country Club Drive and Riverlook Parkway.
A reader sent the following photos from her backyard on Columns Drive that extends to the river. Click the middle button to start the slideshow:
In Northeast Cobb, Blackwell Road is closed between Fowler Drive and Windridge Drive (east of Canton Road) because of downed power lines.
Cobb government said its crews have already dealt with 55 downed trees on roads, 11 flooded roads and eight reports of traffic lights being out.
In addition, flood warnings are in effect along most rivers and major streams and creeks in Cobb, including the Chattahoochee River and Noonday Creek.
Cobb Police said in a social media posting that the Bells Ferry Trailhead at Noonday Creek “saw quite a bit of water buildup, now it’s more of a ‘Trail-Lake’—serious flooding over there, so maybe skip that hike for now!”
A reader sent the photo below of flooded soccer fields at Noonday Park:
We haven’t heard of any such warnings along Sope Creek in East Cobb, but the U.S. Geological Survey indicated water levels above 12 feet.
The reader who sent the photo above tells us that the creek “looks like it’s about to come over the bridge on Columns where it dumps into the Chattahoochee.”
Another East Cobb resident posted this video of Sope Creek at the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area:
#EastCobb #SopeCreek #Helene #Helene2024 pic.twitter.com/Pnhjy3rSCO
— Jeff Barrett (@ChattahoocheeJB) September 27, 2024
We’d also like to share your information/photos/videos of storm conditions near you with the community. If it’s safe, please e-mail editor@eastcobbnews.com or text 404-219.4278.
Nearly 1 million Georgia electrical customers were without power Friday morning after Helene barged in from Florida as a Category 2 storm, then was downgraded to a tropical storm as it approached metro Atlanta.
More than 5,000 electrical customers in Cobb County are without power as of mid-Friday morning, according to Georgia Power and Cobb EMC, which provide most service to the East Cobb area.
According to Georgia Power, roughly 1,000 East Cobb customers are without electricity, while Cobb EMC reports that an estimated 750 customers in East Cobb are reporting outages.
Another Columns Drive reader sent us this video showing the extent of the flooding, and how it trapped residents for hours:
Much heavier wind damage and flooding occurred east of the metro area. Gov. Brian Kemp said at a news briefing Friday morning that 11 deaths have been reported across Georgia, including a first responder.
As the storm gathered in the Gulf of Mexico, a rare tropical storm warning was issued for north Georgia, with gusts as high as 73 mph anticipated.
Winds were expected to gust between 30-40 mph through Friday afternoon, with partly sunny skies also in the forecast as Helene moved north out of Georgia.
Cooler temperatures also greeted the passage of the storm, in the mid-60s on Friday morning, as the weather improves for the weekend.
Sun and highs in the high 70s return for the weekend and temperatures will be back in the low 80s next week.
But for the rest of Friday, you’re asked to stay put if possible while the cleanup work continues.
If/when you do get out, do not try and drive through a flooded area. You’re asked to call 911 or Georgia Power/Cobb EMC immediately if they see a fallen or low-hanging power line.
Cobb government said if you have structural property damage to report, you can do so by clicking here.
An aerial photo of a flooded golf course at Indian Hills Country Club, posted on its social media account:
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