Dennis was a Menace for Georgia - July 9-11, 2005

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The Menace of Dennis
July 9-11, 2005

On July 9 and 10, 2005 Hurricane Dennis churned through the eastern Gulf of Mexico toward the Florida Panhandle. The center of circulation passed through northwestern Florida, western Alabama, into northeastern Mississippi. This track was far enough west to spare most Georgians from any wind damage. However, Dennis brought buckets of rain to the state which led to some flash flooding around the Atlanta Metropolitan area. Eventually many rivers rose above flood stage.

The outer bands of the storm arrived in northern and central Georgia late on Saturday the 9th of July. Rain continued through Sunday (the 10th) before tapering off on Monday (the 11th). A particularly heavy and persistent band of rain caused rainfall totals to exceed 8 inches in a north-south band that stretched from around Americus through Thomaston into the western half of the Atlanta Metro area.

Rainfall data - [map] [list]

Severe flooding occurred Sunday night and Monday in Cobb, Douglas and Clayton Counties and in portions of Cherokee, Fulton, Fayette and Coweta counties. Water levels along Sweetwater Creek near Austell reached record levels, cresting at a height of 21.8 feet around noon on the 12th of July. This exceeded the previous high water mark of 20.0 feet which occurred back in July of 1916.

Other creeks/rivers that rose to levels higher than previously measured included:

Noses Creek in Cobb County
Nickajack Creek near Mableton
Noonday Creek Near Woodstock
Flint River near Lovejoy
Line Creek near Senoia

Flooding occurred in counties outside the Atlanta Metro area, too, as can be seen below...

Common sights across Heard County. Photos courtesy Matthew Vosburgh. ( click images to enlarge )

Compare typical scene at High Falls State Park (Monroe County) on left with post Dennis images on right. Photos courtesy Harlan Trammell