Heavy rain on the way for the morning commute this week

While the timing isn’t great, two rounds of beneficial rainfall are on the way for Metro Atlanta this week.

However, both rounds of rain and storms will roll through the region during the early morning hours Tuesday and Wednesday, just in time for the morning commutes.

Timing out Tuesday Morning’s Rain

The animation below illustrates the hour-by-hour Futurecast Radar for Tuesday morning. The bulk of the rain will arrive in the northwestern suburbs around 6am and exit the southside of the Metro area around 9am.

As heavy as the rain will be, the overall system will quickly move out of our region. As a result, only 0.25 to 0.50 inches of rainfall is to be expected from this round of showers and thunderstorms.

Timing out Wednesday Morning’s Rain

The animation below illustrates the hour-by-hour Futurecast Radar for Tuesday morning.

This system is moving much more slowly compared to the day prior, so rain showers and thunderstorms will be in the Metro Atlanta area from 4am through at least 10am.

Wednesday’s rain-maker will produce as much as 0.50 up to 2 inches of rain, depending on where the heaviest downpours take place.

Georgia is in Great Need for Rainfall

During the entire month of rainfall, less than two tenths of an inch of rain has fallen in Metro Atlanta, and this occurred as the region experienced its first 90 degree day of the year.

As a result, the drought continues to compound across the Metro Atlanta area, with even worse conditions in South Georgia.

As of April 21, 2026, as much as 98 percent of the State of Georgia is experiencing Severe Drought conditions.

Extreme Drought conditions have engulfed 71 percent of the state -- including Metro Atlanta.

Exceptional Drought conditions impact 27 percent of the state, mainly in South Georgia.

How Much Rain Is Needed to End the Drought?

According to NOAA and Drought.gov, the south and western Metro Atlanta area will need 16 inches of rainfall in the next four weeks to end the drought.