Higher crest for Ocmulgee in Macon in wettest December on record

The wettest December in Macon's recorded history is prompting a revised higher crest projection for the Ocmulgee River on Saturday morning.

By 10 a.m. Thursday, the river already had reached 24.94 feet and is now projected to hit 27.4 feet late Friday morning. On Wednesday, forecasters thought the river would only hit 25.4 feet in its second crest this week after topping out at 27.77 feet early Sunday. The river was at its seventh-highest point in recorded history.

Additional rainfall expected into Friday could alter the forecast, so those living in flood-prone areas should continually be monitoring conditions.

The river remaining over flood stage of 18 feet into next week will delay reopening of Amerson Water Park and the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail.

It may take several days to clear mud from trails and inspect sinkholes that have developed after the water receded at the site of the old water works plant that flooded in the Flood of 1994.

Last weekend, swift currents spilled over the observation deck and dumped inches of silt in some spots.

Days of rain the week of Christmas put December 2015 in the record books as Macon's wettest.

Middle Georgia Regional Airport picked up 1.26 inches of rain Wednesday, bringing the monthly total to 11.58 inches and breaking the prior record rainfall for the month of 10.39 inches set in 1972.

By 2 p.m. Thursday, nearly three-quarters of an inch had fallen since midnight, bringing the gauge up to 12.31 inches for the month.

The official total won't be released until Friday's climate report.

Average rainfall for Macon in December is a little more than 4 inches.

To contact writer Liz Fabian, call 744-4303 and follow her on Twitter@liz_lines.

This story was originally published December 31, 2015 at 6:45 PM with the headline "Higher crest for Ocmulgee in Macon in wettest December on record ."