By mid-evening Friday, Natchez had received a whopping 8 1/2 to 9 inches of rain. And more is expected to fall today.

While the rain may be putting a dent in the drought conditions the Miss-Lou has been under, the rains have caused flash flooding in some areas.

In a 30-hour period ending at noon, Natchez alone had received 8.29 inches of rain, and other areas of Mississippi have received at least three inches of rain, prompting the National Weather Service in Jackson to put much of the state under a flash flood watch.

Adams County Civil Defense Director George Souderes said Natchez had received between 8 1/2 and 9 inches of rain between 4:30 p.m. Thursday and mid-evening Friday.

Priscilla Bridenstine of the National Weather Service said Friday that the Natchez area could receive an additional 1 to 4 inches of rain.

&uot;Probably on the higher end of the scale,&uot; she said.

In fact, between Thursday evening and mid-afternoon Friday, Adams County was put under a flash flood warning four times.

In addition to Adams County, Jefferson, Franklin and Claiborne counties and Concordia, Catahoula and Tensas parishes were under a flash flood warning until noon Friday due to a slow-moving area of rain and embedded thunderstorms. Just as that warning was about to expire, Adams, Franklin, Jefferson and Claiborne counties were under a flash flood warning until 3 p.m.

Bridenstine also said a few severe thunderstorms were possible for the area Friday.

&uot;Saturday calls for periods of rain and thunderstorms and rain may be heavy at times,&uot; she said.

Sunday’s forecast, however, calls for the rain to end by early in the afternoon and cooler temperatures, with a high in the upper 40s.