Hurricane Warning Issued For Some GA Counties Ahead Of Helene

GEORGIA — A hurricane warning has been issued for some Georgia counties, while other counties are now under a tropical storm warning.

The National Weather Service said Crisp, Dooly, Macon, Pulaski, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Webster and Wilcox are under a hurricane warning Wednesday.

Laurens, Montgomery, Toombs, Truetlen and Wheeler counties were placed under a tropical storm warning.

Expiration dates for the warnings are unknown.

Areas near Tallulah Falls, in central Habersham and southwestern Rabun counties, were under a tornado warning until 3:30 p.m. Wednesday due to hazards "tornado and ping pong ball size hail," the NWS said.

"Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely," the NWS said in the advisory.

Hurricane Helene, now a Category 1 storm, could become a Category 4 system ahead of landing along the Florida Gulf coast, AccuWeather forecasters predicted Wednesday.

The National Hurricane Center at its 10 a.m. update reported Helene had become a hurricane that could generate life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds and flooding in parts of the Southeast.

Helene, a "very dangerous storm" could be a "once-in-a-generation storm" for northern and eastern Georgia, along with parts of the Carolinas, AccuWeather said shortly after 1 p.m.

“The impacts from Helene will be widespread – not just confined to locations near landfall in the Florida Panhandle. The storm surge will be life-threatening across the Florida Panhandle and southward to near Tampa," AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said in a news release.

"Destructive wind gusts could badly damage or even destroy homes and businesses. Countless trees will likely come down in this storm not just across the Florida Panhandle but also inland through Georgia and even into western South and North Carolina leading to extended power outages. Please follow evacuation orders and get your family to safety. Conditions will be extremely dangerous near the coast, and there is an increasing threat that damaging impacts will be felt hundreds of miles inland.”

Maximum sustained wind speeds could reach 130-156 mph, Porter said.

Impacted residents could be without power for days, maybe weeks, AccuWeather said. Specifically, metro Atlanta could see increased significant power outages and flooding.

State officials have said Georgia is in the path of Helene though it is unknown if the storm will weaken before moving into the state.

Meanwhile, a state of emergency in Georgia expires at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday.

Around 8 a.m. Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center said Helene was nearing hurricane strength offshore the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. The storm has been brewing in the Gulf of Mexico and aims to make landfall along the Florida Peninsula and the Big Bend.

Then, Helene is expected to push into Georgia and soak the state. Emergency management officials said Tuesday that Helene is at least 300 miles wide and will bring wind and rain to the Peach State.

Helene is expected to travel into Georgia Thursday into Friday and could cause downed trees and power lines.

The storm could spin off tornadoes, cause flash flooding and rainfall totals of 4-8 inches in some parts of Georgia, said Director Chris Stallings of the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency.

Additional Watches and Warnings

A flood watch for dozens of counties, including Bartow, Cherokee, Forsyth, Hall, Paulding, Cobb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Barrow, Clarke, Oconee, Douglas, DeKalb, Rockdale, Fayette and Clayton.

The flood watch starts at 2 p.m. Wednesday and expires at 2 p.m. Friday. The NWS said creeks and streams could rise from their banks.

A tropical storm watch is in effect until Friday afternoon for north and central Georgia.

North Georgia could experience heavy rainfall starting Wednesday night, potentially causing flash flooding.

The tornado warning for Savannah, Ossabaw Island and Tybee Island has been changed to a tropical storm warning due to tropical storm-force winds anticipated in the next 36 hours. An expiration date is unknown.

Coastal Bryan, Chatham, Liberty and McIntosh counties should be aware of high rip currents from Thursday morning through the evening and of high surf from 2 p.m. Thursday to 5 p.m. Friday.

Dangerous rip currents are anticipated, and "large breaking waves up to 5 feet" are predicted for Georgia beaches, the NWS said.

On the coast, peak winds could reach 30-40 mph with gusts of 55 mph. The NWS said winds could escalate to 57 mph.

"Efforts to protect property should now be underway. Prepare for limited wind damage," the NWS said in the tropical storm warning.

Debris could hinder some roads from being passable, and some trees could snap, the NWS said. Power lines could be downed.

Storm surge of 1-3 feet above ground, saltwater could be inundated and flooding and tornadoes may be of concern on the coast, the NWS said.

Some rain not connected to Helene could also bring heavy rainfall and localized flash flooding in north and central Georgia, particularly along the Interstate 85 corridor, the NWS said.

Furthermore, the NWS said few strong to severe storms with damaging winds are forecast. A tornado is possible with these storms.

Preparation

The Georgia EMA shared the following tips for storm preparation:

• Create a communications plan for your family.
• Prepare a kit for each family member.
• If you have a car, fill the gas tank in case you have to evacuate.
• Plan to bring in all outdoor furniture, decorations, garbage cans and anything else that is not tied down.
• Enable alerts on your phone and weather apps.
• Have a battery-powered weather radio on hand.
• Stay tuned to official sources for the latest updates.

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