Tropical Storm Warning Remains In Effect On GA Coast Due To Milton

GEORGIA — Multiple warnings, including those for dangerous waves and high winds, remained in effect Thursday for coastal Georgia as Hurricane Milton peels away from Florida's east coast.

Forecasters previously told Patch that Georgia would not take a direct hit from Milton but its wind field would be problematic for the Peach State.

However, in neighboring Florida, Milton slammed Siesta Key as a category 3 storm before gliding eastward across the state and downgrading. The storm claimed the lives of six people and caused massive destruction.

Milton was churning along into the Atlantic Ocean, generating tropical storm conditions and storm surge Thursday in the southeast U.S. and northwest Bahamas, the National Hurricane Center said in its 11 a.m. update.

South Georgia was placed under a storm surge warning due to inundation potential through Thursday afternoon, the NHC said.

Flood concerns persisted along the coast, where an advisory was in effect for Bryan, Chatham, Liberty and McIntosh counties until 5 p.m. Thursday.

The National Weather Service said shorelines and tidal waterways are projected to stir up to 1 foot of above-ground level inundation at Fort Pulaski, which sits between Savannah and Tybee Island.

Fort Pulaski could undergo high tide around 2:05 p.m., potentially causing saltwater flooding at least an hour before and after high tide.

Saltwater may spill onto roads, and conditions may become too dangerous for swimmers and surfers. Beach erosion is also a possibility, the NWS said.

Other alerts issued for the coast include a high surf advisory until 8 p.m. Friday, a tropical storm warning and a high rip current advisory.

Breaking waves of 4-7 feet may occur in parts of Georgia, the NWS said.

Wind gusts of 40-50 mph were predicted to stretch along the coast, while further inland, the gusts could reach up to 40 mph. A NWS map showed a windy path from south of Savannah and Hinesville to Allendale, Sylvania and Statesboro.

A state of emergency enacted by Gov. Brian Kemp was for Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Berrien, Bibb, Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch, Butts, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Clinch, Coffee, Cook, Crisp, Dougherty, Echols, Effingham, Evans, Glynn, Houston, Jeff Davis, Lanier, Liberty, Long, Lowndes, McIntosh, Monroe, Muscogee, Pierce, Screven, Tattnall, Toombs, Ware and Wayne counties.

The order coincides with another state of emergency issued after Hurricane Helene, which tore through Georgia and killed at least 25 people two weeks prior to Milton.

North and central Georgia had clear and sunny skies Thursday, a trend that will continue through Wednesday.