Hurricane Helene is now expected to intensify into a Category 4 hurricane and a larger number of Georgia counties than anticipated will experience hurricane impacts, Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency Director Chris Stallings said in a briefing Wednesday afternoon.
The storm was upgraded to a hurricane early Wednesday morning, and the National Weather Service issued hurricane watches and warnings, tropical storm watches and warnings, and flood warnings across much of Georgia through Friday afternoon.
GEMA officials received a report just before the press conference that Hurricane Helene is projected to make landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in the Apalachee Bay area of Florida, Stallings said.
Southwest and south central Georgia are now under hurricane warnings and should expect hurricane conditions beginning tomorrow evening and lasting through Friday, he said.
“Hurricane warnings with this latest update have been extended up to the Macon-Columbus line,” Stallings said. “So, that’s a little farther than we anticipated. And now tropical storm winds are expected to extend all the way through Georgia up to the Tennessee line, and possibly further.”
The remnants of Hurricane Helene will exit north Georgia by early Friday, he said, but the timeline could pick up because the storm is moving faster than anticipated.
Since the storm is fast-moving, it’s not going to have a lot of time to weaken as it moves out of Florida into Georgia, Will Lanxton, state meteorologist at GEMA, said during the press conference.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw some Category 3 level impacts in extreme southern Georgia,” Lanxton said. “ ... But I do expect that we will see widespread Category 1, Category 2 hurricane impacts all throughout the hurricane warning area.”
This new update will increase the significant risk for flash flooding in and around metro Atlanta and most of north Georgia for Thursday and Friday, he said.
“Conditions in south Georgia will rapidly deteriorate early Thursday evening and will not begin to improve until sunrise Friday,” Stallings said.
The farther south people are, the less time they have to prepare, Stallings said. North Georgia is already seeing heavy rain, he said, and there have been reports of a tornado touching down in Habersham County.
Power outages are already being reported across the state because of this first wave of thunderstorms, Stallings said, including about 6,000 customers in Habersham.
“So, we’re really in a fight against two weather systems,” he said.
Preparation and logistics
Gov. Brian Kemp has requested a federal emergency declaration for Georgia in anticipation of Hurricane Helene and its impact, Stallings said.
“Governor Kemp’s request has asked for immediate assistance for life saving measures to protect property, public health and safety and to lessen the threat of the catastrophe,” he said.
The emergency declaration provides federal assistance to supplement response efforts because of conditions created by Hurricane Helene. GEMA has reached out to agencies from other states through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.
“We’ve requested an additional fleet of generators from the state of New Jersey,” Stallings said. “And we’re appreciative of their response.”
GEMA has a facility set up at the Macon farmers market where they’ll stage resources like MREs, water, sandbags and other resources. The facility will be used to send resources, and manpower, out.
Stallings reiterated the importance of residents having audible weather alerts and following updates in the media. Residents must ensure their emergency kits are stocked and homes are prepared for the hurricane.
Although they are bringing in resources and teams, responding to power and water outages may take time.
“But that’s why we keep referencing the 72-hour window,” Stallings said. “You need to be self-sufficient.”
People should make sure they’ve got their essential needs including non-perishable food and medications. People should get their prescriptions filled if they’re getting close to empty, he said.
The Department of Public Health , in coordination with the pharmacy board, is getting approval for an emergency policy to make it easier for people to fill prescriptions. This does not include narcotics, Stallings said.
“The reality is a lot of our pharmacies are not going to have power,” he said. “They’re not going to have accessibility for the next few days.”
This storm will be a widespread event and will likely cost the state a lot of money, Stallings said.
“We have not seen — other than COVID — a recent event where 159 counties in Georgia have been impacted,” Stallings said.
Local News
