9/26/2024
WT Staff
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September 26, 2024 updated 1115 pm EDT
HELENE TO BRING UNPRECEDENTED WIND AND FLOODING IMPACTS TO NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA THROUGH FRIDAY
Tornado Watch NWS Peachtree City GA 247 pm EDT Thursday Sep 26 2024
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS EXTENDED TORNADO WATCH 684 TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING AREAS UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING. In Central Georgia:
- BIBB, BLECKLEY, CRISP, DOOLY, HOUSTON, PEACH, PULASKI, TWIGGS and WILCOX Counties
IN WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA:
- MACON and SUMTER Counties
Including the cities of Abbeville, Americus, Cochran, Cordele, Fort Valley, Hawkinsville, Jeffersonville, Macon, Montezuma, Vienna and Warner Robbins.
Hazardous Weather Outlook issued 246 pm EDT Thursday Sep 26 by NWS Peachtree City
Rounds of torrential rainfall and significant flooding and flash
flooding are expected across the area through tonight. Brief
tornadoes will also be possible, especially across east central
Georgia. As Hurricane Helene moves into the state this evening,
hurricane and tropical storm force winds will spread quickly
north. All preparations for widespread high wind impacts and power
outages should be rushed to completion by this evening.
For more details, please refer to the latest Flash Flood Watch
and Hurricane Local Statement, here.
Heavy rain and tropical storm conditions will improve as Helene
moves quickly north and out of the state by midday Friday.
Flooding of larger creeks and rivers will persist into the
weekend.
SPOTTERS ACTIVATED Weather spotters should be prepared for activation tonight into Friday morning. Please relay any information about observed severe
weather to the NWS.
Impacting Baldwin-Banks-Barrow-Bartow-Bibb-Bleckley-Butts-Carroll-Catoosa-
Chattahoochee-Chattooga-Cherokee-Clarke-Clayton-Cobb-Coweta-
Crawford-Crisp-Dade-Dawson-DeKalb-Dodge-Dooly-Douglas-Emanuel-
Fannin-Fayette-Floyd-Forsyth-Gilmer-Glascock-Gordon-Greene-
Gwinnett-Hall-Hancock-Haralson-Harris-Heard-Henry-Houston-Jackson-
Jasper-Jefferson-Johnson-Jones-Lamar-Laurens-Lumpkin-Macon-
Madison-Marion-Meriwether-Monroe-Montgomery-Morgan-Murray-
Muscogee-Newton-North Fulton-Oconee-Oglethorpe-Paulding-Peach-
Pickens-Pike-Polk-Pulaski-Putnam-Rockdale-Schley-South Fulton-
Spalding-Stewart-Sumter-Talbot-Taliaferro-Taylor-Telfair-Toombs-
Towns-Treutlen-Troup-Twiggs-Union-Upson-Walker-Walton-Warren-
Washington-Webster-Wheeler-White-Whitfield-Wilcox-Wilkes-
Wilkinson Counties.
Hurricane Helene Local Statement 14 issued 539 pm EDT Thursday Sept 26 2024
Hurricane Helene, currently west of the Florida Peninsula, will
accelerate northward over the eastern Gulf of Mexico today. Helene is
forecast to become a major hurricane before making landfall along the
Big Bend of Florida on this evening. Due to the intensity and fast
forward motion, unprecedented wind and flooding impacts, rivaling or
exceeding those of Hurricanes Opal (1995), Irma (2017) and Michael
(2018), are expected across the north and central Georgia.
Several areas have already received 2 to 5 inches of rain in the last
24 hours. Additional rainfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches, with localized
amounts over 10 inches, are expected. Widespread flooding is expected
with significant flash flooding and moderate to major river flooding
possible.
Tropical storm and hurricane force wind gusts, potentially exceeding
80 mph, are expected to begin across the southern portion of the
forecast area on this evening, then quickly spread north overnight
into Friday morning. Given the saturated soils, widespread downing of
trees and significant power outages are expected. Prepare for an
extended period of power loss!
Short-lived tornadoes will also be possible across east-central
Georgia today through early Friday morning , with the greatest
potential over areas north and east of the track of Helene.
Helene will be an expansive system with impacts occurring well away
from the storm center. All preparations should be rushed to completion before impacts begin. The time to act is now!
CURRENT WATCHES AND WARNINGS:
- The Tropical Storm Warning has been upgraded to a Hurricane
Warning for Butts, Jasper, Jones, Laurens, Pike, Spalding,
Wheeler, and Wilkinson
- A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Bibb, Bleckley, Butts,
Chattahoochee, Crawford, Crisp, Dodge, Dooly, Houston, Jasper,
Jones, Lamar, Laurens, Macon, Marion, Monroe, Muscogee, Peach,
Pike, Pulaski, Schley, Spalding, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot,
Taylor, Telfair, Twiggs, Upson, Webster, Wheeler, Wilcox, and
Wilkinson Counties
- A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Baldwin, Banks,
Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke,
Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Dade, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Emanuel,
Fannin, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Gilmer, Glascock, Gordon,
Greene, Gwinnett, Hall, Hancock, Haralson, Harris, Heard,
Henry, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Lumpkin, Madison,
Meriwether, Montgomery, Morgan, Murray, Newton, North Fulton,
Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Putnam, Rockdale,
South Fulton, Taliaferro, Toombs, Towns, Treutlen, Troup,
Union, Walker, Walton, Warren, Washington, White, Whitfield,
and Wilkes Counties
STORM INFORMATION:
- About 400 miles south of Atlanta GA or about 280 miles
south of Cordele GA
- 27.9N 84.6W
- Storm Intensity 125 mph
- Movement North-northwest or 25 degrees at 23 mph
Next update 1130 pm EDT
Potential Impacts expected in Georgia
FLOODING RAIN:
Prepare for life-threatening rainfall flooding having possible
significant to extensive impacts across much of north and central
Georgia. Potential impacts include:
- Extreme rainfall flooding may prompt numerous evacuations and
rescues.
- Rivers and tributaries may overwhelmingly overflow their banks
in many places with deep moving water. Small streams, creeks,
canals, arroyos, and ditches may become raging rivers. In
mountain areas, deadly runoff may rage down valleys while
increasing susceptibility to rockslides and mudslides. Flood
control systems and barriers may become stressed.
- Flood waters can enter numerous structures within multiple
communities, some structures becoming uninhabitable or washed
away. Numerous places where flood waters may cover escape
routes. Streets and parking lots become rivers of raging water
with underpasses submerged. Driving conditions become very
dangerous. Numerous road and bridge closures with some weakened
or washed out.
Prepare for life-threatening rainfall flooding having possible
significant to extensive impacts across north and central Georgia.
WIND:
Protect against life-threatening wind having possible extensive
impacts across portions of central Georgia. Potential impacts in this
area include:
- Considerable roof damage to sturdy buildings, with some having
window, door, and garage door failures leading to structural
damage. Mobile homes severely damaged, with some destroyed.
Damage accentuated by airborne projectiles. Locations may be
uninhabitable for weeks.
- Many large trees snapped or uprooted along with fences and
roadway signs blown over.
- Some roads impassable from large debris, and more within urban
or heavily wooded places. Several bridges, causeways, and
access routes impassable.
- Large areas with power and communications outages.
Also, protect against dangerous wind having possible significant
impacts across the remainder of north and central Georgia.
TORNADOES:
Prepare for a dangerous tornado event having possible limited impacts
across east-central Georgia. Potential impacts include:
- The occurrence of scattered tornadoes can hinder the execution
of emergency plans during tropical events.
- Several places may experience tornado damage with a few spots
of considerable damage, power loss, and communications failures.
- Locations could realize roofs torn off frame houses, mobile
homes demolished, boxcars overturned, large trees snapped or
uprooted, vehicles tumbled, and small boats tossed about.
Dangerous projectiles can add to the toll.
Elsewhere across North and Central Georgia, little to no impact is
anticipated.
EVACUATIONS:
Follow the advice of local officials.
Now is the time to check your emergency plan and emergency supplies
kit and take necessary actions to protect your family and secure your
home or business.
When making safety and preparedness decisions, do not focus on the
exact forecast track since hazards such as flooding rain, damaging
wind gusts and tornadoes extend well away from the center of the
storm.
If in a place that is vulnerable to high wind, such as near large
trees, a manufactured home, upper floors of a high-rise building, or
on a boat, plan to move to safe shelter.
If you live in a place particularly vulnerable to flooding, such as
near the ocean or a large inland lake, in a low-lying or poor
drainage area, in a valley, or near an already swollen river, plan to
move to safe shelter on higher ground.
Check on those who may not be fully aware of the situation or who are
unable to make personal preparations.
If you are a visitor, know the name of the county in which you are
located and where it is relative to current watches and warnings. If
staying at a hotel, ask the management staff about their onsite
disaster plan. Listen for evacuation orders, especially pertaining to
area visitors.
Closely monitor weather.gov, NOAA Weather Radio and local news
outlets for official storm information. Listen for possible changes
to the forecast.
ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION:
For information on creating an emergency plan see ready.ga.gov
For information on appropriate preparations see ready.gov
For additional disaster preparedness information see redcross.org
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