Hurricane Helene is set to make landfall in Florida on Thursday evening, bringing heavy rain and damaging wind to Georgia. Emergency officials are warning of fallen trees, downed power lines, shuttered roads and even the possibility of landslides as Helene makes its way through Georgia overnight.
Officials have also provided a timeline for when they expect the storm to reach various parts of the state:
» South Georgia: Sunset through sunrise Friday.
» Middle Georgia: 10 p.m. through 10 a.m.
» North Georgia: Midnight through noon Friday.
[6:24 p.m.]: Hurricane Helene was upgraded to a Category 4 storm Thursday evening as it nears Florida’s coast. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said an aircraft found that Helene’s maximum sustained winds had increased to 130 mph, making the storm “an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane.”
[5:30 p.m.]: On Thursday afternoon, several restaurants announced discounts for Florida residents evacuating to Atlanta.
Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall and Ranger Station in Old Fourth Ward and Muchacho in Reynoldstown will offer 50% off food and drinks to guests who show a Florida ID throughout the weekend. Michael Lenox, owner of all three businesses, said he saw how devastating a disaster like this can be after his friend from New Orleans stayed with him during Hurricane Katrina. He said he wanted to do what he could to accommodate evacuees.
”There’s a lot of things we can’t do from afar, but what we can do is we can show the best hospitality that we can to folks that are going through a really stressful period of time, and hopefully bring a brief moment of joy,” he said.
5Church in Midtown and Buckhead will also be offering a 10% discount to guests with a Florida ID throughout the weekend.
— Staff writer Olivia Wakim
[5:25 p.m.]: The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has instituted a curfew for Jefferson County, near Augusta, starting Thursday at 9 p.m. through Friday at noon. Sheriff’s offices in Turner, Wilcox and Crisp counties have also issued 12-hour curfews from 8 p.m. Thursday until 8 a.m. Friday.
— Staff writer Jozsef Papp
[5:21 p.m.]: Hurricane Helene is moving toward Florida’s Big Bend region at 23 mph, and the National Hurricane Center predicts it “will be at or very near Category 4 strength upon making landfall.” The storm was 130 miles west of Tampa.
After Helene moves inland, a turn to the north over Georgia is expected late Thursday into early Friday. Damaging wind gusts are anticipated to extend across parts of Georgia and the Carolinas overnight.
[5:06 p.m.]: Hurricane Helene is projected to still be a Category 2 hurricane with windspeeds of up to 105 mph around 2 a.m. Friday when the center of the storm is between Tifton and Albany, according to the National Hurricane Center.
[4:53 p.m.]: Forecasters responsible for much of the North Carolina mountains say flooding in the region could be worse than anything seen in the past century.
The National Weather Service in Greer, South Carolina, said 7 to 10 inches of rain have already fallen the past two days along a front before Helene-related storms arrive. They predict an additional 9 to 14 inches could fall as what remains of the hurricane moves across the area Thursday into Friday.
”This will be one of the most significant weather events to happen in the western portions of the area in the modern era,” forecasters said in post on X. They said it could be the worst flooding since 1916 when two decaying tropical systems rained themselves out over the region, causing widespread floods and mudslides that killed 80 people, wiped out dozens of miles of railroad tracks and brought down boulders that still sit in fields today. Asheville and other mountain towns were cut off for weeks. Helene also could bring hurricane-force wind gusts to the highest peaks in North Carolina, Georgia and South Carolina and gusts over 60 mph to the rest of the region.
– The Associated Press
[4:44 p.m.]: More than 190 flights into or out of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport have been canceled for today, according to FlightAware. So far, more than 60 flights into and out of Atlanta have been canceled for Friday. These figures could grow later today and into Friday.
— Staff writer Savannah Sicurella
[4:26 p.m.]: Hurricane Helene is accelerating toward the Florida Big Bend region at just over 20 mph as a Category 3 storm with winds topping 120 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. Tropical storm conditions are affecting much of Florida’s west coast. Helene is still expected to intensify over the next few hours before making landfall.
— Staff writer Caroline Silva
[4:22 p.m.]: Columbus-based Aflac said its Florida workforce was directed to work from home Thursday, while its Middle Georgia offices will close at the end of Thursday’s normal work hours, company spokesman Jon Sullivan said.
”Our current plan is to be open on Friday,” he said. “However, we have a dedicated team of crisis management professionals that are monitoring the situation to determine if we need to modify our approach.”
Aflac’s strategy is similar to other large Georgia employers, such as Mailchimp and NCR Voyix. NCR Voyix spokeswoman Susan Sloan said its Midtown Atlanta headquarters remains open while “employees should use their best judgment regarding their commute” and should prioritize safety. All three companies said they don’t anticipate bad weather impacting or disrupting their digital services and operations.
— Staff writer Zachary Hansen
[4:16 p.m.]: Helene was expected to lash Macon and Bibb County and other parts of Middle Georgia in Friday’s wee hours.
“In some ways that’s good,” Bibb Sheriff David Davis said, “because there won’t, hopefully, be people out or people at work.”
He said extra deputies would be on duty well into the day Friday. Davis expected the Macon area to see felled power lines as trees topple and branches snap. He also said the county jail would deploy a couple of inmate work crews as needed to help clear roads.
“They can respond quickly along with public works,” the sheriff said.
— Staff writer Joe Kovac Jr.
[4:05 p.m.]: Yellow River Animal Sanctuary in Lilburn faced a massive flood that caused plenty of damage in 2009 and is prepping for a comparable flooding problem overnight.
“We’re kind of panicking,” sanctuary co-owner Jonathan Ordway said. “This happened so quickly.”
He said they have moved animals in the flood plain such as the red fox, the porcupine, lemurs, hawks and coyotes to higher ground. At least three employees will hunker down in the main building overnight.
“We’ll have our emergency crew come in when the storm lets up,” Ordway said. “We have chainsaws ready.” The recently added river otters, he noted, will be fine.
“They’ll probably enjoy it,” he said.
— Staff writer Rodney Ho
[3:53 p.m.]: A flash flood warning has been issued for central Fulton County, DeKalb County, Clayton County, southwestern Gwinnett County, northwestern Henry County and northeastern Fayette County until 9:15 p.m. Thursday. According to the National Weather Service, locations that could be affected include Atlanta, Decatur, Fayetteville, Jonesboro, Peachtree Corners, South Fulton, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Dunwoody, East Point, Duluth, Stockbridge, Union City, Forest Park, Riverdale, College Park, Lilburn, Chamblee, Norcross and Doraville.
[3:49 p.m.]: SK Battery America, which operates a massive lithium-ion battery factory in Commerce, will skip its evening, overnight and morning shifts due to Hurricane Helene, a company spokesman said.
Plant operations will shut down Thursday at 6 p.m. and will not resume until noon Friday. The spokesman said the company has advised employees to “evaluate their individual circumstance and prioritize their safety,” only returning to work Friday if they can safely commute.
— Staff writer Zachary Hansen
[3:41 p.m.]: Don Koehler, executive director of the Georgia Peanut Commission in Tifton, is concerned the rough weather will wreak havoc on peanut farms that have already been stressed by conditions that were either too wet or an August that was extremely dry.
Georgia is one the nation’s largest peanut producers – making up 53% of the U.S. peanut market.
”This is a big, huge storm,” Koehler said. “Everybody always looks to where the eye is and the wind factor but it’s the rain factor as well. We’re right in the midst of harvest and if you get enough rain, even without the wind, it’s going to hurt.
Georgia’s peanut farmers were counting on a good crop this year, he said. Now, “these hopes can be washed away.”
— Staff writer Shelia Poole
[3:22 p.m.]: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued guidance on avoiding carbon monoxide poisoning from generators and other post-storm hazards to be aware of.
Carbon monoxide poisoning from portable generators “can kill whole families in minutes,” the commission warned. Portable generators should be operated outside and at least 20 feet from the home to ensure proper airflow. People are advised not to burn charcoal indoors, and to make sure carbon monoxide sensors and smoke detectors are working. It cautioned against using or touching appliances that are still plugged in after flooding. Battery-powered flashlights and candles are helpful in the dark, but the commission said it’s important to blow out candles before leaving the room or falling asleep.
— Staff writer Taylor Croft
[3:16 p.m.]: UPS services in the southeast may be impacted by the hurricane, specifically in Florida, the Sandy Springs-based company said. UPS facilities are providing pickup and delivery services as conditions allow, but delays are possible. The company said contingency plans are in place to ensure shipments arrive at their destinations as quickly as possible.
— Staff writer Savannah Sicurella
[3:07 p.m.]: In Middle Georgia’s Monroe County, which straddles some 25 miles of I-75 between Macon and McDonough, Sheriff Brad Freeman expects to be “working the mess out of wrecks” as Helene rolls through.
“You’re going to have trucks jackknife,” Freeman said, “and just create a big old mess.”
Deputies there were triple-staffing shifts until the storm passes, keeping an eye on the county, which stretches from High Falls southwesterly toward the Flint River to Culloden, and standing watch along the freeway. The sheriff said drivers, if they must venture out in the foul weather, should slow down.
“It’s not sunny and 75 degrees,” he said. “It’s a hurricane.”
— Staff writer Joe Kovac Jr.
[2:52 p.m.]: Two of Georgia’s largest grocers, Kroger and Publix, are asking customers to remain calm ahead of Hurricane Helene’s arrival.
Kroger, which operates 165 stores across Georgia, urged patrons not to “panic-buy” and purchase only the supplies they need to weather the storm. Publix shared a similar sentiment for its 214 Georgia stores, adding that its employees will be constantly restocking essential shelves.
”Kroger has already put our emergency preparedness plan into play and our teams are replenishing supplies as quickly as possible,” a Kroger spokesperson said. “We station maintenance teams, refrigerated trucks and products in surrounding areas, so supplies such as bread, water, milk, ice and fuel can be replenished as quickly as possible.”
Kroger added that residents should make sure they have a seven-to-10-day supply of prescription medication on hand. A law signed last year in Georgia allows non-addictive prescriptions to be refilled early when Georgia is under a state of emergency. Both grocery chains said their stores will remain open pending weather conditions. Publix said to check www.publix.com/status for updates, and Kroger recommended customers call their local store for updates. Another grocery chain, Trader Joe’s, said its six Georgia locations will provide updates on their individual websites, which can be found at https://locations.traderjoes.com/ga/.
— Staff writer Zachary Hansen
[2:35 p.m.]: The National Hurricane Center in Miami says its hurricane hunter aircraft found Helene’s maximum sustained winds had increased to nearly 120 mph, making the storm a dangerous Category 3 hurricane. The hurricane center says additional strengthening is expected before Helene makes landfall this evening in Florida’s Big Bend.
[2:33 p.m.]: As Helene made its final approach toward land, Atlanta was under a tropical storm warning Thursday, marking just the third time the landlocked city has been under such an alert. The other two came in 2017 during Hurricane Irma and 2020′s Hurricane Zeta.
While tropical storm warnings in Atlanta are rare, Ryan Willis, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, said the agency has only been issuing the warnings for inland areas since the early 2010s. He said it’s likely the city would have been placed under warnings during other storms before the policy changed, but stressed Helene is still an incredibly dangerous storm that people need to prepare for.
”This will be one of those historic events that people will remember,” Willis said.
— Staff writer Drew Kann
[2:30 p.m.]: Some metro Atlanta counties are opening shelters for locals and those who may be unhoused.
In Cobb County, MUST Ministries’ Hope House, located at 1297 Bells Ferry Road, will be open through Friday.
At least four other shelters will be open in DeKalb County until Saturday.
Frontline Response, located at 2585 Gresham Road will be open at all hours. The Center for Pan Asian Community Services located at 3510 Shallowford Road will open Thursday at 4 p.m. New Life Community Alliance located at 3592 Flat Shoals Road will open Thursday at 5 p.m. and will then remain open at all hours. First United Methodist Church of Tucker located at 4315 Church St. will open Thursday at 7 p.m.
— Staff writers Taylor Croft and Caroline Silva.
[2:19 p.m.]: The damage from Hurricane Helene could be more costly than Hurricane Michael, Gov. Brian Kemp said Thursday.
”It’s going to be a lot,” Kemp said during a news conference at Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency’s operations center. “This is one of the biggest storms we’ve ever had.”
With a diameter of about 500 miles, Helene is expected to produce at least tropical force conditions in all 159 Georgia counties tonight and tomorrow. Kemp encouraged Georgians to make final preparations before Thursday afternoon.
Kemp said there were crews stationed across Georgia to clear debris and help residents. Roads will be monitored by the Georgia Department of Transportation, and about 150 teams from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources were called up to help clear streets and conduct water rescues. Some of the crews are equipped with chainsaws, including 10 teams from the Georgia Forestry Commission. The GBI has 150 agents who also are ready to assist, officials said.
— Staff writer David Aaro
[2:05 p.m.]: Gov. Brian Kemp said preparations are underway and that he authorized up to 500 National Guard troops in case they’re needed. The governor said 250 guardsmen have been called up already and that additional reserves are standing by.
“This will be a statewide event,” Kemp said Thursday afternoon. “We expect strong winds across the state, with wind gusts of up to 80 mph possible into tonight.”
The brunt of the storm is expected to hit southwest and south-central Georgia, but residents across the state are urged to stay home ahead of the Helene’s arrival.
[1:41 p.m.]: Gov. Brian Kemp is giving an update on emergency preparations in place ahead of Hurricane Helene’s arrival. Watch the live news conference here.
[1:15 p.m.]: The Georgia Emergency Management Agency will hold a news conference at 1:30 p.m. to brief the public on storm readiness plans and address concerns.
[1:05 p.m.]: Kim Greene, the president and CEO of Georgia Power, the state’s largest electric utility, warned Thursday that Georgians should “prepare for the potential of power outages that could last multiple days due to the size and extensive reach of this storm.”
The company and dozens of electric membership cooperatives across the state are already grappling with thousands of power outages before Helene even makes landfall.
“Helene is a very large storm, moving into South Georgia with very little time to substantially weaken, and we expect the high winds and heavy rain to cause significant damage in many of our communities,” Greene said in a statement.
The company said it already has 10,000 personnel on the ground to respond and is refining plans as the storm approaches. Just after noon on Thursday, Georgia Power’s outage map showed showed about 6,600 of its 2.7 million customers statewide were without power. Most were clustered around the Atlanta area.
— Staff writers Scott Trubey and Drew Kann
[12:50 p.m.]: Iris Tien, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Georgia Tech, said Hurricane Helene could cause a number of problems for the region’s infrastructure in addition to the cascading effects from power outages.
“We’ve seen in systems that we’ve studied that many times, any outages in the water system aren’t actually due to water system outages themselves, but actually due to power outages at the substations that support them,” Tien said. “Even drinking water, which clearly is a critical resource and asset for everyone, is potentially at risk.”
Stormwater and drainage systems designed to prevent flooding of streets, houses and businesses do not require power, but they could be overwhelmed by heavy rainfall, especially if infrastructure has not kept pace with development.
[12:45 p.m.]: Metro Atlanta residents should be in their final stages of preparation ahead of Hurricane Helene, Federal Emergency Management Agency officials said.
With the anticipation of power loss, residents should have enough food and water to last at least three days, FEMA deputy regional administrator Robert Ashe told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Those needing last-minute medication are advised to refill them before Thursday night.
Having key insurance documents available is also important if your home is damaged. Those with portable generators should keep them outside in a well-ventilated space to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
“It’s important for residents to listen to the local authorities,” Ashe said. “We need them to stay in place long enough to give the authorities an opportunity to go out and do an assessment. We’re concerned about downed power lines. We’re concerned about standing water in places that people may drive through. So, allowing time for those processes to take place is important.”
Download the FEMA app or go to ready.gov for more information on storm prep.
— Staff writer David Aaro
[12:30 p.m.]: An analysis by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution of U.S. Census and National Hurricane Center data found that nearly 3.5 million Georgians have the highest probability of experiencing tropical storm force winds from Hurricane Helene.
In the latest update from the NHC, Air Force Hurricane Hunters found that tropical storm force winds (39 mph or greater) extended 345 miles from the center of the storm.
A good portion of the state will most likely experience those winds according to the weather service estimates.
[12:15 p.m.]: The Georgia Department of Emergency Management has announced a list of emergency shelter locations for those needing a safe place during Hurricane Helene. One of the shelters is east of Atlanta, in Newton County. The others are in South Georgia. Here is a list of locations and a map.
In Middle Georgia, evacuation shelters will open on Thursday afternoon, but not in Macon-Bibb County.
The county would typically help open a shelter, but the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency and the American Red Cross “made a decision to open elsewhere,” said Chris Floore, the county’s spokesman.
“We’re not opening shelters. That’s not a local call, that’s a GEMA call,” Floore told The Telegraph.
Monroe County likely will open shelters earlier than 4 p.m. Thursday, an official confirmed. The shelters are open to anyone, not just Monroe residents, said Ashley Palmer, the county’s administrative coordinator. They will close at 5 p.m. Friday.
Monroe evacuation shelters include:
» New Providence Baptist Church at 260 Highway 41 South in Forsyth.
» Monroe County Recreation Department at 100 Dan Pitts Drive in Forsyth.
» High Falls Station 2 at 42 Towaliga River Drive in Jackson.
— from AJC Staff and The Telegraph in Macon
[11:45 a.m.]: Lifeline Animal Project, which operates shelters in Fulton and DeKalb counties, said they have 25 large dogs in the old Fulton County shelter in need of emergency placement.
The old shelter, at 860 Marietta Boulevard, was built in the 1970s and has a history of flooding during large storms, Lifeline officials said in a news release.
“We urgently need to find homes for all dogs who are temporarily living at this shelter,” Lifeline officials said in a statement. “They were moved here due to the severe overcrowding at the new shelter, but they can’t stay here.”
The shelter will be open during special hours Thursday until 2 p.m. for those who can temporarily foster or adopt a dog.
— Staff writer Taylor Croft
[11:40 a.m.]: Many restaurants across metro Atlanta announced closures Thursday, but some eateries are still debating what to do.
Avery Cottrell, owner of the recently opened East Lake restaurant Gene’s, was smoking meat Thursday morning.
Cottrell and his family are from New Orleans, so they’ve been “hurricane people for a while,” he said. He’s deliberating whether to stay open or, perhaps, cut the restaurant’s hours. His primary concern is for the safety of his staff, but closing is a hard decision to make, especially since the restaurant is a new business.
He is nervous about losing power for several days, which would put their product at risk if it can’t stay refrigerated.
“This is going to leave us in a weird kind of quagmire with our smoking schedules,” he said. “What are we going to do with all this meat now, and then what if we lose power and then all the stuff we cook is toast?”
As of Thursday morning, Cottrell planned to remain open but will monitor conditions. In New Orleans, he said, they likely wouldn’t close for a tropical storm, but “if your city isn’t set up for this kind of stuff, or if your residents are not used to it, I could see it becoming a bigger issue than just the storm itself.”
In the meantime, he’s smoking meat for a “hurricane barbecue feast” and might even offer some frozen hurricane drink specials to go with it.
— Staff writer Olivia Wakim
[11:35 a.m.]: President Joe Biden approved Georgia’s Emergency Declaration on Thursday morning as Hurricane Helene marched toward the state, a White House statement said. The measure adds federal funding and assistance to the state and local hurricane response.
The emergency declaration allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts.
More than 50 Georgia counties are tabbed to receive direct federal aid, including Cherokee, Forsyth and Hall counties.
The lion’s share of Georgia counties will receive limited federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care, which includes evacuation and shelter support, according to the White House statement. Five metro Atlanta counties were included in that list: Cobb, Clayton, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett. Clarke County, where Athens is located, and Glynn County, home to St. Simons and Brunswick, will also receive this level of support.
Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency on Wednesday.
— Staff writer Henri Hollis
[11:25 a.m.]: National Weather Service meteorologist Dave Nadler said on the AJC’s Politically Georgia podcast Thursday morning that Helene is unique because of its size and speed.
It will likely hit the Atlanta area late Thursday night into Friday morning after it makes landfall in Florida this evening.
”It’s a very intense, powerful hurricane,” Nadler said. “It is going to weaken as it moves inland, but because it’s moving so quickly, as it gets into Georgia and approaches the Atlanta metro area, the winds are still going to be really intense later tonight into tomorrow morning.”
He encouraged people to stay home and off the roads and to be prepared to lose power. With the storm’s speed, it will likely move through Georgia rapidly and intensely.
”The duration of the real intense threats with the wind and around the center of Helene should be in and out within a couple of hours,” Nadler said. “The magnitude of what we see in that two to three or four-hour window could be really intense.”
[11 a.m.]: The number of canceled flights into and out of Florida and Georgia continues to climb as the Southeast braces for Hurricane Helene.
As of 11 a.m., more than 100 flights into or out of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport have been canceled for Thursday, according to FlightAware. That figure could grow later today and into Friday as the metro Atlanta area feels the full brunt of Helene.
Delta Air Lines expects Helene to impact its hub at Hartsfield-Jackson as the storm moves north, the airline said in a news release. It anticipates possible changes to its scheduled operations at the airport Friday morning, as inclement weather may affect the airport early in the day.
The airline also issued a travel advisory for flights traveling to, from or through several destinations in the forecasted path of the storm between Wednesday and Friday. Affected cities include Valdosta, Key West, Daytona Beach, Jacksonville and Hilton Head Island, among others. Delta is encouraging its customers to monitor its flight status closely on its website or Fly Delta app.
[10:45 a.m.]: The storm is expected to be as dangerous as any storm Georgia — and metro Atlanta in particular — has faced in its recorded history. Here’s why.
It’s moving fast: The storm is expected to make landfall as a major hurricane somewhere between Florida’s Panhandle and its Big Bend region Thursday, then move into Georgia. But Helene’s relatively quick forward motion means it’s not likely to weaken as quickly over land as past storms. That means it will still be packing tropical storm-force winds — with even more powerful gusts possible — when it moves past Atlanta.
It’s huge: Hurricanes are the largest storms on the planet, but even among the giants, Helene stands out. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Helene’s wind field is expected to extend 345 miles from its center. That’s farther than the distance from Atlanta to Savannah and means areas far from the eye will still face damaging winds. Helene’s rain bands will stretch even farther from the center.
The ground is already soaked: Soils in North Georgia had been parched by drought for weeks before a cold front on Wednesday brought several inches of rain to the area. Plants needed the moisture badly, but now, the ground could be saturated and unable to absorb much of the additional four to six inches of rain Helene is projected to dump. That could worsen runoff and raise the risk of flooding, especially in places like Atlanta with lots of impermeable roads and buildings.
— Staff writer Drew Kann
[10:35 a.m.]: The I-75 express lanes south of Atlanta will remain northbound until Thursday afternoon to accommodate increased traffic related to Helene, the State Road and Tollway Authority announced. Typically, the lanes are closed from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
— Staff writer Sara Gregory
[10:20 a.m.]: Hurricane Helene has altered two college football games and dozens of Georgia high school football games.
Valdosta State was scheduled to host West Alabama on Saturday, however, the game was canceled Wednesday. Earlier this week, Florida A&M — located in Tallahassee, Florida — postponed its home football game against Alabama A&M. Georgia’s school games are being moved to Saturday and beyond.
Despite movement in the southeast area sports landscape, there is likely to be no Helene-related impact on college football’s highly anticipated Georgia-Alabama football game.
— Staff writer Caitlyn Stroh-Page
[10:15 a.m.]: Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retail chain, opened its command center on Wednesday to keep track of the hurricane.
“We are indeed monitoring the storm trajectory very closely,” spokeswoman Sarah McDonald said.
The company has sent more than 100 truckloads of various products to stores that are in Helene’s expected path. That includes materials meant to replenish items likely to be in demand, she said.
As of Thursday morning, no Home Depot stores or distribution centers were closed.
At the Lowe’s in the Edgewood Retail District, nearly all the generators were out of stock by 11:30 a.m. Thursday. Just two $929 Craftsman generators were left in the locked cage where they are stored.
Donald Anderson, a local property manager, was disappointed when he saw the meager supply. He was looking for a backup in case his office loses power. “Don’t want to take the risk,” he said.
He quickly left the store to see if he could find the generator he was looking for.
Alpharetta-based Colonial Pipeline, the nation’s largest refined oil product pipeline, said it has taken many precautionary steps to protect its team and facilities during extreme weather. Its system transports more than 100 million gallons of fuel per day between New York and Texas, including through Atlanta.
Coca-Cola, another major Atlanta-based company, will close its headquarters for the rest of the week, according to spokesman Scott Leith. Employees have been asked to work from home.
Assurant, a Fortune 500 insurance company headquartered in Atlanta, has closed its office and asked employees who can work from home to do so, the company said in a statement.
Inuit Mailchimp, which has about 800 workers at its new headquarters along the Atlanta Beltline, said the facility is open Thursday, but it will be closed Friday.
In Savannah, the Georgia Ports Authority’s terminals will remain open Thursday and Friday, though crews won’t load or unload vessels between noon Thursday and 1 p.m. Friday due to concerns about high winds.
— Staff writers Michael Kanell, Mirtha Donastorg, Zachary Hansen and Adam Van Brimmer
[10 a.m.]: Centennial Yards, the $5 billion redevelopment of downtown Atlanta’s Gulch, is preparing its construction site to withstand Hurricane Helene’s damaging winds.
Three tower cranes are being used for the construction of two high-rises at the site, which is near Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Project lead Brian McGowan said Thursday that the crew is “working to tighten up the construction site and make sure that the two buildings under construction are safe and secure in case of high winds.” That involves laying down some of the cranes for safety, he added.
Centennial Yards’ other operations have pivoted to remote work on Thursday and Friday.
— Staff writer Zachary Hansen
[9:30 a.m.]: A steady stream of shoppers headed into the Kroger on Glenwood Avenue on Thursday morning. But as lines grew inside the store, supplies like bottled water and bread were already dwindling.
Kim Shashy, a Grant Park resident, was among those stocking up on essentials. Shashy, who is originally from Florida, has dealt with hurricanes before, but the possibility of tropical storm-force winds blowing through Atlanta with its extensive tree canopy concerns her.
Credit: Drew Kann
Credit: Drew Kann
“I live in an old house with big trees around it so yeah, it’s always a little scary,” she said.
The gas pumps outside the store, meanwhile, were fairly quiet. A few customers filled their tanks as a light rain fell, but there were no lines.
At the Target along North Druid Hills Road, there was a constant flow of customers.
Storm prep essentials were in high demand, with employees seen restocking both the bread and paper goods aisles.
Tommy Gilfert picked up bread, water, toilet paper and other supplies. The Florida native is no hurricane rookie.
”You always want to think it won’t be bad,” he said. “But you have to be ready in case it’s worse than you hoped.”
— Staff writers Drew Kann and Zachary Hansen
[9:15 a.m.]: The Georgia Emergency Management Agency is urging residents to make sure they are prepared for the possibility of major flooding.
Authorities advise that storm preparations should be completed as early as possible.
Find more tips on how to prepare for the hurricane here.
[8 a.m.]: Dave Nadler from the National Weather Service will join “Politically Georgia” today to talk about Helene’s impacts. The show begins at 10 a.m. on WABE 90.1.
[7:45 a.m.]: Hurricane Helene has been upgraded to a Category 2 storm, according to the National Hurricane Center.
That means it has sustained windspeeds of 100 mph. It is situated about 320 miles southwest of Tampa and is moving at 12 mph.
ORIGINAL STORY: Hurricane Helene will make landfall as a major storm along Florida’s Big Bend region Thursday evening, and its impact will be felt throughout Georgia.
As of Thursday morning, the storm is still swirling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico as a strong Category 1 hurricane with sustained windspeeds of 90 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. Over the next few hours, it is expected to gain speed and strengthen as it closes in on the coast.
Once it reaches 96 mph winds it will graduate to a Category 2. A Category 3 is declared once wind speeds reach 111 mph. A Category 4 would mean windspeeds have reached 130 mph.
After landfall, Helene will continue its quick northward march, potentially holding on to Category 1 hurricane-force winds by the time the eye of the storm reaches metro Atlanta.
“This is a big deal,” Channel 2 Action News Chief Meteorologist Brad Nitz said
Widespread damage is expected across the state, according to the National Weather Service. Storm preparations should be completed as early as possible, officials warn.
Tropical storm conditions are expected as far north as the southern Appalachians in Tennessee and North Carolina. Still, gusts up to 80 mph can be expected well into North Georgia.
Already, between 2 and 4 inches of rain have fallen ahead of the storm thanks to what is known as a “predecessor rainstorm,” according to the NWS. Even more rain is expected throughout Thursday before the storm arrives. In all, some areas in Georgia could see up to 8 inches of rainfall, the NHC predicts.
With so much rain, flooding is a major concern. Most of Georgia is under a moderate risk for flooding, with the state’s northeastern corner under a high risk.
The flooding, coupled with hurricane-force winds, will cause trees to fall, taking power lines with them starting Thursday afternoon. The threat will remain mostly to the east of a line that stretches from Helen to Peachtree City to Columbus and will spread northward overnight, the NWS warns.
The good news is that with Helene moving so quickly, the persistent rain should start to taper off by Friday, the NWS predicts. Some lingering flooding conditions will remain for some of the larger rivers, but water levels should recede over the weekend.
Dryer weather will set in for the first half of next week, though some areas could still see a few showers.
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