Atlanta Events category interest

Georgia will be impacted by Tropical Storm Helene. The unprecedented weather event is set to make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in Florida before affecting Georgia.

During a press conference on Sept. 25, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens gave a warning to residents about what will be expected over the next 48-72 hours.

“We want to assure our residents, our businesses and visitors, that preparations are well underway in Atlanta to deal with Hurricane Helene,” Dickens said. “Forecasters say Helene could be unprecedented for Georgia, and the governor has already declared a state of emergency for the entire state of Georgia. Forecast to say that we are in for some difficult weather events ahead. Right now, Atlanta is under a tropical storm watch as well as a flood watch.”

The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) warns of Helene bringing 4 to 8 inches of rain, with hurricane-level winds possible as far north as Macon, and advises residents to prepare for significant power outages.

GEMA urges residents to shelter in place, be ready to live without power for at least 72 hours, and to stay informed through official weather updates and apps.

Dickens shared that city officials have been proactive in the days leading up to the potential storm.

“Our Department of Watershed Management has been proactively working since we first learned of the possibility of Helene,” he said. ” They are cleaning out storm drains and making sure our low lying areas have all of the things that they need to divert water. Watershed Management has emergency response teams in place to address any issues that arise. They’re playing close attention and monitoring water flow in the city’s known flooding hot spots.”

Schools in the metro Atlanta area have also announced closings. School systems that will be closed Thursday and Friday include Atlanta Public Schools and Dekalb County Schools. Fulton County Schools, Clayton County Schools, and Gwinnett County Schools will be closed Friday.

In terms of colleges in the metro Atlanta area, Georgia State University, Georgia Tech, and Emory will offer remote-only classes on Thursday and Friday.

Morehouse and Spelman will close today at 2:30 p.m. and offer remote classes on Friday.

About Post Author