As the catastrophic Hurricane Helene barrels towards Atlanta, it’s imperative that you know how to stay safe. With possibly life-threatening impacts like flooding and wind, you want to have all the information you need to stay safe.
What’s going on with Helene right now?
Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina governors have all declared states of emergency for their respective states.
According to a new report from Deadline,
Helene continues to strengthen as it barrels toward the Florida Gulf Coast and south Georgia and is now a Category 2 hurricane. The storm is expected to make landfall along the Big Bend of Florida later tonight or early Friday morning as a major hurricane, Category 3 or higher.
The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency says,
the potential for 8-12 inches of rainfall in North and Central Georgia, including all of Metro Atlanta, will lead to a significant risk of flash flooding on Thursday and Friday. The Weather Prediction Center has issued a rare High Risk (level 4 of 4) for flash flooding in Northeast Georgia – the same risk level issued for Hurricane Debby in Southeast Georgia last month.
With torrential rain, and powerful wind, we should also be on alert for tornados. Check in with your local news stations and be alert as weather changes.
Here’s what you can do to stay safe
If you need shelter, you can find a list of shelter locations HERE.- Know what’s going on. It’s a good idea to monitor weather reports and updates from the National Hurricane Center. You will also be able to see if any disasters are declared in Georgia on the FEMA website here.
- Make sure your phone and devices are all charged up. Just in case you lose power, you want to have as much of a charge as possible!
- Close outdoor umbrellas and bring in those outdoor plants. If you’ve got outdoor objects like grills, patio furniture, plants or anything else, secure it down. In heavy winds, these objects could become projectile and seriously harm people or property.
- Make sure you’ve got some non-perishable food at home. This doesn’t mean run to the store and buy every can of soup. Just make sure you’ve got a couple days’ worth of food, batteries, and other essentials, just in case you need it.
- Have a plan in place. Write down emergency contacts, make sure you know where your children and others in your care are. Include inventory of valuables, just in case they get damaged. You can find resources and alert rescue teams/response teams for Georgia HERE.
- Know your evacuation routes. You can get more information on evacuation routes here.
- Do NOT cross flood water. Whether walking or driving, do not cross pools of water, especially if it’s moving. You can’t tell how deep it is, what’s in it, or anything else about it.
- Stay inside. This might seem like a no-brainer, but if you are able, take shelter during the storm. You don’t want to be caught outside in heavy rains and wind. If at all possible, AVOID TRAVEL.
Cancellations
- According to Deadline, “The impending storm forced Major League Baseball to reschedule two crucial late-season games between the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets. The two wild-card hopefuls instead will play a doubleheader Monday — one day before the MLB Playoffs start.”
- Piedmont Park’s 120th birthday party is also cancelled for 9/26.
- Out on Film has postponed the opening night screenings of the festival from Sept. 26 to Oct. 7, according to Rough Draft Atlanta.
- The Georgia Latino Film Festival has been rescheduled. New dates will come soon.
- Atlanta Public Schools canceled classes for Thursday and Friday.
If you had plans, check in with that location before heading out to see if they are still open. And we cannot stress enough: if you are able to, avoid travel. Unless, of course, you are otherwise advised to evacuate by city or state officials.
When will Hurricane Helene leave Atlanta?
According to new news updates from Atlanta News First, meteorologists predict the bulk of the rainfall from Helene should be over by Friday morning around 10am.