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LATEST UPDATE 9/27/2024 – EVENT ENDED
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LATEST UPDATE 9/26/2024 – 6PM
POWER OUTAGES: CARROLL EMC GEORGIA POWER NEWNAN UTILITIES GREYSTONE COWETA FAYETTE
Helene is now forecast to become a Category 4 storm before landfall
· Hurricane Warnings have been extended northward to now include Pike, Spalding, Butts, Jasper, Jones, Wilkinson, Laurens, Wheeler.
· For the ATL Metro area, Strong TS winds are expected, and Hurricane Force Wind Gusts will be possible near and particularly east of the center as it approaches.
· Wind Gusts for West Georgia – Forecast Wind Gusts for West Georgia have increased to 58 to 73 MPH.
· Reiterating: Widespread Tree damage and power outages are expected with these winds.
A Flood Warning has been issued for Carroll County for the Chattahoochee River at Whitesburg from Friday morning through Sunday morning
A Tropical Storm Warning and a Flood Watch are in effect for West Georgia and East Alabama through 2:00 pm Friday
AGW ICE CREAM: Due to the potential of hazardous conditions tonight we will be closing at 8pm. We plan to be open regular hours tomorrow (12-10). We will update you as we know more. Be safe!!
The Avenue PTC: Will have a delayed opening at 12pm tomorrow.
MAMA’s Closed 9/27
Carroll Co Gov: All courts and administrative offices will be closed tomorrow due to the threat of high winds and potential flooding, especially in the early hours of Friday morning when many will be commuting to work.
LATEST UPDATE 9/26/2024 2PM-6PM
POWER OUTAGES: 71 – CARROLL EMC 10 – GEORGIA POWER 0 – NEWNAN UTILITIES 14 – GREYSTONE 1 – COWETA FAYETTE
*power outages are not updated every hour, there could be several hours with no update, click the power company to see map
Auto Gallery closing at 3 today, may delay tomorrow opening, will make a determination in morning.
316 Healthcare closing at 4:30 today, urgent care may open by 1 tomorrow.
Moes Carrollton and VR Captain D’s closing at 6pm tonight
CFA closing at 8
Sprinkles closed tomorrow
Ashley Park closing at 4 today
Central High will play 9/30 at 7pm instead of tomorrow
Please see the information below from the National Weather Service Hurricane Helene Briefing today.
- A Tropical Storm Warning and a Flood Watch are in effect for West Georgia and East Alabama through 2:00 pm Friday
- A Flood Warning has been issued for Carroll County for the Chattahoochee River at Whitesburg from Friday morning through Sunday morning
- Helene is now a Category 2 Hurricane and expected to intensify to a Major Hurricane (cat 3+) before making landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida
- This could be an unprecedented event for north and Central Georgia given the expected track and strength of Helene
- Forecast track now has the Hurricane moving over Atlanta which is slightly west from the earlier information today.
- Highest impacts
- Rainfall – Accumulated rainfall through 12 noon today is just over 3 inches in our area. Forecast 4-6 inches of additional rainfall in our area which would be a total of 7-9 inches in 48 hours
- Winds – Potential wind gusts of 39 to 70 mph are possible in our area. Tropical Storm Force winds are forecast to reach our area between 3:00 am and 6:00 am Friday morning
Additional updates will be emailed as received from the National Weather Service.
LATEST UPDATE 9/26/2024 10AM
POWER OUTAGES: 71 – CARROLL EMC 10 – GEORGIA POWER 0 – NEWNAN UTILITIES 14 – GREYSTONE 1 – COWETA FAYETTE
Newnan Coweta specific closures – The Newnan Times-Herald
The Carroll County AG Center will be closed 9/27 and the rabbit show has been canceled for 9/28
All Carroll County convenience centers that are open on Fridays will delay opening until 12 noon on Friday, September 27th.
Central H.S. game against the Jonesboro Cardinals has been cancelled for 9/27
Sail On Beach Boys Tribute scheduled for Thursday, September 26 at 7 PM has been postponed.
All Coweta Parks and Recreation gyms will be closed Thursday, September 26th and Friday, September 27th due to inclement weather as a result of Tropical Storm Helene. All daytime and evening youth and adult programming cancelled Thursday, September 26th and Friday, September 27th.
The KNB September 26, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. meeting has been cancelled. Please contact Keep Newnan Beautiful if you have any questions: https://www.keepnewnanbeautiful.org/contact
All 3:16 locations will close today at 4:30pm and remain closed tomorrow, September 27th. Urgent Care will tentatively open at 1:00pm on Friday, September 27th pending power status.
BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT / OVERVIEW:
- Flood Watch remains in effect for east Alabama and all of north and central Georgia
- Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for east Alabama and all of north and central Georgia
- High confidence for continued very heavy rain and significant flooding today and tonight
- 2 to 5 inches of rain have fallen so far with an additional 4 to 8 expected through tonight (see graphics below)
- Hurricane conditions with widespread gusts up to 60 mph expected tonight
- High chance (70%) of a core of 80+ mph gusts over parts of central Georgia and northeast Georgia mountains
- Widespread treefall and extended power outages expected
- Flooding will persist on larger creeks and rivers Friday and this weekend well after the rain
WHAT HAS CHANGED:
· Hurricane Warnings have been extended a little northward to include the cities of Thomaston, Barnesville and Forsyth.
· The forecast track has shifted slightly east from the 11 PM forecast, however wind and flooding impacts will still be seen over a wide area including areas west of the track.
LATEST UPDATE 9/25/2024 8PM
WHAT HAS CHANGED:
- Helene is now forecast to become a Category 4 storm before landfall. This could increase the wind impacts in our area.
- A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for all of Georgia and the Alabama counties that border the Georgia state line. A Tropical Storm Warning means Tropical Storm force winds are expected in the warned area within 36 hours.
- Hurricane Warnings have been extended into Georgia as far north as Columbus/Macon
- Our area has already received 2-3 inches of rain today and more rain is expected overnight tonight and tomorrow prior to the arrival of Hurricane Helene
- Wind gusts could exceed 60 mph in our area overnight Thursday night into Friday morning.
LATEST UPDATE 9/25/2024 6PM
Our area is now under a Tropical Storm Warning
Due to inclement weather, WGTC will close all campuses at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 26 and will remain closed through Friday, September 27.
All Coweta schools and school events canceled for Thursday, September 26 and Friday, September 27
Due to the potential threat of severe weather overnight Thursday and into Friday, Carroll County School System is canceling all after school extracurricular activities for Thursday, September 26. Friday, September 27 will be a Distance Learning Day for all students. All employees will work remotely to support Distance Learning and other work requirements. A decision on Friday night football games will be made based on storm impacts Friday.
The University of West Georgia is closely monitoring the effects of Hurricane Helene, with the safety and well-being of our community as our highest priority. As a precaution, UWG will adjust its operations starting at 2 p.m. on Thursday and continuing through all day Friday, with classes transitioning to an online format.
LATEST UPDATE: 9/25/2024 1PM
TOPICAL STORM WATCH ISSUED – Click here
The National Weather Service held a Special Weather Briefing in reference to Hurricane Helene. Please see below for the update from that briefing.
- A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for West Georgia and a Flood Watch has been issued for East Alabama and West Georgia through 2:00 pm Friday
- Helene is now a hurricane and expected to intensify to a Major Hurricane (cat 3+) over the eastern Gulf of Mexico by Thursday afternoon.
- This could be an unprecedented event for north and Central Georgia given the expected track and strength of Helene
- Notable changes from earlier updates:
- Helene is currently forecast to take a left turn (west) – which puts much of our area under a higher rain and wind threat.
- Rainfall totals are forecast higher than previously
- Heavy rain later today and tonight ahead of Helene which could act to enhance FLASH FLOODING across the area.
- Highest impacts
- Rainfall – Forecast 6-10 inches with isolated areas of 12+ inches
- Winds – Potential wind gusts of 58 to 73 mph are possible in our area
Additional updates will be emailed as received from the National Weather Service.
LATEST UPDATE: 9/25/2024 9AM
Tropical Storm Helene is forecast to become a major hurricane as it approaches the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend. The NWS confidence in impacts to our area is now high. This system will likely be large in size, so impacts will extend far from the storm center and will begin well before the storm center arrives in the forecast area.
WHAT HAS CHANGED
- A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for portions of central Georgia and is in effect until 2 PM Friday.
- A High Risk (level 4 of 4) has been issued for northeast Georgia tomorrow (Thursday) for excessive rainfall and flash flooding.
TIMING/THREAT WINDOW
- Today and tonight: heavy rainfall and localized flash flooding (not associated with Helene) is expected across portions of north and central Georgia, especially roughly along the I-85 corridor.
- Thursday and Friday: Helene will bring heavy rainfall, tropical storm force winds, and the potential for short-lived tornadoes.
LOCAL IMPACTS
- Heavy rainfall could lead to flash flooding today and/or tonight (not associated with Helene) across portions of north and central Georgia, especially roughly along the I-85 corridor. Current forecasts indicate rainfall accumulation of 4-6 inches are possible in East Alabama and West Georgia with isolated amounts of 8+ inches possible.
- Helene will bring heavy rainfall on Thursday and Friday. The threat for significant flash flooding is increasing, along with river flooding.
- The previously issued Flood Watch remains in effect across the entire forecast area until 2 PM Friday. Widespread rainfall totals of 4-8 inches are expected, with localized totals up to 10 inches.
- Tropical storm force winds are expected to begin Thursday evening from south to north and continue north overnight into Friday morning in our area.
- Short-lived tornadoes will be possible across east-central Georgia Thursday night into early Friday morning, with the greatest potential for areas east of the center of Helene.
FUTURE FORECAST UPDATES
- Email updates will continue daily
- Carroll County EMA will host the National Weather Service live webinar today at 12:30 PM at the Carroll County Emergency Operations Center.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE
Medium to high confidence on the level and timing of impacts.
