Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and state emergency officials have provided another update on Tropical Storm Ian. The update comes as the storm was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm overnight.
Ian weakened overnight and is now a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph. It is currently moving off the east-central coast of Florida to the northeast at 8 mph.
The forecast track has shifted to the east since yesterday, and Ian is expected to make a second landfall as a tropical storm in South Carolina tomorrow.
This has also shifted potential impacts to Georgia eastward. Heavy rainfall of 2 to 4 inches of accumulation and gusty winds of 30 to 40 mph will still be possible in East and Southeast Georgia today and tomorrow. 3 to 5 feet of storm surge is still possible along the Georgia coast today and tomorrow morning.
The storm will weaken inland overnight Friday before dissipating throughout the day on Saturday.
Significant impacts are still possible in eastern portions of Georgia even with the eastward track shift. A Tropical Storm Warning, Hurricane Watch, Storm Surge Warning, and Flood Watch remain in effect for the entire Georgia coast through tomorrow.
A Wind Advisory is also in effect for much of North and Central Georgia. Please continue to monitor forecast updates from the National Hurricane Center, your local National Weather Service office, and reliable media outlets.
Several Florida residents have come to Georgia over the past several days to escape the storm. Georgia tourism officials say there is still reliable hotel/motel availability with sufficient capacity to meet demand.
The tourism division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development has activated the Explore Georgia hurricane information webpage to help travelers and evacuees impacted by Tropical Storm Ian find hotel room openings and lodging availability, hours of operation for the state’s nine Visitor Information Centers, and links to emergency resources.
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