A new tropical storm named Melissa is slowly moving in the Caribbean Sea. Forecasters say its future path is uncertain, which means Georgians should pay attention over the next week.
What’s Happening: Tropical Storm Melissa is in the central Caribbean Sea with winds of about 50 mph. It is moving very slowly to the west, and forecasters expect it to become a hurricane late this weekend or early next week.
- The storm is currently bringing heavy rain and a flood risk to parts of the Caribbean, including Haiti and Jamaica.
- Forecast models disagree on where the storm will go. Some show a turn toward the U.S., while others show a path into Central America.
What’s Important: The main thing for Georgians to know is that the storm’s path is not yet clear. While the immediate risk to the state is low, some forecasts show the storm could turn north, which would bring rain and wind to Georgia.
Potential Georgia Impacts: If the storm does track toward the state, Georgia could see several impacts. These include heavy rain in low-lying areas, coastal flooding, higher surf and rip currents, and possible power outages from wind.
The Big Picture: The official forecast from the National Hurricane Center currently focuses on the storm’s impact on the Caribbean islands. Any potential threat to the United States, including Georgia, would not be for several days.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
