ATLANTA — With a lot of uncertainty in the coming days, Gov. Brian Kemp and other state officials are planning for what could come from Hurricane Ian.
Kemp announced that he, along with the director of the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS), have ordered the activation of the State Operations Center on Monday, Sept. 26, to prepare for any potential impact from the storm later in the week.
Kemp said that the state will be ready and prepared for whatever the storm brings to Georgia.
The current track takes it up near Florida by Thursday as a Category 4 major hurricane. The remnants are then forecast to track north into central Georgia, which would send tropical moisture in our direction.
"I urge my fellow Georgians to monitor this storm as it evolves and calmly take the necessary precautions to keep their families and neighbors safe, if the storm continues to intensify," he added.
"We are leaving nothing to chance and will closely monitor the storm's evolution throughout the week," Kemp said in a tweet.
After rapid intensification starting late Sunday, Ian become a hurricane by early Monday. It will enter the Gulf of Mexico as a major hurricane. But the final landfall location is still uncertain.
The State Operations Center is a multi-agency coordination center used by state, federal, local, and volunteer agencies, as well as private sector organizations, to respond to disasters or emergencies that require a coordinated state response, according to the governor's office. It also includes the state's 24-hour warning system.
For the latest forecast and track model for Hurricane Ian, click here.
