Hurricane Isaias Approaches the Gulf Coast - Wet and Windy Weekend Ahead

Good evening, Athens and North Georgia. We hope you've had a great week!

There is a lot of buzz about Hurricane Isaias in the Gulf, and it impacts this weekend. We will talk about it, but after a brief chat about tonight and tomorrow's conditions.

Clouds associated with Isaias have moved into Georgia this afternoon and will stick around tonight and tomorrow. This will keep us much warmer tonight than we have been the past few nights, with a low of 63 degrees in Athens and 62 degrees in Canton. Tomorrow, the clouds will limit the high to 76 degrees in both Athens and Canton.

Now, this weekend. Impacts are expected between Saturday morning and Sunday morning, including long-duration strong wind gusts of 30-40+ mph (downed power lines and trees), 1-3 inches, and localized amounts of 5 inches of rain that will lead to localized flash/river flooding, and isolated spin-up tornadoes. Messages have been put out by the National Weather Service and the Storm Prediction Center regarding these hazards: A High Wind Watch is in effect from Saturday morning to Sunday morning for much of north Georgia, a Flood Watch is in effect from late Friday night through Sunday morning, and a Marginal (1/5) Risk for Severe Thunderstorms is in effect on Saturday.

To prepare for this weekend, keep your phone charged in case of lost power. If you can avoid driving, do so; it only takes 6 inches of rushing water to knock over an adult and 18-24 inches to carry away a car. Be prepared to take cover in case of a tornado; know where your safe space is in your home, work, and where you study.

If you venture out to watch the Georgia vs. Alabama game, ensure to keep these hazards in mind. The AthHalf event coordinators sent a statement this morning: "Due to the dynamic nature of this storm front, we will hold off on making decisions about cancelling or delaying the races until we are certain we can no longer guarantee runners' safety on the course."

The WeatherDawgs will be actively monitoring the situation from today onward and will go live from the studio if necessary. Also check the NWS Atlanta/Peachtree City, GA page for updates.

Be safe this weekend, and as always, GO DAWGS!

EK