Worst of Irma still to hit Macon, Middle Georgia

Tropical storm force winds kicked up early Monday in Middle Georgia as Hurricane Irma was weakening north of Tampa.

Trees snapped across the region, and others were blown over by gusts nearing 50 mph in some locations.

The Checkers sign at Riverside Drive and Spring Street blew apart and littered the normally busy intersection.

Frederick Thornton had a tree fall on his car on Pierce Avenue while he was on the way to work after 5 a.m. Another vehicle ran into the same tree before Bibb County sheriff’s deputies could block off the road and alert drivers to the danger by flashing blue strobes to light up the darkness.

Later in the morning, most people were heeding warnings and staying off the roads that are now wet and in some cases covered with slippery leaves and small limbs.

The most dangerous portion of the storm is still ahead.

Gusts of 70 mph are expected in Middle Georgia Monday afternoon and into the evening hours as the center circulation of the hurricane remnants moves northward.

At 11 a.m. Monday, the National Hurricane Center reported the downgraded Tropical Storm Irma was 70 miles east of Tallahassee, Florida, with sustained winds of 60 mph as the storm moved to the north-northwest at near 17 mph.

Irma remains a huge tropical cyclone with tropical storm force winds of at least 34 mph extending 415 miles from the center.

Before noon, rain covered Georgia from the storm that lashed the Florida Keys as a Category 4 storm at landfall Sunday morning.

A flash flood watch remains in effect until 8 a.m. Tuesday and river flooding is expected to follow later this week.

The Ocmulgee River could rise about 3 feet above flood stage in Macon, depending on how much rain falls.

Streets that typically flood during heavy thunderstorms and showers were already puddling with water Monday morning.

South Georgia is expected to see isolated storm totals of 8-15 inches of rain.

Central Georgia could see up to 10 inches of rain.

Tornadoes are still a possibility to the east of the center of the storm, particularly in the outer bands near the Georgia-South Carolina border. Keep in mind the tornadoes will be wrapped in rain and difficult to spot.

Georgia is expected to see 40-60 mph gusts through Monday night with some areas seeing 70 mph gusts.

This story was originally published September 11, 2017 at 11:39 AM with the headline "Worst of Irma still to hit Macon, Middle Georgia."