Irma brought record rain for Macon, rocked Georgia with near hurricane force wind

Tropical Storm Irma whipped Georgia Monday with winds gusting to near hurricane strength and relentless rain.

Preliminary peak wind gusts from the National Weather Service showed Fort Pulaski and Fort Screven on the Georgia coast hit 70 mph.

On Tybee Island, wind gusted to 65 mph, and the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport recorded a gust of 64 mph just after 3 p.m., just 10 mph less than minimal hurricane force.

The Middle Georgia Regional Airport clocked a gust of 61 mph just before 1 p.m.

The winds ripped apart the plywood fence at Luther Williams Field in Macon’s Central City Park and soaked the outfield with heavy rains that left behind a mini-pond.

The old evergreen tree outside the Macon-Bibb County Government Center also was destroyed. The green boughs were still decorated with lights, as the fir had served as the community’s Christmas tree through the years. It was damaged years ago in another storm.

Other wind highlights include 57 mph at Little Ocmulgee State Park, 54 mph in Perry and Dublin, 53 mph in Cordele and Columbus, and 52 mph near Robins Air Force Base.

As far as rainfall, St. Mary’s River near Kingsland recorded 10.12 inches of rain, while Savannah had 6.88 inches at Hunter Army Airfield.

Macon set a daily rainfall record with 3.26 inches at Middle Georgia Regional Airport, breaking the prior record of .91 set last year.

Although the region was under a flash flood watch, no major flooding problems were reported in Middle Georgia.

The Ocmulgee River is expected to rise only about a foot over flood stage of 18 feet later this week.

This story was originally published September 12, 2017 at 9:53 AM with the headline "Irma brought record rain for Macon, rocked Georgia with near hurricane force wind."