Here’s what to expect as Tropical Storm Elsa hits Middle Georgia with rain, wind

Gov. Brian Kemp issued a state of emergency Tuesday for 92 counties in middle, south, and southeast Georgia in preparation for the impact of then-Hurricane Elsa, but the storm is expected to do minimal damage in the Macon area.

How will Elsa affect Middle Georgia?

What is left of Tropical Storm Elsa is expected to bring rain to Middle Georgia as it passes through the Peach State; the rainfall is predicted to be that of a typical summer thunderstorm.

Bibb, Crawford, Jones, Monroe, and Twiggs counties should all see plenty of rain.

According to meteorologist Katie Martin for the Nation Weather Service’s Peachtree City office, the Middle Georgia will experience minimal impact as the storm passes through Georgia. The heaviest rain will occur by the Georgia coast in the Savannah and Charleston area.

“Right now it’s just dusty winds, and some lighting strikes,” said Martin. “Typical level of awareness for any summer thunderstorm, just make sure you have a way to know all weather updates.”

When will it hit?

Elsa’s path will pass through Middle Georgia with no more than an inch in a half of rain between Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning. Winds are predicted to be 20-25 miles per hour between 8 p.m. Wednesday and 2 a.m. Thursday. Minor flooding is a possibility.

How to prepare

Potential power outages may occur. To best prepare, the National Weather Service encourages people to stay updated with weather updates by paying attention to local news outlets, downloading the weather app, and visiting the NWS website.

Also, Georgia Power’s Storm site allows customers to sign up for reports and check the status of ongoing outages.