10/08/2026
Macon County and Surrounding Area
Here is the update as we know today.
Hurricane Isaias continues to strengthen as it turns north towards the Gulf Coast. It is currently a Category 1 hurricane and is forecast to make landfall at Category 2 strength on Friday evening near Gulf Shores or Pensacola. Heavy rain and gusty winds could begin in Southwest Georgia as early as Friday afternoon, but the main window for impacts across much of Georgia will be Friday night through early Sunday morning. Even though the core of the system is forecast to move through Alabama, much of the heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and tornado threat will be on the eastern side of the storm impacting Georgia.
The primary threat to Georgia from Isaias will be gusty winds. A Tropical Storm Warning has already been issued for several counties in Southwest Georgia. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for much of western Georgia, and a High Wind Watch has been issued for most of North Georgia. Sustained winds of 20-30 mph with gusts of 40-50 mph are expected between Friday night and Saturday night across both the Watch and Warning areas. Peak gusts could reach higher values, especially in Southwest Georgia closer to the core of the system and in the higher elevations of the North Georgia mountains. Downed trees and powerlines could cause prolonged power outages and debris issues, and travel could become difficult from gusty winds across much of Georgia on Friday night and Saturday.
A secondary but significant threat will be the risk for tornadoes overnight Friday and throughout the day on Saturday. The Storm Prediction Center has placed Southwest and West-Central Georgia under a Slight Risk for severe weather on Saturday. Heavy rainfall is also expected across much of the state, particularly in Southwest Georgia Friday night and Saturday morning as the core of Isaias moves inland. Widespread flooding is not anticipated, but areas that receive heavy rainfall could see isolated flash flooding on Saturday.
Please continue to monitor updates from the National Hurricane Center, your local National Weather Service office, and reliable media outlets through the weekend. We will try to keep passing on information as we get it also. Be prepared for potentially significant wind impacts and power outages before the system begins impacting Georgia tomorrow. Make sure you can receive tornado warnings overnight Friday through Saturday.
