Savannah Remains Under Hurricane Watch: National Weather Service

SAVANNAH, GA — Savannah is under a tropical storm warning, storm surge watch and hurricane watch as monster storm Hurricane Irma— some 400 miles across as it approached southwest Florida Sunday morning — heads north. The warning is in place to urge residents to prepare for high winds, downed trees and widespread power outages.

The latest local forecast predicts tropical storm force wind Monday morning until Monday afternoon. Savannah residents can expect 30-40 mph winds with gusts to 55 mph.

Because of the wet spring and early summer, the strong winds will easily bring trees down across the area which will also lead to widespread power outages. Residents should be prepared in some cases to be without power for several days and stock up on supplies accordingly. Tropical storm force winds are expected to move out of the area late Monday night.

Watch: Hurricane Irma Officially Arrives In Florida

A flash flood watch is also in effect since an additional 4-8 inches of rain is expected, the advisory says.

>> (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.)

The tornado threat has remained nearly steady from Saturday. The condition is favorable to tornados and residents are urged to listen for tornado watches and warnings. A few places may experience tornado damage, along with power and communications disruptions.

The National Hurricane Center track has Irma starting its track northward and strengthening slightly before making landfall along the west coast of Florida. The storm will then pick up speed as it continues north into portions of south central Georgia as a weakening category one hurricane.

See Also:

• Hurricane Irma: Savannah Curfew Imposed
  
• Mandatory Evacuation Orders Lifted In Parts Of Chatham County: Hurricane Irma
• Hurricane Watch Issued For Savannah: National Weather Service
• Hurricane Irma: Evacuation Zone Times For Chatham County
• Hurricane Irma: List Of Georgia Evacuation Shelters, Where To Take Pets
• Hurricane Irma: Savannah Evacuees Get Free Bus Service To Staging Area
• Hurricane Irma: Check Savannah Grocery Store Hours Here

Meteorologists at the NWS office in Peachtree City caution that the areas included in watches and warnings could change as the hurricane makes its way up Florida.

A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for Baldwin, Barrow, Bibb, Bleckley, Carroll, Chattahoochee, Clarke, Cobb, Crawford, Crisp, DeKalb, Dodge, Dooly, Douglas, Emanuel, Glascock, Gwinnett, Haralson, Harris, Houston, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Laurens, Macon, Madison, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Muscogee, Newton, North Fulton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Peach, Pulaski, Rockdale, Schley, South Fulton, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Twiggs, Walton, Washington, Webster, Wheeler, Wilcox, Wilkes, and Wilkinson counties.

National Weather Service Images