Tropical Storm Dorian: Georgia Keeping An Eye Storm's Path

GEORGIA — Hurricane season is upon us, and the first big storm near the U.S. is brewing in the Caribbean this week. Tropical Storm Dorian is tracking toward Florida, but experts are still unsure as to where - or if - the storm will make landfall in the U.S.

Weather experts are saying it is too early to start predicting what impacts Georgia could see with any certainty, but they do advise monitoring reliable sources over the next few days.

Tropical Storm Dorian began moving across the Lesser Antilles earlier Tuesday morning with a track that is expected to impact several islands across the Caribbean Sea, the National Weather Service said. Due to this interaction, uncertainty is high regarding the track, intensity, and impacts this system could have in the Southeastern U.S.

The NWS said it will likely gain more certainty in the next couple of days after Tropical Storm Dorian moves past Puerto Rico and Hispaniola Wednesday night into Thursday. From there, it moves through the Bahamas, winding up near West Palm Beach, Florida, late Saturday night.

Although it's far out, the impacts for the area look to primarily be increased chances for heavy rainfall for the first half of next week, including portions of the Labor Day weekend.

Dorian was moving through the Windward Islands Tuesday morning with sustained winds of 50 mph. The National Hurricane Center now keeps the system under hurricane strength in its forecast through Saturday.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Chatham Emergency Management Agency near Savannah said Tropical Storm Dorian is located 1,834 miles southeast of Savannah, moving west northwest at 13 mph, with sustained winds of 50 mph.

WJCL in Savannah said the Labor Day forecast will all depend on the track of Dorian. Some models bring in a lot tropical moisture into the area. So, there could be a good chance for rain on Monday.

While hurricanes pose the greatest threat to life and property, tropical storms and depression also can be devastating, the NWS said. The primary hazards from tropical cyclones (which include tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes) are storm surge flooding, inland flooding from heavy rains, destructive winds, tornadoes, and high surf and rip currents.

• Storm surge is the abnormal rise of water generated by a storm's winds. This hazard is historically the leading cause of hurricane related deaths in the United States. Storm surge and large battering waves can result in large loss of life and cause massive destruction along the coast.
• Storm surge can travel several miles inland, especially along bays, rivers, and estuaries.
• Flooding from heavy rains is the second leading cause of fatalities from landfalling tropical cyclones. Widespread torrential rains associated with these storms often cause flooding hundreds of miles inland. This flooding can persist for several days after a storm has dissipated.
• Winds from a hurricane can destroy buildings and manufactured homes. Signs, roofing material, and other items left outside can become flying missiles during hurricanes.
• Tornadoes can accompany landfalling tropical cyclones. These tornadoes typically occur in rain bands well away from the center of the storm.
• Dangerous waves produced by a tropical cyclone's strong winds can pose a significant hazard to coastal residents and mariners. These waves can cause deadly rip currents, significant beach erosion, and damage to structures along the coastline, even when the storm is more than a 1,000 miles offshore.

Patch Editor Michael Seale contributed to this article.