The Latest: Georgia island mayor weighing storm evacuations

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) The Latest on preparations in Georgia for Hurricane Matthew (all times local):

11:15 a.m.

The mayor of Georgia's largest public beach says local officials are still weighing whether to ask 3,000 Tybee Island residents to evacuate as Hurricane Matthew approaches the U.S. East Coast.

Tybee Island Mayor Jason Buelterman said he was prepared to issue a local evacuation order Wednesday morning but held back after forecasts showed the storm slowing in its approach. Tybee Island is located about 18 miles east of Savannah.

Buelterman said Tybee officials would re-evaluate possible evacuations later Wednesday.

The National Hurricane Center predicts Matthew will move dangerously close to the Atlantic coasts of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas in the coming days. Forecasters say it's still too soon to know the storm's precise path.

Gov. Nathan Deal has declared a state of emergency in 13 Georgia counties.



11:10 a.m.

About 17,000 people living on islands on the Georgia coast are being urged to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Matthew.

Commissioners in coastal Glynn County called Wednesday for a voluntary evacuation of four islands in its jurisdiction St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Jekyll Island and Little St. Simons Island.

The National Weather Service predicts powerful Hurricane Matthew will move in dangerously close to the coasts of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas in the coming days.

Gov. Nathan Deal has declared a state of emergency for 13 Georgia counties on and near the state's 100 miles of coastline.

Glynn County officials said public schools in Glynn County will cancel classes starting Thursday and government offices are scheduled to close Friday.



10 a.m.

Public schools in the Savannah area have closed as coastal Georgia prepares for possible impacts from Hurricane Matthew.

The Savannah-Chatham County school board has cancelled classes Wednesday through Friday because of the weather threat. On Wednesday morning, the powerful storm was churning northward through the Bahamas with its dangerous winds still more than 700 miles from the Georgia coast.

The National Weather Service predicts Matthew will move close to the Atlantic coasts of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas in the coming days.

Gov. Nathan Deal has declared a state of emergency for 13 Georgia counties and ordered state emergency management officials to work closely with local agencies.