The Atlantic hurricane season begins today and AccessWDUN Meteorologist John Wetherbee said there are a few ways North Georgians can prepare.
He said it is too soon to say exactly what to expect as far as this year's season, but North Georgia does not get hit by hurricanes like coastal Georgia.
"We've had several tropical cyclones that have made it up to North Georgia, producing locally heavy rainfall, and in some cases, storms have actually still had tropical storm strength in terms of winds," Wetherbee said. "We don't have several of the hurricane components that many other folks have, especially along the Georgia coast."
Some of the hurricane components include storm surges and tidal flooding. However, Wetherbee said freshwater flooding is a big concern for North Georgia because of the topography.
"Storms tend to collapse as they hit the Appalachians. They will start to rain themselves out," Wetherbee said. "That's where we get significant rainfall amounts with some embedded thunderstorms and even some isolated tornadoes."
As for advice on how to best prepare for the upcoming season, Wetherbee recommended checking in with family and friends who live along the coast. He said they have to figure out evacuation routes they may have to take to avoid a storm.
"For us, it becomes a matter of understanding evacuations," Wetherbee said. "People are leaving a certain area because of the storms they tend to come to North Georgia."
Hotels can fill up as people evacuate, and Wetherbee said it is especially difficult for those with pets to find refuge.
June is considered to be a "slow month," meaning there is very little hurricane activity. The peak months are traditionally August, September and October but Wetherbee said there is no guarantee that there will not be a hurricane in June or November.
