Hurricanes and Tropical Storms are massive spinning low pressure systems that start out as clusters of thunderstorms over land, then move into open water and strengthen. In coastal areas, there is a high risk of flooding and wind damage from tropical systems. Here in midwest Georgia, we are usually spared the worst of tropical weather events, but we do often see the effects of storms that strike the gulf coast. Our most common threat is minor to moderate flooding due to slow-moving rains as the remnants of the storm pass over our area. In addition, it is not at all uncommon to have tropical storm strength wind gusts here as these systems pass through. The soggy ground allows these winds to topple trees that might have otherwise stood firm. We also have to watch out for the possiblity of tornadoes in these rain bands as they move through. Tornadoes inside already-rotating tropical systems are notoriously difficult to predict and can form with absolutely no warning at all. And then there are those rare events where we see widespread damage due to still-strong tropical systems, like Hurricane Opal in 1995.
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