Tropical Storm Nicole not expected to pose threat in Albany area

ALBANY — With Tropical Storm Nicole expected to strengthen to hurricane status before moving ashore in Florida on Thursday local officials are keeping an eye on the system but don’t expect it to be a menace to southwest Georgia.

The storm is expected to bring torrential rain and heavy winds as a Category 1 hurricane to the Sunshine State, which is still reeling from the late-September Hurricane Ian that killed more than 100 residents.

The large system is expected to take a northward path through Georgia to the east of the Albany area.

“We’re watching,” Albany Fire Department Assistant Chief Sebon Burns said Tuesday. “We’ll keep an eye on all our resources. It is a minimal concern right now.

“It’s like anything else. Sometimes the (path prediction) models go a certain way and then they turn a different way. We’ll keep watching it.”

Burns said local officials are getting regular updates from the National Weather Service and other sources.

While Nicole isn’t expected to threaten the region, it’s always a good idea to have a hurricane kit on hand and be prepared for when a storm does strike, the assistant chief said.

“We would also say have your weather radios handy,” he said.

Dougherty County residents can stay on top of weather conditions by signing up for the county’s CodeRed Emergency Notification System. The service can send emergency alerts by phone, text and email.

To sign up, visit https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/B2AAC5C89B60, or call the Albany Fire Department at (229) 431-3262 Monday through Friday.

Hurricane season runs through the end of November.

File PhotoSpecial Image: National Weather Service