Cobb County Emergency Management Agency

As we wrap up Hurricane Preparedness Week, we hope these posts have helped you consider how prepared you are for a hurricane should we experience one. Preparedness doesn’t need to be expensive and extensive. It needs to be thoughtful and intentional.

The time to start preparing for hurricane season is today. Don’t wait until it is too late to gather some basic life necessities and prepare yourself and your loved ones for potentially severe weather. Keep an eye on the weather as we move into hurricane season, know your area’s risk for flooding, and have a plan of what you will do before, during, and after a storm.

If you have been reading these posts and feel ahead of the preparedness curve, we love that! Remember to review and refresh any plans you may have. Update family and friends on any changes you have to your preparedness plans. Check supplies for expiration dates, wear or weathering, and make sure that essential things like batteries and tools haven’t wandered off.

Preparedness starts before the storm. Make your plan today so when it’s time to put it into action, it’s one less thing you have to worry about.

Did you know that nearly half of hurricane-related fatalities happen after the storm? It’s easy to think the danger is over once the skies clear but recovery can be risky if you’re not careful. Here are some things to consider in the aftermath of a hurricane:

If you are forced to evacuate from an area, it’s best to wait until local officials say it is safe to return.

Hazards may include downed (and energized) powerlines, flooded roads and damaged bridges, and floodwaters which may contain debris, bacteria, and other hazards that may not be clearly visible.

Resources will be stretched thin after a hurricane, so it is important to be proactive about your own safety and wellbeing. Make sure you stay hydrated, don’t overexert yourself, and be mindful of how tired you are. Mistakes happen when our bodies need rest and we keep pushing them.

Carbon monoxide can be deadly and is often overlooked as a hazard. Generators should not be used indoors and should be at least 20 feet away from doors and windows when being used.

Be prepared to not have electricity and other luxuries restored in your area for a few days or even weeks depending on the severity of the hurricane. Be patient with emergency responders and utility crews as they make their way through the community. Help your neighbors and rally with your community as much as possible. Stay alert, listen to local officials, and protect yourself.

When you’re in the midst of riding out a hurricane, it's important to keep a few things in mind:

1. Putting as many walls as possible between you and outside is best. An interior bathroom is much better than a bedroom that shares a wall with outside.
2. Stay away from windows. Loose items and debris that is whipped around in the storm may shatter windows which puts you at risk for getting injured.
3. Stay indoors. Any damage that is done during the hurricane will still be there when it is all over.
4. Keep your emergency alerts ON. Put your phone into power saving mode and minimize use to keep the battery charged.
5. Use a NOAA weather radio for broadcasts and updates if possible.
6. If floodwaters start to enter your residence or the building you are in, move to the highest floor possible but avoid attics as there is no way to escape an attic if the water continues to rise.
7. Do not drive through flood waters. 12 inches of moving water can carry a vehicle. Turn around, don’t drown.
8. Do not wade through or swim in flood waters. Children should be kept from playing in flood waters.
9. Do not call 911 unless it is a true emergency. First responders will be working around the clock during the hurricane to serve the community. Do not tie up resources unnecessarily.
10. Be mindful of electricity. Downed powerlines may still be active and could pose a life-threatening risk. Do not drive over downed power lines.

Hurricanes can be unpredictable. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and stay alert.

Hurricane preparedness shouldn’t be a last-minute thing. While, historically, we do have some advance heads up that a hurricane is coming, we don’t want to get complacent and reliant on the heads up before we start planning.

Think about the items you have outside your home which could be damaged in strong winds (or be thrown around and damage other things). Patio furniture, umbrellas, potted plants, garden signs, and the like can all become projectiles during severe weather events. Plan to bring those into the home or garage before the weather arrives.

Know where to go in case you need to evacuate. Is your location sufficient or should you consider a sturdier building to ride out the storm? Do you have friends or family who need to be checked on to make sure they’re prepared for the storm?

Have a go-bag ready in case you do evacuate. Consider necessities and what is reasonable to have on hand.

Do not let your vehicle get below a quarter of a tank of gas. This is universal safety, but especially during hurricane season when gas quantities may be limited. Keep your phone battery charged as well and have a portable charger at the ready if power is lost.

If an evacuation order is issued, follow it. Do not delay. Heavy rain, flooding, and downed trees may quickly block evacuation routes if you choose to wait.

The best decisions are made in advance in low stress situations. Make those choices now.

🌪️ A Tornado Watch has been issued for Cobb County until 2 a.m. on Thursday.

Remember:
🌮 WATCH = The ingredients are on the counter.
🌮 WARNING = The tacos are fully made and on your plate.

A watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes to develop. A warning means a tornado is happening or imminent — take shelter immediately.

Make sure you have a way to receive alerts overnight, charge your devices, and review your safe place now before storms move in. Stay weather aware.

⚠️ WEATHER ALERT: COBB COUNTY TONIGHT ⚠️

Severe weather is expected across Cobb County overnight, bringing damaging winds up to 60 mph, heavy rain, and the potential for tornadoes.

Now is the time to prepare:

🌬️ Secure loose outdoor items – patio furniture, trash cans, toys, and anything that could become a projectile in high winds.
📱 Turn ON weather notifications – make sure your phone is not on silent overnight and that emergency alerts are enabled.
🛏️ Have a plan before bed – know your safe place (lowest level, interior room, away from windows).
🔦 Keep essentials nearby – shoes, flashlight, and a way to receive alerts in case power goes out.

⏰ Storms may move through while you’re asleep — staying weather aware overnight could save lives.

Stay alert, stay prepared, and have multiple ways to receive warnings.

Weather forecasts are critical in helping us prepare for hurricanes and other severe weather. The National Weather Service Peachtree City Office is monitoring conditions around the clock to give residents of Cobb County the most up-to-date information available. But forecasts only work if they reach you.

These are some simple preparedness steps you can take today:

Check your local weather and verify the authenticity of the information. The National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center are two reputable sources for weather/hurricane forecasting.

Turn severe weather alerts ON. Apps often give you the option to receive more (or less) notifications depending on your needs. You may not necessarily want your phone to buzz and go crazy for every summer rain shower that passes through the area, but we do need those alerts to go off for severe weather that might come with hurricanes.

Knowing the difference between a watch and a warning is also crucial when it comes to understanding weather forecasts. A watch means “Be prepared!” while a warning means “Act now!”. Don’t get the two Ws confused!

Finally, don’t let your guard down if you happen to find yourself outside a hurricane’s “path”. Even if the forecast zone isn’t smack dab through your area, the impact of hurricanes can extend far beyond the predicted cone so it is always better to be prepared than to be caught off guard.

Want to know more about weather alert types and what they mean? Check out https://www.noaa.gov/understand-forecast-information.

🚨 Monthly Siren Test Cancelled 🚨

Due to cloudy conditions and the potential for severe weather today, the audible outdoor warning siren test is cancelled for this month. Silent testing will continue as scheduled.

🌧️ What to Know About Today’s Weather:
A slow-moving system is expected to bring multiple rounds of rain and thunderstorms from this afternoon through early Thursday morning. Some storms could become strong to severe.

⚠️ Potential Hazards:

* Damaging winds (60+ mph possible)
* Isolated tornadoes
* Hail
* Heavy rainfall leading to localized flooding

🌊 Flood Watch in Effect (4 PM – 8 AM):
Repeated storms over the same areas may cause excessive rainfall and increase the risk of flash flooding.

✅ Stay Weather Aware:

* Never drive through flooded roadways — Turn Around, Don’t Drown
* Keep alerts enabled on your phone and monitor trusted weather sources
* Have multiple ways to receive warnings, especially since sirens will not be tested today
* Use extra caution if you have outdoor plans, particularly near creeks and low-lying areas

We’ll resume normal audible testing next month. Stay safe and stay alert!

Hurricanes don’t just bring rain and potential flooding. They can also cause power outages. While we have awesome partnerships with the utility companies that service our area, the truth of the matter is that there may be storms that cause a loss of power that isn’t restored right away. Are you prepared for that? Making a simple, actionable plan during good weather days can really make a difference in bad weather days.

https://www.ready.gov/kit is a great resource to start brainstorming about preparedness and gather the essentials before you need them. You don’t need thousands of dollars and a doomsday bunker to be prepared for an emergency. Your resources should be practical, easy-to-use, and easy to transport in case you need to leave the area. Think of all the things you use daily which require electricity. Then consider how the use of those items would be impacted without access to electricity. Something to think about while we are in Hurricane Preparedness Week!