Thursday, March 13, 2025–5:45 p.m.

-Staff reports-

A lot can change in the next couple of days but, at this point, there’s a significant chance of heavy damaging winds with a potential of tornadoes late Saturday into early Sunday.

The rain from a weaker storm front could bring rain into Northwest Georgia Friday into early Saturday but National Weather Service forecasters are watching a second, stronger storm system that may arrive late Saturday.

The main issue, at this point, appears to be damaging winds which could reach 65-80+ miles per hour.

“It looks like the storm is moving pretty fast,” Herrington said. “We’ll know a lot more over the next couple of days.”

Floyd EMA and first responders are preparing for the worst in the event of storms or a tornado.

Floyd County is in what the weather service termed as an enhanced risk area.
Beginning Friday night/Saturday morning.

Things will clear out into the afternoon Saturday and then stronger storms Saturday night.

The timing of the storms could fluctuate by around 3-6 hours, but at this point, the stronger storms are expected around 9 p.m. Saturday to 3 a.m. Sunday.

Forecasters are watching for individual
supercells developing in Mississippi and Alabama to determine where the storms may hit and how powerful they may be.

There will also be a potential for flash flooding with 1/2”-1” of rain early Saturday in the first wave with the potential of another 2” later. Overall, the NWS expects 3” of rain total.

Don’t let your guard down Saturday night into Sunday morning.

“It is the time for seasons to be changing, and that’s when we start to see turmoil in the atmosphere,” said Chris Fincher with Floyd County Emergency Management. “We’ve got some storm systems coming in this weekend, so we want to encourage everyone to be weather-aware. The message we are pushing out is ‘be a hero.’ If you are listening, you see news happening, and you get the alerts about weather happening, so ahead and have a list of friends and family you can reach out to and text to say something is coming, so go ahead and get ready.”

Fincher suggests downloading the CodeRed app to get weather alerts on your phone.

“Now is the time to go out and get a bicycle helmet to protect against injuries from the shoulders up, and it is something you can wear while sheltering in place,” he said. We suggest the innermost part of the house; the basement is preferred if you have that.”

Make a kit

Make your own Ready kit with the items on the checklist below. Most of the items are inexpensive and easy to find, and any one of them could save your life.   

Download a printable version to take with you. Once you take a look at the basic items, consider what unique needs your family might have, such as supplies for pets, seniors, or family members with special needs. Add those items to your kit and start packing it today.

Recommended Items

• Water. One gallon per person per day, for at least 3 days, for drinking and hygiene
• Food. At least a 3-day supply of non-perishable food
• Can opener. For food, if kit contains canned food
• Radio. Battery-powered or hand-crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
• Emergency charger for mobile devices
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle. To signal for help
• Face mask. To help filter contaminated air use plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter in place
• Disinfectant wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags, and plastic ties. For personal hygiene
• Wrench or pliers. To turn off utilities
• Local maps

Additional Items

• Prescription medications and glasses
• Infant formula and diapers
• Pet food, extra water, pet supplies, toys, and vaccination forms
• Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification, and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container
• Cash or traveler’s checks and change
• Emergency reference material such as a first aid book
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider adding bedding in cold weather.
• Complete change of clothing. Include a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, and sturdy shoes. Consider adding clothing in cold weather.
• Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper
• Fire extinguisher
• Matches in a waterproof container
• Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
• Mess kits, paper cups, plates, plastic utensils, and paper towels
• Paper and pencil
• Books, games, puzzles, or other activities for children

For a list of community preparedness resources, view Ready Georgia  Online Toolkit. And is your business ready? Download Adobe Reader to view the PDF file. View the American Sign Language video on general emergency preparedness at Accessible Emergency Info’s YouTube channel. In addition to creating a Ready kit, it is important to stay informed.