ATLANTA – It’s been almost 40 years since Georgia has experienced a direct hit from a tropical system, and there are several reasons why such occurrences are rare.
Make no mistake, tropical systems have punished Georgia.
Just last year, the remnants of Hurricane Irma damaged portions of metro-Atlanta. There was flooding and erosion along the coast and minor damage in the Albany area.
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Hurricane Opal weakened as it entered Georgia by way of the Florida panhandle in 1995, but caused significant damage to the metro Atlanta area. Tropical Storm Alberto took a similar path in 1994. The system stalled over Atlanta and caused major flooding downstream in towns like Montezuma, Macon, and Albany. Alberto caused 34 deaths in Georgia and more than $50 million in damage.
But a direct punch is very unusual. There was the 1898 hurricane that hit Cumberland Island, killing 179 people.
More recently, Hurricane David struck the Savannah area after giving Florida a glancing blow. That was in 1979. The damage was minimal.
For whatever reason, divine providence, we've been blessed,” says Chuck Ray of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency.
Some believe Georgia is due.
Georgia is protected on every side except for its 100 miles of coastland. Compare that to Florida's 1,350 miles, or the 488 miles of the Carolina coastland.
Georgia's coast is shaped in a way that helps it hide from most storms. The coast bends westward, leaving the Carolinas and parts of Florida more exposed and vulnerable.
Direct hits can happen, however, and those tasked with preparing Georgia for disaster say it will no doubt happen again one day.
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