Hurricane Michael descended upon the Florida panhandle and wrecked havoc across southern and central Georgia. Keep up with the latest information here.
Oct. 12
7:50 a.m. - The death toll has risen to at least 11 people as a result of Michael. The storm took the lives of an 11-year-old girl in Georgia, four people in Florida, a driver in North Carolina and five people in Virginia, officials said.
5 a.m. - Georgia EMCs are reporting 144,000 customers without power, down from 177,000 last night. Due to the level of damage to both the transmission and distribution system, EMCs warn there will be extensive delays in total restoration.
Georgia Power recorded 81,574 affected customers bringing the total in Georgia without power to over 225,500.
Oct. 11
8:12 p.m. - Georgia power says they have an estimate of when power will be restored throughout Georgia after Hurricane Michael knocked out power.
- Bainbridge area by Tuesday, Oct. 16 by 8 PM
- Albany area by Monday, Oct. 15 by 8 PM
- Americus area by Sunday, Oct. 14 by 10 PM
- Macon and Central Georgia area by Sunday, Oct. 14 by 10 PM
- Columbus and West Georgia area by Saturday, Oct. 13 by 5 PM
- Augusta area by Friday, Oct. 12 by midnight
- Savannah and Coastal area by Friday, Oct. 12 by midnight
As of Thursday night, Georgia Power estimates they have restored power to more than 255,000 customers, with the help of their 4,800-member crew working around the clock.
There are still about 95,000 Georgia Power customers without power, with more than 2,095 cases of damage, including broken poles and lines. Most of that damage is focused in Central and South Georgia including Albany, Americus, Bainbridge, Macon, Valdosta, Vidalia and beyond.
8 p.m. - Tropical Storm Michael is still sweeping up the east coast with winds of 50 mph, but the National Hurricane Center says the storm is losing its tropical characteristics. It's currently over North Carolina and Virginia, moving northeast at 24 mph.
5:35 p.m. - The Secretary of Health and Human Services has declared a public health emergency for the state of Georgia following Hurricane Michael. Here's what it does.
5:00 p.m. - Tropical Storm Michael is mostly out of Georgia, and is pushing into North Carolina with winds of 50 mph.
4:05 p.m. - The death toll for Hurricane Michael has now climbed to six.
Four people are confirmed dead in Florida, all in Gadsden County. An 11-year-old girl died after a falling tree crashed through her family's home. A six death was confirmed in North Carolina, the result of an accident caused by a fallen tree.
3:57 p.m. - The tornado that touched down in Roberta, Georgia has been confirmed as at least an EF 1 class. But, further investigation could push the estimates of wind speed above 110 mph making it an EF 2.
3:35 p.m. - The city of East Point says that all power has been restored in the city after earlier outages.
3:30 p.m. - The Associated Press confirms a death connected to Michael in North Carolina. The death was the result of an accident caused by a fallen tree in Iredell County.
3:10 p.m. - Electric cooperatives - not including Georgia Power - report 177,000 members without power primarily in central and south Georgia. Numbers rose sharply as Hurricane Michael passed through.
2:40 p.m. - A family including a pregnant woman and a toddler are trapped in a home on Walthall Drive in Atlanta by a fallen tree. Georgia Power crews are working to restore electricity. A tree service is expected to come out and clear the trees Thursday afternoon but until then the homeowners are stuck inside.
2:34 p.m. - The National Weather Service confirmed two tornadoes as Michael passed through Atlanta and part of central Georgia. One EF-0 tornado touched down in Capitol View on Atlanta's west side around 7 p.m. The other came down in Roberta, Georgia and heavily damaged houses in the area.
2:03 p.m. - Power outages are estimated at 313,496 customers statewide across Georgia Power and the state's electric cooperatives.
1:40 p.m. - The latest update on Tropical Storm Michael places the storm 25 miles south of Greensboro, South Carolina. Michael is causing flash floods across portions of both North Carolina and south-central Virginia. The storm's winds remain at 50 mph creating tropical storm-force gusts over parts of northeastern South Carolina and eastern North Carolina.
1:27 p.m. - The Georgia Department of Transportation is warning motorists to prepare to change travel plans as they assess damage to roads and bridges across the state.
12:31 p.m. - The Seminole County coroner has identified the 11-year-old girl killed by a falling tree in southwest Georgia as Sarah Radney. The tree was knocked down by a suspected tornado associated with Hurricane Michael.
12:35 p.m. - Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black said Hurricane Michael was "our worst dreams being realized" as the storm destroyed many of the state's staple crops mid-harvest.
11:05 a.m. - Utility crews are working around downed trees to restore power in Atlanta's Collier Heights neighborhood where more than 190 customers are without power.
Crews work to restore power in Collier Heights
11:00 a.m. - Tropical Storm Michael is now 35 miles south-southeast of Charlotte, North Carolina with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. The storm is moving forward at roughly 23 mph.
10:30 a.m. - Gov. Nathan Deal outlines damage caused by Michael and the state’s recovery efforts in a live press conference.
9:30 a.m. - Georgia EMC is reporting approximately 193,000 customers are without power in mostly the middle and southern parts of the state. Georgia Power said over 174,000 customers are without power.
9:20 a.m. - President Trump announced he will be visiting Georgia next week. Trump also declared a federal state of emergency in Georgia.
7:58 a.m. - The latest update from the National Hurricane Center estimate's Tropical Storm Michael's sustained winds at 50 mph. The storm is now 40 miles northwest of Columbia, South Carolina. The storm is expected to move across central South Carolina and then across portions of central and eastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia by the afternoon.
6:45 a.m. - Georgia EMCs are reporting approximately 160,000 customers are without power in mostly the middle and southern parts of the state. When the roads clear, they plan to start restoring power with help from crews here from other states,
6:30 a.m. - Georgia Power released an update saying they have deployed 3,900 personnel to hurricane-impacted areas to address the 200,000 customers without power.
6:00 a.m. - Emergency crews have successfully rescued a woman and ia man from a car after a tree fell on it trapping her Thursday morning. The tree fell in the 300 block of Anderson Avenue near Joseph E. Boone in west Atlanta.
5:30 a.m. - Georgia EMC reports 106,774 total outages. More than 65,000 of those are centered in Albany area. There are about 3,000 outages reported in metro Atlanta.
4:45 a.m. - Flooding is reported on GA 400 NB ramp to I-285W. The entire ramp is closed. More flooding is at I-285WB at N. Peachtree Rd. where a right lane is closed because of a clogged drain.
4:30 a.m. - Georgia Power estimates there are now 196,081 customers without power because of Michael. About10,000 of those customers are in the Bibb County, Macon area.
2:55 a.m. - Georgia Power estimates there are now about 176,000 customers without power due to Michael.
1:20 a.m. - An 11-year-old girl is confirmed dead in Seminole County, Georgia as a result of Michael, 11Alive's sister-station WMAZ reports.
The station reports the girl was killed when a tree fell on the home around 3 p.m.
According to Seminole County EMA Director Travis Brooks, the storm was so bad that crews assessing damage couldn’t make it to the home until after nightfall.
They have not released the child’s name yet. Brooks says there are numerous trees down across the county.
12:20 a.m. - Hurricane Michael has downgraded to a tropical storm with winds of 70 mph, as it continues to cross the state.
Oct. 10
11:30 p.m. - Significant rainfall in the metro Atlanta area has flooded the roadway near the intersection of North Avenue and State Street.
9:30 p.m. - Georgia Power estimates there are now about 65,000 customers without power due to Hurricane Michael. The company said it is prepared to respond with about 3,900 crew members.
8. p.m. - Michael is now a Category 1 storm.
7:00 p.m. - Authorities have confirmed the first U.S. death associated with Hurricane Michael. The Gadsden County Sheriff's Office said a man on the Florida Panhandle was killed by a falling tree as the storm swept through the state.
6:58 p.m. - UGA's class schedule has been altered for Thursday, Oct. 11. Here's when they'll start.
6:37 p.m. - A tornado warning was issued for Cobb, Douglas, Fulton counties until 7 p.m.
5:30 p.m. - Nearly 40,700 customers for both Georgia Power and EMC are without power in Southwest Georgia.
OUTAGES | Georgia Power customers, check here. Georgia EMC customers check here.
5:15 p.m. - Due to Hurricane Michael, Griffin Spalding County Schools will delay their start time to 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 11. All essential staff members who may be required to report to work earlier will be contacted by their direct supervisor.
5 p.m. - Hurricane Michael is now a category 3 storm.
4:40 p.m. - The National Weather Service confirms a tornado touched down in Roberta, Georgia on Wednesday, hours after Hurricane Michael made landfall along the Florida coastline.
Officials said the tornado hit near the intersection of Flint River Estates and Avera Road. Wires and trees are down in the roadway. About five homes were damaged.
FULL STORY | Tornado touches down near Roberta in Crawford County
Photos: Tornado touches down in Roberta, Georgia in Crawford County
4:15 p.m. - At least 25,000 Georgia EMC/Georgia Power customers are without power as Hurricane Michael made landfall in Florida and swept into Georgia.
4:11 p.m. - Some south metro schools have announced they are canceling classes Thursday as Hurricane Michael looms.
School districts closed so far include:
- Jasper County
- Monroe County
- Georgia Military College campuses - Augusta, Dublin, Eastman, Madison, Milledgeville and Sandersville.
All after school activities for Henry County schools have been canceled for Wednesday, Oct. 10. The afterschool enrichment program will remain open.
3:53 p.m. - The University of North Georgia Oconee campus will close at 4 p.m. Wednesday due to severe weather. Classes and activities after 4 p.m. are canceled for Oct. 10 and all day Thursday, Oct. 11.
2:50 p.m. - A tornado watch has been issued in the following counties until 2 a.m. Thursday: Areas affected:Appling; Atkinson; Bacon; Baker; Baldwin; Barrow; Ben Hill; Berrien; Bibb; Bleckley; Brantley; Brooks; Bryan; Bulloch; Burke; Butts; Calhoun; Camden; Candler; Charlton; Chatham; Chattahoochee; Clarke; Clay; Clinch; Coffee; Colquitt; Columbia; Cook; Crawford; Crisp; Decatur; Dodge; Dooly; Dougherty; Early; Echols; Effingham; Emanuel; Evans; Glascock; Glynn; Grady; Greene; Hancock; Harris; Henry; Houston; Irwin; Jasper; Jeff Davis; Jefferson; Jenkins; Johnson; Jones; Lamar; Lanier; Laurens; Lee; Liberty; Lincoln; Long; Lowndes; Macon; Marion; McDuffie; McIntosh; Meriwether; Miller; Mitchell; Monroe; Montgomery; Morgan; Muscogee; Newton; Oconee; Oglethorpe; Peach; Pierce; Pike; Pulaski; Putnam; Quitman; Randolph; Richmond; Rockdale; Schley; Screven; Seminole; Spalding; Stewart; Sumter; Talbot; Taliaferro; Tattnall; Taylor; Telfair; Terrell; Thomas; Tift; Toombs; Treutlen; Turner; Twiggs; Upson; Walton; Ware; Warren; Washington; Wayne; Webster; Wheeler; Wilcox; Wilkes; Wilkinson; Worth
2:38 p.m. - Cobb County workers have spent most of the day clearing clogged storm drains and preparing tree clearing equipment in anticipation of the storm.
1 p.m. - NHC says the center of Hurricane Michael is only 15 miles from shore.
12:35 p.m. - The Storm Prediction Center has placed portions of north and central Georgia -- including metro Atlanta -- under Marginal, Slight and Enhanced risk areas for severe thunderstorms for Wednesday afternoon, Wednesday night and into Thursday.
With the approach of Hurricane Michael, the threat of severe weather, including tornadoes has increased across much of the state of Georgia. As a result, there is an increased threat of possible severe thunderstorms and tornadoes over the area through the afternoon and overnight hours.
A tornado watch is already in effect for portions of south Georgia. An expanded watch area, which would cover parts of central and north Georgia, is likely to be issued in the coming hours.
12:30 p.m. - Due to weather, the Cherokee High School homecoming parade is canceled, according to the Canton Police Department. Right now, there are no plans to reschedule.
12 p.m. - The center of Hurricane Michael is 35 miles from Mexico Beach, Florida. A private weather station on St. George Island, Florida, recently reported a sustained wind of 46 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
11 a.m. - Hurricane Michael approaches Florida Gulf Coast - the center of the storm is 60 miles from shore.
PHOTOS: Florida Panhandle braces for Hurricane Michael
10:40 a.m. - National Weather Service says Hurricane Conditions are becoming more likely for portions of central Georgia.
10:25 a.m. - Mike Bettes from The Weather Channel and his crew has decided to actually leave their spot in Apalachicola because of the danger posed by Michael. This is a serious situation, and even the professionals cannot and will not take chances.
10 a.m. - Georgia Power advises customers to take precautions regarding the storage of perishable food and medications during a power outage.
9:25 a.m. - Gov. Deal activated 1,500 National Guardsmen this morning to be placed on standby ahead of Hurricane Michael.
8 a.m. - The Storm Prediction Center has issued a Tornado Watch for portions of North Florida and the Florida Peninsula, along with southwest Georgia through 5 p.m. as a result of Hurricane Michael.
As Michael moves inland, the tornado watch box will be extended further northward into Georgia later in the day. Stay with the 11Alive Storm Trackers for any updates and possible watches that extend into our viewing area.
8 a.m. - The National Hurricane Center 8 am update indicated that the maximum sustained winds have increased to 145 mph.
5 a.m. - Michael remains a category 4 storms with increased winds of 140 mph while it continues to move across the Gulf of Mexico.
2 a.m. - Hurricane Michael is now a category 4 storm with winds of 130 mph. The National Hurricane Center is calling it an "extremely dangerous" storm that could lead to a life-threatening event for parts of the Gulf Coast.
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