It is highly uncertain what kind of impact Hurricane Dorian will have on Southwest Georgia at this time, but Decatur-Grady 911 Director Tonya Griffin encouraged residents to keep a close eye on the weather this Labor Day Weekend.

“Just have a plan in place,” said Griffin. “I would say have a plan, watch the weather and be aware of what is going on with the weather.”

Hurricane Dorian is forecast to become a Major hurricane as it nears the east coast of Florida late this weekend.

“It’s out there,” said Griffin. “Could we be impacted? Yes, but we don’t know at this point what the impact will be.”

Dorian has currently been classified as a Category 2 Hurricane, but is expected to become a Category 4 hurricane by the time it reaches the east coast. The Tri-State area is expected to receive heavy rains and possible tropical- storm- force winds, but the exact track is uncertain.

Georgia DOT has already begun preparing for Dorian’s impacts and have 860 employees and more than 1,000 pieces of equipment at the ready, according to a press release. They realize there is potential for a mass influx of evacuees from Florida and their top priority is the safety of the traveling public.

With this weekend also being a holiday, GDOT is asking motorists to also strongly consider using alternate routes besides interstate highways to mitigate congestion and ensure everyone can safely evacuate. They suggest consulting with 511, state maps or way finding apps to determine the best route for their way of travel.

Griffin will continue to update and work with the public as more information about the exact direction of Dorian becomes clear. She urges everyone to keep a watchful eye and have things at the ready as it inches closer, though.