Weather experts and government officials advise Georgia residents to prepare before Helene makes landfall Thursday evening, expected to be a Category 3 hurricane when it reaches land. Preparation is essential to minimizing the impact of severe weather, officials say. Government officials say the following items are important to have handy:

Tropical Storm Helene is expected to strengthen into Hurricane Helene as it passes through the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday. Tropical Storm Helene is forecast to make landfall as a major storm on Florida’s Big Bend late Thursday. It will then move across Georgia and into metro Atlanta late Thursday night and into Friday morning.