Hours after Helene was upgraded to a tropical storm, the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency is expected to hold a news conference to discuss the state’s preparations.

The Gulf Coast is preparing for a potentially significant hurricane landfall in the coming days. Let's take a look at how this will affect Georgia.

Many areas are forecast to see dangerous storm surges, especially between Panama City and Tampa. The coast stretching from Ochlockonee River to Chassahowitzka could see between 10 and 15 feet of water. Nearby areas could see between 5 and 10 feet of water, and the Tampa Bay area is forecast to experience between 5 and 8 feet of storm surge.