Georgia closely monitoring Hurricane Ian's path as storm heads toward Florida

ATLANTA - Georgia's officials are making preparations for Hurricane Ian as the major storm heads toward Cuba and Florida.

Monday, the state will activate its operation center, which will co-ordinate efforts all over the state to make sure officials are ready when or if the Peach State takes a hit.

Governor Brian Kemp held a news conference at the Georgia State Capitol where he told reporters, "Georgians should know we are being proactive, going to make sure we are planning ahead, and we want them to be storm ready."

State leaders are working with FEMA on storm preps, " We are talking to a lot of friends in the southern part of the state, obviously watching the path of the storm," said Governor Kemp. 

GEMA/HS Director James Stallings opened the State Operations Center after Ian was upgraded to a hurricane Sunday and says resources are ready to move where needed.

"We do have some pre-positioned assets around the state. Basic essentials we keep those on ready at all times.  For this particular event, because it is so widespread it's going to cover so much of South Georgia, there we do have stuff in the Macon area ready to deploy," Director Stallings stated. 

Stallings expects Georgia to start feeling the impact late Wednesday night or Thursday morning.

"Georgians should know that I will use every power I got to prepare for the storm, to be ready when it hits and respond afterwards," Kemp said. 

At 5 a.m. on Monday, Ian had strengthened into a hurricane and was moving northwest at 13 mph, about 90 miles southwest of Grand Cayman, according to the center. It had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph.

Tampa issued a mandatory evacuation Monday afternoon, state and federal partners are ready to accommodate Georgia residents and Florida evacuees now headed here to ride out storm in area hotels or shelters.

HOW HURRICANE IAN COULD IMPACT NORTH GEORGIA

Officials say the uncertainty over the storm's track is making it hard for people to get ready. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency throughout Florida and urged residents to prepare for the storm to lash large swaths of the state with heavy rains, high winds and rising seas.

Forecasters are still unsure of exactly where Ian could make landfall, with current models plotting it toward Florida’s west coast or panhandle regions, he said.

"We’re going to keep monitoring the track of this storm. But it really is important to stress the degree of uncertainty that still exists," DeSantis said at a news conference Sunday, cautioning that "even if you’re not necessarily right in the eye of the path of the storm, there’s going to be pretty broad impacts throughout the state."

President Joe Biden also declared an emergency, authorizing the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, to coordinate disaster relief and provide assistance to protect lives and property. The president postponed a scheduled Sept. 27 trip to Florida because of the storm.

In Georgia, the Georgia Emergency Management and Agency will work closely with the National Weather Service and local emergency management officials to ensure - in Gov. Brian Kemp's words - "Georgia is prepared for whatever the major storm could bring."

"I urge my fellow Georgians to monitor this storm as it evolves and calmly take the necessary precautions to keep their families and neighbors safe," Kemp said in a statement late Sunday night.

Officials say Georgians who end up in the path of the storm should prepare with GEMA's suggested guide to what residents should do before, during, and after a hurricane including making a family communications plan and evacuation plan and prepare a "Ready kit" in case of evacuation.

You can find all their suggested guidance on the GEMA website.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.