-
A MARTA bus was involved in a collision with an SUV on Northside Drive in Atlanta on Sunday evening, October 18, 2026, after the SUV ran a red light, according to dashcam video of the incident shared online.
No serious injuries were apparent, and those involved appeared to be physically okay.
MARTA Bus Involved in Collision with SUV That Ran Red Light on Northside Drive in Atlanta
The videocaptures the scene at an intersection along Northside Drive. It shows a white MARTA bus (fleet number 1917) that has come to a stop near the side of the road following the impact. Audio from the recording includes reactions such as “Oh ___” and “Oh my god,” along with mentions of hearing someone scream and references to the car. The poster stated that the footage shows the SUV running the red light and used the clip as a public service announcement about the risks of distracted driving.
As of Monday evening, the incident had not generated widespread coverage from major Atlanta news outlets, and no official statements from Atlanta Police or MARTA detailing the exact intersection, any minor injuries, citations, or the investigation’s status were immediately available in public reports. Social media posts circulating the video described the event as relatively minor in terms of injuries while highlighting how quickly a momentary lapse in attention can escalate.
Northside Drive is a busy corridor running through parts of northwest Atlanta, including areas near Midtown and other neighborhoods, and is served by multiple MARTA bus routes. The bus involved was a standard MARTA transit vehicle with typical branding and side advertisements.
The video serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of running red lights and distracted driving. Officials routinely urge drivers to remain attentive, avoid phone use, and obey traffic signals, as collisions involving large vehicles like transit buses can quickly become serious even when outcomes are comparatively fortunate.
Further details may emerge as police complete any investigation or as MARTA reviews the incident involving its bus and operator.
-
ATLANTA — Caleb Williams completed his first 12 passes in his return from a hamstring injury, D’Andre Swift scored two rushing touchdowns, and the Chicago Bears (4-2) defeated the Atlanta Falcons (2-4) 31-23 on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The Bears built a commanding 31-7 lead before holding off a fourth-quarter comeback attempt by the Falcons.
Bears Beat Falcons’ Late Rally for 31-23 Win as Caleb Williams Returns
Chicago controlled the clock with roughly 40 minutes of possession to Atlanta’s 20, while forcing key turnovers that limited the home team’s chances.
Williams, who missed three games, looked sharp and mobile. He finished 30-of-36 for 305 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. On Chicago’s opening drive, he went 6-of-6 for 64 yards, capped by a 14-yard scoring pass to tight end Colston Loveland. He remained perfect through his first 12 attempts (142 yards) before an incompletion in the second quarter.
Swift punched in short touchdowns from 4 and 2 yards. Roschon Johnson added a 4-yard rushing score in the third quarter, and Cairo Santos connected on a 50-yard field goal early in the fourth to push the lead to 31-7. The Bears’ ground game and efficient passing kept drives alive, even as Chicago was flagged for 12 penalties totaling 133 yards.
Atlanta’s Michael Penix Jr., returning after leaving the previous week’s overtime loss to Baltimore with a rib injury, threw for 225 yards and three touchdowns on 19-of-33 passing. He connected with Jahan Dotson on a 13-yard score in the second quarter to cut the deficit to 14-7.
In the fourth, he found Kyle Pitts for a 10-yard touchdown (with a two-point conversion to Zachariah Branch) and later a 5-yard score (two-point conversion to Drake London), trimming the margin to 31-23.
The Falcons’ rally was fueled in part by a Roschon Johnson fumble that set up one of the late scores. However, turnovers and special-teams miscues hurt Atlanta earlier: Branch lost a fumble on a fair-catch attempt late in the first half (giving Chicago the ball at the Atlanta 10) and another on a kickoff return. Penix was sacked five times.
Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon, activated from the physically unable to perform list after a calf injury, made a major impact with three sacks and two forced fumbles. His biggest play came with 2:54 remaining, when he sacked Penix and forced a fumble recovered by Devin Bush at the Atlanta 28. Chicago then ran out the clock inside the 5-yard line.
Scoring summary (approximate)
- 1st: Loveland 14-yard pass from Williams (Santos kick); Swift 4-yard run (Santos kick) — CHI 14-0
- 2nd: Dotson 13-yard pass from Penix (Folk kick); Swift 2-yard run (Santos kick) — CHI 21-7 at half
- 3rd: Johnson 4-yard run (Santos kick) — CHI 28-7
- 4th: Santos 50-yard field goal; Pitts 10-yard pass from Penix (2-pt); Pitts 5-yard pass from Penix (2-pt) — Final CHI 31-23
Other notables included Luther Burden III (8 catches, 95 yards) for Chicago and strong efforts from Bijan Robinson (9 carries, 61 yards) and Drake London for Atlanta. A scary moment occurred when Falcons linebacker Kendal Daniels was carted off with a neck injury after a helmet-first tackle; he was reported alert with movement in all extremities and was being evaluated at a local hospital.
The win gives Ben Johnson’s Bears a boost after a recent loss and keeps them in the mix in the NFC North. For Kevin Stefanski’s Falcons, the home defeat (now 0-3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium) underscores ongoing challenges with consistency and ball security despite a competitive late push.
Chicago hosts New England on Thursday night. Atlanta hosts San Francisco next Sunday.
-
The Mass Media major, who worked on Netflix’s “A Different World” sequel, was struck by a driver going nearly 95 mph in a 35 mph zone during homecoming week.
ATLANTA — A 21-year-old Clark Atlanta University senior was killed late Tuesday night when her vehicle was struck by a driver traveling nearly 95 mph in a 35 mph zone, police said.
”Everybody loved Morgan,” a Clark Atlanta student who did not want to be named told AtlantaFi. “She was headed for greatest. She was already great at 21.”
Clark Atlanta Student, 21, Killed in High-Speed Crash; Driver Charged With Vehicular Homicide
Morgan Gamble, a Mass Media Arts senior, was driving a 2016 Mazda CX5 westbound on Glen (also reported as Glenn) Street and crossing Hank Aaron Drive around 11:15–11:30 p.m. on October 13 when a Lexus driven northbound by Nikolai Dunford collided with her car at the Summerhill neighborhood intersection. Officers found Gamble with critical injuries; she was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital, where she later died.
Investigators obtained data from Dunford’s vehicle event data recorder, which showed a speed of 94.4 mph. Dunford, 36, was arrested at the scene and charged with speeding, reckless driving, and first-degree vehicular homicide (also described as homicide by vehicle in the first degree). He was booked into the Fulton County Jail and was scheduled to appear in court Thursday. The investigation remains ongoing.
Gamble had worked as a student assistant and background performer on the Netflix sequel to the classic series A Different World, and appeared in the pilot episode. Family members described her as driven by a lifelong passion for production.
“She knew what she wanted from day one. I think coming out of the womb. She wanted to produce, and she did it,” her mother, Brandi Gamble, told local media. Her father, George Gamble, said he encouraged her by having her study the career of producer Shonda Rhimes. She went on to produce short films, documentaries, and family talent shows.
George Gamble expressed disbelief at the circumstances: “I can’t imagine how you can drive 95 miles an hour in such a residential 35-mile-per-hour zone.” Brandi Gamble called the death “senseless” and said of the driver, “He deserves whatever it is justice will give him.”
Clark Atlanta University issued a statement during homecoming week: “The loss of a member of our University community is deeply felt, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to Morgan’s family, friends, classmates and all who knew and loved Morgan.” The university offered counseling and support services for students.
Students and neighbors who heard the impact described it as a “brutal sound.” Some have called for safety improvements, such as a traffic light or other traffic-calming measures, at the intersection.
Gamble was also remembered as a campus leader—including as Miss Omega Psi Phi—and as someone who started clubs and podcasts while mentoring younger film enthusiasts. She had ties to the university’s softball program and was known for her ambition and leadership.
-
A chaotic early-morning incident unfolded at a Georgia State University dining hall around 3 a.m., when a man with no ties to the university was mistakenly allowed inside, confronted a staff member, threw chairs, and attacked an employee before students stepped in to stop him.
Video circulating on social media, described “a homeless dude” entering the dining hall, shows a crowded cafeteria with blue chairs and tables.
Man Let Into Georgia State Dining Hall Attacks Employee; Students Assist
In the footage, a man in a light-colored jacket moves through the space amid students eating. The scene turns violent as he throws a chair and goes after an employee near the food service area. Students quickly intervene, helping subdue him and end the assault. The video, which appears to have originated on platforms like Fizz before spreading, captures the sudden disruption in what is normally a late-night student gathering spot. GSU dining halls offer extended or 24-hour weekday service, which explains why students were present at that hour.
Georgia State University confirmed the details. Officials said a dining hall employee mistakenly let the man inside and that he has no affiliation with the university. The confrontation began after a GSU employee approached him. The man then threw a chair and attacked the worker. Students rushed in to pull him off and stop the assault.
He fled the campus afterward and was later arrested. GSU has not released the man’s name, the specific charges, or details about any injuries. The university stated it is retraining dining staff to verify university affiliation before allowing anyone into the halls, which are restricted to students, faculty, staff, their guests, and affiliates as a security measure.
Local news outlets reported that the man was not affiliated with GSU and had been mistakenly admitted. The incident highlights ongoing campus access and security concerns at the urban Atlanta university, where dining facilities serve large numbers of students late into the night.
As of the latest reports, the man is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. No further updates on charges or the condition of the employee have been released by the university or authorities. The event quickly drew attention on social media, with students and others commenting on the security lapse and the students’ response.
-
The remnants of Hurricane Isaias swept through Georgia over the weekend of October 9–11, 2026, bringing high winds, heavy rain, and downed trees that left tens of thousands of metro Atlanta residents without power.
What began as a Category 2 hurricane making landfall near Destin, Florida, late Friday night quickly weakened but still disrupted life across the region with gusty conditions, flooding risks, and extensive outages concentrated in the Atlanta area.
Isaias made landfall around 9:30 p.m. Friday, October 9, as a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of about 105 mph. It rapidly transitioned into a post-tropical cyclone while moving inland over Alabama, with its center roughly 25 miles southwest of Montgomery early Saturday.
In Georgia, the system produced sustained wind gusts of 35–45 mph, with occasional peaks near 60 mph, alongside 2–4 inches of rain (locally up to 8 inches). A flood watch covered the state through Sunday morning, and the combination of saturated soil and wind toppled trees onto power lines and roads.
Power outages peaked above 120,000 customers statewide early Saturday, according to tracking services and utility reports. Georgia Power reported more than 60,000 customers without service early in the day, while Georgia’s electric membership cooperatives (EMCs) saw nearly 50,000 affected.
By around 2 p.m. Saturday, roughly 50,000 households statewide remained dark, with the bulk in metro Atlanta counties: approximately 4,300 in DeKalb, 2,500 in Gwinnett, 2,000 in Fulton, 600 in Cobb, and smaller numbers in Clayton and others.
Earlier peaks in core counties were even higher—Fulton alone reached over 13,000 at one point in the morning. Georgia Power alone saw outages climb past 80,000 at times before aggressive restoration efforts began.
The tree-heavy landscape of metro Atlanta amplified the problem. Residents reported sudden crashes as limbs and entire trunks fell on lines, homes, and vehicles. In places like Tucker, Highland Avenue, Cascade Road, Brookhaven, and Stone Mountain, crews cleared debris while repairing infrastructure. Cherokee County saw dozens of road closures from downed trees and lines, with some homes damaged. Flash flood warnings briefly covered parts of Fulton, DeKalb, and surrounding counties amid heavy downpours.
Beyond power, the storm caused secondary disruptions. About 40 flights were canceled and 140 delayed at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Roadwork, school activities, and local events were postponed or canceled. A high wind warning and flood watch remained in effect for North and Central Georgia into Sunday morning.
State and federal response was swift. Gov. Brian Kemp had issued a state of emergency on Thursday, authorizing National Guard support and other resources; it remained in effect through mid-October. On Saturday, President Donald Trump approved a federal emergency declaration covering 76 Georgia counties (including Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, Cherokee, Henry, and others), enabling FEMA coordination for recovery. Utility crews, drawing on lessons from prior storms like Helene and smart-grid technology, restored service to more than 80,000–100,000 customers by Saturday evening.
Statewide totals fell to roughly 9,000–20,000 by late Saturday/early Sunday, with metro Atlanta seeing sharp drops (Fulton under 800, DeKalb around 400, Gwinnett near 50 in some evening reports). Remaining outages were concentrated more in North Georgia mountain areas served by cooperatives such as Amicalola EMC.
By Sunday, October 11, severe weather threats were winding down, with improving conditions and a sunny, warmer outlook for the week ahead. Cleanup continued in neighborhoods where trees damaged property, and utilities emphasized prioritization of critical infrastructure followed by broad restoration. No major injuries were widely reported in the metro Atlanta area from the storm’s local effects, though the system caused at least four deaths farther south in Florida and Alabama, primarily from falling trees.
Isaias underscored the vulnerability of inland communities to the residual winds and rain of a weakening tropical system, particularly where mature trees and wet ground combine. As recovery progresses, residents were advised to report outages through utility apps and maps, avoid downed lines, and monitor local forecasts. Full restoration timelines vary by location, with urban areas recovering faster than more rural or mountainous zones
-
Tyreek Hill’s path from rural South Georgia to the NFL is inseparable from both the hardship that shaped him and the domestic-violence case that nearly ended his career before it began. The only criminal domestic charge that produced a guilty plea came in 2014, while he was at Oklahoma State. Later investigations and civil allegations have not resulted in new criminal convictions.
South Georgia upbringing
Hill was born March 1, 1994, in Douglas, Georgia, to teenage parents Anesha Sanchez and Derrick Shaw, both athletes. He was raised mainly by his maternal grandparents, Virginia and Herman Hill, in Pearson, a small town in Atkinson County about 15 miles south of Douglas.
In a 2020 interview he said he still claimed Pearson: “I was raised in Pearson, Georgia. I moved to Coffee High around ninth grade. My grandparents thought I needed a change. They wanted me to be something in life.” He was reluctant to leave friends for the larger school in neighboring Coffee County. Coaches and family later described the move as a deliberate push toward structure and opportunity.
The household was poor. Hill has said that during his senior year he and his grandparents went a full year without electricity. On his podcast he recalled that football was “my moneymaker” and that he knew it would have to take care of him and his family.
Herman Hill spent time in prison. Speed showed early; family stories include a young Hill outrunning cousins and stray dogs on a dirt road. At Coffee High he became a state champion in the 100 and 200 meters in 2012, running 10.19 and 20.14, and played football as a running back and returner. Those times made him one of the fastest high-school sprinters in the country.
He went to Garden City Community College in Kansas, then Oklahoma State in 2014, where as a freshman he produced more than 1,800 all-purpose yards and ranked among the nation’s leaders in return yards.
The 2014 case
On the night of December 11–12, 2014, Stillwater police arrested Hill after his girlfriend, Crystal Espinal, then about eight weeks pregnant, reported an assault at his home. According to the police account summarized in contemporaneous reporting, she said he grabbed her by the neck, pinned her against a wall, threw her to the ground, put her in a headlock, and punched her in the stomach and face after she said she could not breathe. Officers documented cuts, bruises, a busted lip, a mark under her eye, and a torn shirt.
Oklahoma State dismissed him from the football and track teams the next day, stating the university does not tolerate domestic abuse. He was charged with domestic assault and battery by strangulation, a felony. He initially pleaded not guilty. In August 2015 he changed his plea to guilty. In court he told the judge, “I did something I shouldn’t have done. I let my feelings take control of me.”
Under the plea agreement he received three years of probation, two years of supervision, fines, a 52-week batterer-intervention program, and anger-management requirements. He transferred to the University of West Alabama, played the 2015 season, and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round in 2016. After he completed the court-ordered terms, an Oklahoma court dismissed the case and ordered the record expunged in August 2018.
Years later, in a recorded argument that surfaced in 2019, Hill told Espinal he had not hit her in 2014 and had only put her out the door. She asked where the bruises had come from and said he had put his hand around her neck; he denied it. That recording contradicted the guilty plea he had entered in open court.
Later investigations and allegations
In 2019, Kansas authorities investigated possible child abuse involving Hill and Espinal’s young son after the boy was found with a broken arm. No charges were filed. A leaked recording of an argument between Hill and Espinal included Hill saying she and the child should be terrified of him. The NFL investigated; prosecutors closed the case without charges, and Hill was not suspended.
Other disputes have included a 2023 settlement with a marina employee who alleged Hill struck him, and a 2024 civil suit by influencer Sophie Hall alleging he broke her leg during a private workout. Those matters are separate from the domestic cases.
In November 2023 Hill married Lakeeta “Keeta” Vaccaro, sister of former NFL safety Kenny Vaccaro, in Texas. She later alleged in divorce filings that he was violent with her on eight occasions between early 2024 and April 2025, including while she was pregnant with their daughter.
Court documents unsealed in 2025 described claims that he spat on her, shoved her, threw her down, ripped out hair, tore off a necklace, twisted intimate body parts, and tried to strike her stomach. Police responded to their Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, home on April 7, 2025, after a domestic-disturbance call; officers closed the case without criminal charges after both parties said the argument had not been physical. Vaccaro filed for divorce the next day.
Hill has denied the abuse allegations. The NFL said in September 2025 that the matter remained under review under the personal-conduct policy. In October 2026 Vaccaro testified in a Miami civil trial seeking damages, repeating claims of assaults during the marriage; Hill has not been criminally charged in that case. The civil proceedings were ongoing as of early October 2026.
The only domestic case that produced a criminal conviction—later dismissed after probation—was the 2014 Stillwater incident. Everything after that has been investigation, civil allegation, or both, without a new guilty plea or criminal conviction.
-
ATLANTA — A large Flash Flood Warning remains in effect for much of the Atlanta metro area through early this afternoon as one of the tropical rain bands associated with the remnants of Hurricane Isaias has set up over the region and is producing heavy, slow-moving rainfall.
As of the 9:30 a.m. update, the warning covers areas from Stonecrest to McDonough through 1:15 p.m., including the city of Atlanta. Two to three inches of rain have already fallen in this corridor in the past three hours. Many creeks in Atlanta are at their banks.
Flash Flood Warning for Much of Metro Atlanta as Isaias Dumps Heavy Rain
The National Weather Service in Peachtree City issued the Flash Flood Warning at 7:12 a.m. EDT for Clayton County, DeKalb County, central Fulton County, southwestern Gwinnett County, northwestern Henry County, and central Rockdale County.
It is in effect until 1:15 p.m. EDT due to Hurricane Isaias. Radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain, with 1 to 3 inches already fallen and an additional 2 to 3 inches possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.
Locations that could experience flash flooding include Atlanta, McDonough, Decatur, Jonesboro, Peachtree Corners, Sandy Springs, Johns Creek, Dunwoody, East Point, Duluth, Stockbridge, Forest Park, Riverdale, College Park, Lilburn, Chamblee, Norcross, and Doraville.
With little movement in the rain band, totals can accumulate quickly. These are the tropical bands previously forecast, which should become less widespread through the afternoon but are likely to return this evening. A broader Flood Watch remains in effect for metro Atlanta and much of north and central Georgia through Sunday morning due to post-tropical Cyclone Isaias, which is expected to bring rounds of heavy rain with widespread totals of 1 to 4 inches and localized amounts up to 8 inches where the heaviest bands train.
The primary hazards are flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets, underpasses, and other poor-drainage or low-lying spots. Officials urge residents to “turn around, don’t drown,” as most flood-related deaths occur in vehicles. Avoid flooded roads, monitor local conditions, and stay alert for rapidly rising water, especially near creeks already running high.
-
NEW YORK — The Atlanta Dream are heading to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013 after completing a three-game sweep of the New York Liberty with an 85-83 victory on Friday night at Barclays Center.
Fans that we interviewed after the game say they are looking forward to supporting the Dream. “I’m so excited Ai don’t know what to tell you,” Jennifer Combs, an Atlanta native, said.
”I’m buying the jersey, the finals tickets, the whole nine,” she said. “I’m happy for the city.”
Angel Reese scored 22 points, Rhyne Howard added 21, and the fourth-seeded Dream remained undefeated in the postseason. Jordin Canada contributed 19 points and a game-high 11 assists, while DeWanna Bonner finished with 13 points and a team-high 13 rebounds. Bonner sealed the win with two free throws with 6.2 seconds remaining after the Dream had turned the ball over and Breanna Stewart missed a contested layup.
Atlanta led 83-81 with 17.7 seconds left before Stewart’s miss. The Dream shot 22-of-24 from the free-throw line, including their final 20 attempts.
Series and Path to the Finals
The Dream controlled the best-of-five semifinal series from the start. They won Game 1 at home 92-82 on October 4, then survived a 101-98 overtime thriller in Game 2 on October 7, also in Atlanta, before closing it out on the road.
“This is huge for the city, huge for Angel Reese and the whole WNBA,” John Porter, a season ticket holder, told us. “Angel came here in Year One, she’s got us in the finals. You can’t write a better TV script.”
In the first round, Atlanta swept the Washington Mystics 2-0 (92-77 and 93-75) to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2018. The Dream finished the regular season 30-14 as the No. 4 seed and Eastern Conference leaders.
They enter the Finals on a 10-game winning streak spanning the end of the regular season and playoffs, and they will face the winner of the Las Vegas Aces–Golden State Valkyries series. The Finals begin October 17.
Key Performances and Challenges
Reese, acquired in an April trade from the Chicago Sky in exchange for first-round picks in 2027 and 2028, has been transformative.
The league’s Defensive Player of the Year stepped up offensively throughout the playoffs, especially with leading scorer Allisha Gray sidelined by a finger injury suffered in Game 1. Gray missed Games 2 and 3 (she warmed up before Game 3 but was ruled out about an hour before tip-off) and was limited to just 11 minutes total in the series.
Howard got Atlanta going early with 11 points in the first quarter, while Reese added 10, including two threes. The game had physical moments, including technical fouls on Reese and Jonquel Jones after a chest bump. New York mounted a third-quarter surge to take a 68-66 lead after three quarters, but Atlanta responded in the fourth.
For the Liberty, Stewart and Jones each scored 26 points. Jones added 14 rebounds and three blocks. Sabrina Ionescu finished with 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting. The 2024 champions, who had upset the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the first round, struggled for consistency all season and finished as the No. 8 seed. This marked their first playoff sweep since 2012.3
Looking Ahead
The Dream have never won a WNBA title and are now four victories away from their first championship. Coach Karl Smesko’s group has shown resilience without Gray and strong contributions from veterans like Bonner and Canada alongside rising stars Reese and Howard.0
With the other semifinal series still ongoing (Golden State led Las Vegas 2-0 entering Game 3), Atlanta awaits its Finals opponent while carrying momentum into the championship round.
-
Hurricane Isaias strengthened into a Category 3 storm on Friday, becoming the first major hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season and the first hurricane of any strength in the Atlantic basin since Hurricane Melissa last October.
Hurricane Isaias a Category 3: How It Will Affect Atlanta
Its center is headed for the northern Gulf Coast, but the storm’s expanding wind field and rain bands are also expected to affect metro Atlanta from Friday night through Sunday.
As of Friday morning, the National Hurricane Center and local reporting placed the center about 240 to 245 miles south of Pensacola, Florida, and roughly 170 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. Maximum sustained winds were near 120 mph, with a minimum central pressure around 958 to 959 millibars. The storm was moving north-northeast at about 15 mph and was expected to turn more northward later in the day.
On that track, Isaias was forecast to approach the northern Gulf Coast Friday afternoon and make landfall within the warning area late Friday night or early Saturday. Forecasters said some weakening was possible before landfall because of increasing wind shear, but the storm was expected to remain a dangerous hurricane, with life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds, and flooding rain.
A hurricane warning covered the coast from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to the Bay/Gulf County line in the Florida Panhandle. A storm surge warning extended from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Suwannee River in Florida, including Mobile Bay. Tropical storm warnings reached farther west into southeastern Louisiana and east into the Florida Big Bend. Forecast water levels above normally dry ground included about 5 to 7 feet from Ocean Springs to Indian Pass, Florida, and 3 to 5 feet from the Mississippi River mouth to Ocean Springs. Rainfall of roughly 4 to 8 inches was expected across southern Alabama, the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend, and southwest Georgia, with locally higher amounts.
Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to about 30 miles from the center, while tropical-storm-force winds reached out to roughly 185 miles. Seas near the center were reported near 32 feet. After landfall, the center was expected to weaken while moving northward across Mississippi and Alabama toward the Tennessee Valley, leaving north and central Georgia on the storm’s northeast side.
Metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta is outside the landfall zone, but the National Weather Service in Peachtree City expects a prolonged period of strong winds, heavy rain with localized flooding, and a few tornadoes from Friday night through Sunday.
Showers should spread into the metro area near and after sunset Friday, with conditions worsening around midnight as repeated rain bands move through Saturday. Rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches are likely across much of north and central Georgia, with localized amounts up to about 5 inches where bands train over the same spots. Local forecasts for Atlanta specifically have called for on the order of 3 inches or more in a higher-end scenario. High rainfall rates and repeated rounds raise the risk of localized flash flooding in urban and poorly drained areas, as well as along flood-prone creeks and streams. Lingering rain is possible into Sunday, with conditions expected to improve Sunday morning into the afternoon.
Wind is a separate concern even as the storm weakens inland. A strong pressure gradient between Isaias and high pressure over the Mid-Atlantic is forecast to support a long period of gusty easterly winds. The NWS has highlighted frequent gusts of 40 to 50 mph across much of north Georgia from early Saturday through early Sunday, and a High Wind Watch covers much of that area. Local Atlanta outlets have described a similar range, with gusts potentially near 40 to 50 mph. Combined with rain-softened soil, those winds could bring down limbs, trees, and power lines, and power outages are possible. A Tropical Storm Watch farther southwest, in west-central Georgia, covers areas where gusts of 40 to 50 mph are also possible closer to the expanding wind field.
The tornado threat is expected to begin overnight Friday and continue through Saturday as outer rain bands rotate inland. Tornadoes embedded in those bands can form quickly, including at night, so multiple ways to receive warnings are advised.
Isaias formed in the Bay of Campeche around October 6 and became a hurricane overnight from Wednesday into Thursday, ending an unusually quiet stretch. It is the ninth named storm of the 2026 season and the first to reach hurricane strength. No Atlantic hurricane formed in September, the climatological peak of the season—the first September without one in the satellite era. Its arrival as a hurricane on October 8 tied or nearly matched the latest first Atlantic hurricane in records going back to 1851; the previous comparable case often cited is 1905. In the satellite era, which dates to the mid-1960s, the prior latest first hurricane was September 11, set by Gustav in 2002 and matched by Humberto in 2013.
The last Atlantic hurricane before Isaias was Melissa in late October 2025. Melissa reached Category 5 intensity with peak winds estimated at 165 knots (about 190 mph) and a minimum pressure of 892 millibars, tying for the strongest Atlantic winds on record and ranking among the most intense by pressure. It made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, on October 28 as a Category 5, the strongest hurricane on record to strike that island, and later crossed eastern Cuba. The storm was linked to dozens of deaths and catastrophic wind, surge, and flood damage across parts of the Greater Antilles.
Isaias is a very different storm in intensity and location, but its rapid overnight strengthening over warm Gulf waters—supported by Hurricane Hunter data showing a better-defined eye and rising flight-level winds—underscores that late-season systems can still become major hurricanes. For metro Atlanta, the main hazards are not the eyewall but the long fetch of wind, repeated heavy rain, and isolated tornadoes well east of the center.
-
Hungry for something new? Gas South will host a grocery-store-style pop-up on Saturday, Oct. 17, giving families a chance to select fresh food and household essentials at no cost.
The event runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Chapelhill Church in East Point, 4330 Washington Road. Doors open at 11 a.m.
Grocery Store-Style Pop-Up Happening in East Point
Gas South is partnering with the Atlanta Community Food Bank to stock the temporary market for at least 250 families. Supplies will include 10,000 pounds of produce and an additional $20,000 worth of supplemental groceries. Shoppers will move through the setup as they would a conventional grocery store, choosing items rather than receiving pre-packed boxes.
The pop-up is intended to expand access to fresh food and basic household goods for local families. Organizers say the grocery-style format is meant to offer more choice and a more familiar shopping experience than a traditional distribution line.
The Atlanta Community Food Bank, which works with partner agencies across metro Atlanta, is coordinating the food and related supplies for the event. Gas South is providing the partnership and support for the one-day market.
