Blustery winds, rip tides from distant hurricane

Libery and Long counties were getting blustery winds Saturday morning, but a graphic from the National Hurricane Center showed the area was unlikely to get tropical storm force winds. The purple area on the graphic is 100 percent chance for the strong winds. Green shows a five percent chance. - photo by NOAA graphic

sandy sat — Libery and Long counties were getting blustery winds Saturday morning, but a graphic from the National Hurricane Center showed the area was unlikely to get tropical storm force winds. The purple area on the graphic is 100 percent chance for the strong winds. Green shows a five percent chance. - photo by NOAA graphic

ST. SIMONS ISLAND — Emergency officials are urging visitors to Georgia beaches to keep out of the water as Hurricane Sandy is expected to whip up dangerous rip currents as the storm passes far offshore.

Thousands of University of Georgia football fans are staying on St. Simons Island and nearby coastal areas for the UGA-Florida football game Saturday just across the state line. Jay Wiggins, emergency management director for Glynn County, said Friday rip currents are his top concern from the hurricane. He said police officers patrolling the St. Simons beach are urging visitors not to swim.

National Hurricane Center forecasts Saturday morning showed Sandy staying more than 300 miles off the Georgia coast as the storm passes northward Saturday. But it's still possible that tropical-storm-force winds will rake Georgia's 100 miles of coastline.

Public Safety

Public Safety