| Storm poses few problems for Augusta While Tropical Storm Bonnie's clouds loomed, the storm didn't cause as many problems Thursday as predicted, officials said. "Right now, we've got a little bit of rain near Macon but nothing much else to be concerned about," Augusta-Richmond County Fire Department Chief Howard Willis, the county's emergency management director, said at about 4 p.m. Thursday. "Bonnie started falling apart, which was good news for us," said Pam Tucker, the director of Columbia County Emergency Services. Local emergency management agencies in Georgia and South Carolina sprang into action Thursday morning, as the storm had been predicted to cause heavy rains for the area. Augusta Regional Airport reported almost 2 inches of rain Thursday, and Daniel Field reported about 1.75 inches, according to the National Weather Service. Chief Willis said the rain that fell heavily on the area Thursday morning came primarily from a cold front from the northwest, not the tropical storm itself. In Aiken County, Engineer Joe Berry said officials were forced to clear mud from roads and remove debris from drains but otherwise had a routine day. Burke County fared well Thursday, EMA Chief Rusty Sanders said. He said the county's main concern was the many dirt roads that could wash out. Chief Sanders said the county didn't experience any major flooding. Meanwhile, emergency officials kept their eyes on radar and satellite imagery of Hurricane Charley throughout the afternoon. The National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center predicted that the hurricane could reach the Georgia and South Carolina coasts by Saturday. While forecast models showed Charley passing south of Augusta, tropical cyclones are unpredictable and can take different paths. "Hopefully, Mother Nature will keep us in her graces," Chief Sanders said. The last time a pair of tropical weather systems simultaneously threatened Augusta was in 1990 - with catastrophic consequences. The remnants of Tropical Storm Marco and Hurricane Klaus hovered over Augusta, dropping more than a foot of rain, spawning tornadoes and forcing thousands to temporarily leave their homes.
Staff Writers Karen Ethridge, Josh Gelinas, Stephen Gurr and Rob Pavey contributed to this report.
Reach Jeremy Craig at (706) 823-3409 or jeremy.craig@augustachronicle.com.
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