Columbus Consolidated Government closes for Hurricane Michael

COLUMBUS, GA (WTVM) - The Columbus Consolidated Government has made the decision to close early.

All non-essential city services will close at 2:00 p.m. in advance of the storms related to Hurricane Michael.

The city is also asking all citizens to be off the streets by 3:00 p.m.

“At this time we are expecting sustained winds of up to 40 mph, but there could be wind gusts at higher speeds,” said Mayor Teresa Tomlinson. “We are asking all citizens to secure outdoor items like trash cans, urns or outdoor furniture. Do not put your Thursday trash on the street until Thursday morning. Stay off the streets from 3:00 pm until the brunt of the storm has passed us. At this point, we are only expecting 2-3 inches of rain, which is a level we can readily handle. Just use common sense and take typical storm precautions, and we should all be ok.”

Citizens are asked to call 311 or (706) 653-4000 to report downed limbs or trees and to report any street flooding issues.