Gov. Brian Kemp has declared a state of emergency that will go into effect on Thursday at 7 a.m. and will expire at midnight on October 28.

This decision comes as Hurricane Ian continues to gain potency and momentum while looking to make an impact on the Florida coast.

Georgia has already activated its State Operations Center, which is in place to coordinate with local, state and federal agencies to address the pending impact of the storm on Georgia.

The city of Savannah is in a partial emergency command operation called OPCON3.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Ian is just about 460 miles south-southwest of Savannah.

The expected force to hit Savannah is around 140 MPH.

The NHC also cited that they expect the most prominent effects to Savannah on Friday.

Gusts with speeds of 35-40 MPH are expected Thursday afternoon and evening.

The majority of rainfall is expected on Friday night into early Saturday morning.

Savannah police and fire are working on plans to address any dangerous situations.

Below is a look into surrounding universities that have announced cancellations or moved online.

• Saint Leo University has moved all classes from all its campuses, including those in Savannah and Charleston. Classes are canceled from Wednesday, Sept. 28, through Friday, September 30.
• College of Coastal Georgia has moved classes online from Wednesday, Sept. 28, to Friday, September 30.
• The Savannah College of Art & Design will close all buildings and cancel classes Thursday, Sept. 29 and Friday, September 30.