The middle of the Cumming Country Fair & Festival isn’t the best time for Mother Nature to bring rain, but those who attend the county’s signature event should expect it through early Thursday as Georgia feels the impact of Hurricane Michael.

The storm is expected to be a Category 3 by the time it hits the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday and then surge northward through Georgia and South Carolina. Rain and strong, potentially tropical storm-force winds is expected to impact central Georgia and even north Georgia, including the Atlanta metro area, according to the National Weather Service.

The first traces of the storm could be experienced on Tuesday, with a 30-40 percent chance of rain and wind gusts up to 20 mph.

The strongest effects from the storm are expected to begin on Wednesday, with a 70-90 percent chance of rain along with thunderstorms and gusts of up to 15 mph. Those conditions are expected to continue until Thursday afternoon, when the chance of rain and thunderstorms drops to 30 percent.

By Friday, conditions are expected to be clear and sunny with highs in the mid-70s.

Last year, the Fair closed one day due to inclement weather but still saw more than 172,000 people attend the 10-day event.