Alert archive / Georgia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1988
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 45, NWS Atlanta, GA
NWS Atlanta, GA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 25, 1988, 10:38 PM EDT for Ben Hill County, Irwin County, Georgia. It was in force for 42 min. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- Apr 25, 1988, 10:38 PM EDT (02:38 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 25, 1988, 11:20 PM EDT
- In force
- 42 min
- Issued by
- NWS Atlanta, GA
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Ben Hill County, GA, Irwin County, GA
The radar
The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25, 10:45 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind 0 | Ben Hill, GA | |
| Apr 25, 10:51 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind 0 | Irwin, GA |
NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.
The nearest sounding before it
Jacksonville, FL (KAYS), launched 00:00Z, 2.6 hours before the alert went out and 197 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 2439 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -4 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 897 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 66 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 235 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 332 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 5.0
- Supercell composite
- 18.9
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KMCN 260242
SVRMCN
GAC017-155-260345-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MACON GA
1038 PM EDT MON APR 25 1988
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MACON HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1145 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA
...BEN HILL...IRWIN
AT 1037PM RADAR SHOWED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS NEAR FITZGERALD AND WEST
OF OCILLA MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. REMEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING. REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONSH.What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Apr 25, 6:35 PM EDT, 4 hours 3 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA 615PM EDT MON APR 25 1988 VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN A LINE FROM NEAR ATHENS TO NEAF MADISON GEORGIA MOVING EASTWARD AT 60MPH.. PERSONS IN OCONEE..MORGAN.. OGLETHORPE .. GREENE .. AND TALIAFERRO COUNTIES SHOULD REMAIN VERY ALERT AS THESE STORMS MOVE THROUGH. ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 83 AND TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 84 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9PM EDT...TORNADO WATCH 85 IN EFFECT UNTIL 11PM EDT. POSSBILE...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS. HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. LISTEN TO YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO STATION FOR THE LATEST WEATHER WARNINGS..
Special weather statement, Apr 25, 7:32 PM EDT, 3 hours 6 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MACON GA 730 PM EDT MON APR 25 1988 ...TORNADO WATCH 84 AND 85 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM FOR ALL OF CENTRAL GEORGIA. ...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR BIBB AND MONROE COUNTY HAS EXPIRED. VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS REMAIN IN CENTRAL GEORGIA WITHIN A 25 MILE RADIUS OF MACON. MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR. GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED ON RIVERSIDE DRIVE IN MACON AND 3/4 INCH IN THE BLOOMINGFIELD AREA AROUND 700 PM. NUMEROUS REPORTS OF MARBLE SIZE HAIL WERE RECEIVED FROM BIBB AND HOUSTON COUNTIES. PEOPLE IN CENTRAL GEORGIA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL STRONG AND COULD PRODUCE DAMAGE. MOTORIST SHOULD AVOID DRIVING THROUGH WATER ON ROADS.
Special weather statement, Apr 25, 7:34 PM EDT, 3 hours 4 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBUS GA 730 PM EDT MON APR 25 1988 ...TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF WEST CENTRAL AND PART OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA UNTIL 9 PM EDT. WEATHER RADAR AT COLUMBUS INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS NEAR COLUMBUS AND ELSEWHERE ONLY A FEW SCATTERED SHOWERS WERE SHOWN ACROSS WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTH WEST GEORGIA. ALL OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 60 MILES AN HOUR. THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH... DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS. HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO DO NOT DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.
Special weather statement, Apr 25, 8:15 PM EDT, 2 hours 23 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MACON GA 810 PM EDT MON APR 25 1988 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF CENTRAL GEORGIA UNTIL 900 PM EDT... ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 85 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM FOR LAURENS...MONTGOMERY...PUTNAM...TELFAIR...TREUTLEN...AND WHEELER. AT 810 PM STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER PARTS OF CENTRAL GEORGIA. THE STRONGEST STRETCHED FROM MONTICELLO TO FORSYTH AND FROM NORTH OF DUBLIN SOHUTHWEST TO NEAR PERRYAND HAWKINSVILLE. MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 55 MILES AN HOUR. STRONG GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS.
Special weather statement, Apr 25, 9:47 PM EDT, 51 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MACON GA 945 PM EDT MON APR 25 1988 ...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS FOR PARTS OF CENTRAL AND MOST OF SOUTH GEORGIA UNTIL 100 AM EDT... AT 940 PM THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THAT MOVED ACROSS FORSYTH IN MONROE COUNTY HAD WEAKENED AS IT MOVED INTO JONES COUNTY. OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM DUBLIN SOUTHWEST TO ABBEVILLE THEN DUE WEST TO AMERICUS. MOVEMENT WAS EAST NEAR 55 MILES AN HOUR. STRONG GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL...HEAVY RAIN...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS.
Local storm report, Apr 25, 10:33 PM EDT, 5 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MACON GA 1035 PM EDT MON APR 25 1988 COUNTY..... MONROE, FIPS #207 SOURCE..... SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT TIME....... 710 PM EDT LOCATION... CULLODON IN SOUTH MONROE COUNTY. TYPE STORM. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM HAIL....... QUARTER SIZE HAIL. WINDS...... TREES DOWN ACROSS HIGHWAY 74. WARNINGS... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IN EFFECT. COUNTY..... MONROE FIPS #021 SOURCE..... FIRE DEPARTMENT TIME....... 700 PM EDT LOCATION... ON ZEBULON ROAD SOUTH MONROE COUNTY. TYPE STORM. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM HAIL....... GOLFBALL HAIL DAMAGE TO CAR OF SHEILA RIGSBY. WARNINGS... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IN EFFECT. COUNTY..... BIBB, FIPS #021 SOURCE..... CIVIL DEFENSE TIME....... 700 PM EDT LOCATION... RIVERSIDE AND COLLEGE DRIVE IN MACON TYPE STORM. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM HAIL....... GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL. WARNINGS... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IN EFFECT. COUNTY..... BIBB, FIPS #021 SOURCE..... PETE NICHOLS, AMATEUR RADIO SPOTTER. TIME....... 700 PM EDT LOCATION... BLOOMFIELD ROAD IN MACON. TYPE STORM. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM HAIL....... 3/4 INCH HAIL. WARNINGS... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IN EFFECT. COUNTY..... MONROE, FIPS #207 SOURCE..... SHERIFFS AOFFICE TIME....... 920 PM EDT LOCATION... FORSYTH TYPE STORM. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM HAIL....... QUARTER SIZE WARNING.... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IN EFFECT
The office that day
Everything else NWS Atlanta, GA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25, 8:45 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Upson | 20 min |
| Apr 25, 8:58 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Telfair | 47 min |
| Apr 25, 8:58 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Monroe | 47 min |
| Apr 25, 9:58 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Turner | 47 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Georgia, 1988Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1988
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.