Alert archive / Georgia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1988
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 75, NWS Atlanta, GA
NWS Atlanta, GA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 24, 1988, 3:05 PM EDT for Butts County, Georgia. It was in force for 40 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- May 24, 1988, 3:05 PM EDT (19:05 UTC)
- Expired
- May 24, 1988, 3:45 PM EDT
- In force
- 40 min
- Issued by
- NWS Atlanta, GA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Butts County, GA
The radar
The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.
The nearest sounding before it
Athens Municipal, GA (KAHN), launched 12:00Z, 7.1 hours before the alert went out and 95 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
- 426 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -46 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 828 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 40 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 99 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 186 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KATL 241909
SVRATL
GAC035-241945-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTA GA
305 PM EDT TUE MAY 24 1988
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ATLANTA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 345 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA
...BUTTS
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED AT 305 PM 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
JACKSON IN BUTTS COUNTY. THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST
AT 45 MPH.
THIS MOVEMENT WILL TAKE THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ACROSS LAKE JACKSON
AND THE CITY OF JACKSON BY 330 PM.
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 CONDITIONS.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55
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
DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.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, May 24, 1:31 PM EDT, 1 hour 34 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT..CORRECTION TO EXPIRATION TIME.. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA 125PM EDT TUE MAY 24 1988 ..TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 170 IS IN EFFECT ACROSS CENTRAL AND A PORTION OF NORTHEAST GEORGIA UNTIL 800 PM EDT THIS EVENING.. THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA ARE INCLUDED IN THE THE WATCH AREA..NEWTON..TALIAFERRO..CLARKE..OCONEE..WALTON..ELBERT.. MADISON..OGLETHORPE..GREENE..AND MORGAN COUNTIES. THIS INCLUDES TH E CITIES OF ATHENS..ELBERTON..MADISON AND COVINGTON.
Special weather statement, May 24, 1:50 PM EDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTA GA 151 PM EDT TUE MAY 24 1988 TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 170 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR A LARGE PART OF GEORGIA UNTIL 8 PM THIS EVENING. PARTS OF SOUTHERN ALABAMA AND THE NORTHWEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE WATCH. THE WATCH COVERS THE AREA ALONG AND TO THE SOUTH OF A LINE FROM LAGRANGE TO JONESBORO TO ATHENS. THIS INCLUDES THE SOUTHERN SUBURBS OF THE ATLANTA METRO AREA. AREAS TO THE NORTH OF ATLANTA ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE WATCH. AT 145 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED SEVERAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN THE NORTHWEST GEORGIA AREA. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED SOUTHWEST OF ATLANTA NEAR NEWNAN...AND IN MERIWETHER COUNTY NORTHWEST OF GREENVILLE. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH...AND WILL BE MOVING INTO FAYETTE...PIKE...AND SPALDING COUNTIES BETWEEN 2 AND 3 PM. PEOPLE IN THE AREA SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR DARK THREATENING CLOUD2S APPROACHING FROM THE SOUTHWEST. SMALL HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
Special weather statement, May 24, 2:05 PM EDT, 1 hour before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MACON GA
205 PM EDT TUE MAY 24 1988
...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 170 IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL GEORGIA UNTIL
8PM THIS TUESDAY EVENING...
AT 200 PM WEATHER RADAR IN MACON SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING
ACROSS CENTRAL GEORGIA. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED
FROM GRAY GEORGIA IN JONES COUNTY TO NEAR MILLEDGEVILLE IN BALDWIN
COUNTY. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE NOTED NEAR FORSYTH GEORGIA AND
NORTHWEST OF MONTEICELLO GEORGIA. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
BOATERS ON AREA LAKES AND PEOPLE NEAR OR IN THE PATH OF THESE
THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND
BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A SAFE PLACE IF NECESSARY.W
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL TELEVISION AND RADIO STATIONS
FOR WEATHER UPDATES.Special weather statement, May 24, 2:38 PM EDT, 27 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBUS GA
238 PM EDT TUE MAY 24 1988
...AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO RUSSELL COUNTY ALABAMA....
AT 235 PM EDT COLUMBUS WEATHER RADAR INDICATED AN INTENSE
THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO SOUTH CENTRAL RUSSELL COUNTY IN ALABAMA.
MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
THIS THUNDERSTORM IS QUITE CAPABLE OF SMALL HAIL...GUSTY WINDS...AND
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF
EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...AND THIS INCLUDES RUSSELL COUNTY. THEREFORE
PEOPLE NEAR THIS STORM SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR VERY THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS.
BE READY TO PUT INTO OPERATION YOUR PERSONAL OR FAMILY ACTIONS
PLAN IF IT BECOMES NECESSA{RY. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR
FUTURE STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.Special weather statement, May 24, 2:48 PM EDT, 17 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA 245 PM EDT TUE MAY 24 1988 ..TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 170 IS IN EFFECT ACROSS CENTRAL AND A PORTION OF NORTHEAST GEORGIA UNTIL 800 PM EDT THIS EVENING.. THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA ARE INCLUDED IN THE THE WATCH AREA..NEWTON..TALIAFERRO..CLARKE..OCONEE..WALTON..ELBERT.. MADISON..OGLETHORPE..GREENE..AND MORGAN COUNTIES. THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ATHENS..ELBERTON..MADISON AND COVINGTON. NUMEROUS VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTROMS WERE INDICATED ACROSS CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND EXTENDED INTO SOUTH CAROLINA. THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN LINES FROM UNION SOUTH CAROLINA TO WASHINGTON GEORGIA AND FROM NEAR CONYERS GEORGIA TO THE ALABAMA BORDER NEAR COLUMBUS GEORGIA.
Special weather statement, May 24, 3:02 PM EDT, 3 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBUS GA 303 PM EDT TUE MAY 24 1988 ...AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORM MOVING THROUGH PARTS OF PHENIX CITY ALABAMA AND COLUMBUS GEORGIA... AT 3 PM EDT COLUMBUS WEATHER RADAR INDICATED AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORM MOVING THROUGH PARTS OF PHENIX CITY ALABAMA AND COLUMBUS GEORGIA. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. THIS THUNDERSTORM IS QUITE CAPABLE OF SMALL HAIL...GUSTY WINDS...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA. THEREFORE PEOPLE NEAR THIS STORM SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR VERY THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS. BE READY TO PUT INTO OPERATION YOUR PERSONAL OR FAMILY ACTIONS PLAN IF IT BECOMES NECESSARY. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FUTURE STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Atlanta, GA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 24, 3:33 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Bibb, Jones | 42 min |
| May 24, 4:03 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Houston, Peach | 57 min |
| May 24, 4:36 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Twiggs | 69 min |
| May 24, 4:54 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Pulaski | 66 min |
| May 24, 5:08 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | FFC | Richmond | 52 min |
| May 24, 5:50 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Ben Hill, Irwin | 55 min |
| May 24, 6:06 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Turner | 69 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.