Alert archive / Georgia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1989

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 1, NWS Atlanta, GA

February 21, 1989Dodge County, Laurens County, Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Feb 21, 1989, 8:34 AM EST for Dodge County, Laurens County, Georgia. It was in force for 41 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
Feb 21, 1989, 8:34 AM EST (13:34 UTC)
Expired
Feb 21, 1989, 9:15 AM EST
In force
41 min
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Dodge County, GA, Laurens 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Feb 21, 8:35 AM ESTThunderstorm Wind 0Dodge, GA
Feb 21, 9:00 AM ESTHail 0.75Laurens, 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

Athens Municipal, GA (KAHN), launched 12:00Z, 1.6 hours before the alert went out and 183 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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Athens Municipal, GA at 12:00Z on 1989-02-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Athens Municipal, GA at 12:00Z on 1989-02-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -447 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
NaN m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
60 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-447 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-342 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KMCN 211334
SVRMCN
GAC091-175-211415-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MACON GA
834 AM EST TUE FEB 21 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MACON HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  915 AM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN CENTRAL GEORGIA
          ...DODGE...LAURENS
 
AT 8 32 AM EST RADAR LOCATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH
DODGE AND LAURENS COUNTIES TO THE NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.
 
THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE PRODUCED WIND DAMAGE IN PULASKI COUNTY.
 
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, Feb 21, 6:50 AM EST, 1 hour 44 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY..CORRECT 3RD LINE FOR TIME
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
630 AM EST TUE FEB 21 1989

..A SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL
AND SOUTHWEST GEORGIA UNTIL 11 AM THIS TUESDAY..

AT 630 AM THIS MORNING THE WEATHER RADAR DETECTED A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS IN GEORGIA EXTENDING FROM JUST NORTHEAST OF ATHENS
SOUTHWEST TO NEAR MADISON AND ON SOUTHWEST TO NORTH OF MACON.

STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINS ARE POSSIBLE WITH SOME
OF THESE STORMS AS THEY CONTINUE MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

ELSEWHERE WIDESPREAD RAIN COVERED MUCH OF NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA
ALONG WITH NORTHWEST SOUTH CAROLINA.  WITHIN THIS LARGE RAIN AREA
THERE WERE ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS.
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 7:09 AM EST, 1 hour 25 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MACON GA
708 AM EST TUE FEB 21 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 10 IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST GEORGIA UNTIL 11 AM EST THIS MORNING...

AT 700 AM RADAR IN MACON SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM
MILLEDGEVILLE TO SOUTHWEST OF MACON TO NEAR FORT VALLEY.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS...VERY HEAVY RAIN
...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES. BRIEF SMALL HAIL WAS ALSO REPORTED
IN MILLEDGEVILLE JUST PRIOR TO 7 AM.

RESIDENTS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN CALM BUT ALERT OF DEVELOPING
WEATHER IN THEIR AREA. LISTEN TO THE NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL
TV OR RADIO FOR UPDATES THROUGHOUT THIS MORNING.
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 7:26 AM EST, 1 hour 8 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MACON GA
725 AM EST TUE FEB 21 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 10 IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST GEORGIA UNTIL 11 AM EST THIS MORNING...

AT 720 AM RADAR IN MACON SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM
MILLEDGEVILLE TO SOUTHWEST OF MACON TO NEAR FORT VALLEY.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN. FLOODING OF STREETS
AND LOW AREAS WAS OCCURRING IN WARNER R OBINS AND MACON. MOTORIST SHOULD
AVOID DRIVING THROUGH STANDING WATER ON ROADS.
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 7:31 AM EST, 1 hour 3 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBUS GA
730 AM EST TUE FEB 21 1989

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF EXTREME
EAST ALABAMA AND MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH GEORGIA UNTIL 11 AM EST...

AT 727 AM EST COLUMBUS WEATHER RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF HEAVY RAIN
AND SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM AMERICUS GEORGIA SOUTH TO
LEESBURG...TO JUST WEST OF ALBANY GEORGIA...AND CONTINUING SOUTH
TO COLQUITT.  MOVEMENT WAS RAPIDLY EAST ABOUT 40 MPH.

RESIDENTS OF WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST GEORGIA AND EXTREME EAST
ALABAMA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT THIS MORNING FOR HEAVY RAINFALL...DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL.  PLEASE CONTINUE TO
"LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER LOCAL TELEVISION AND RADIO
STATIONS FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 7:46 AM EST, 48 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTA GA
745 AM EST TUE FEB 21 1989

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST GEORGIA UNTIL 11 AM THIS MORNING.  THIS WATCH
DOES NOT INCLUDE THE CITY OF ATLANTA...BUT DOES INCLUDE THE
COUNTIES TO THE SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST OF THE CITY.  THE AREAS AROUND
GRIFFIN...THOMASTON...COVINGTON...AND MCDONOUGH ARE INCLUDED.
THE WATCH ALSO EXTENDS SOUTH TOWARD MACON AND COLUMBUS.

AT 745 AM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A BROAD BAND OF
MODERATE RAINS...ALONG WITH SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...
EXTENDING FROM LAKE LANIER SOUTHWEST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PORTION
OF THE ATLANTA METRO AREA TO COLUMBUS.  THIS AREA WAS MOVING EAST
AT 30 MPH.  HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH GUSTY WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED
WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS.

PEOPLE IN THE NORTHWEST GEORGIA AREA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AS THESE
THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST THIS MORNING.  STAY TUNED
TO T;HIS STATION FOR THE LATEST WEATHER UPDATES.
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 7:55 AM EST, 39 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT  -  PEACHTREE CREEK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTA GA
755 AM EST TUE FEB 21 1988

... PEACHTREE CREEK RISING STEADILY ...

  AT 745 AM EST... THE STAGE ON PEACHTREE CREEK AT THE NORTHSIDE DRIVE
GAGE WAS 10.1 FEET AND THE RIVER WAS RISING. FROM 1 TO 2 INCHES OF
RAIN HAS FALLEN IN ATLANTA SINCE MIDNIGHT LAST NIGHT... AND THIS WILL
RESULT IN A CREST OF ABOUT 13 TO 14 FEET AT NORTHSIDE DRIVE AROUND 10
THIS MORNING.

  FLOOD STAGE ON PEACHTREE CREEK AT NORTHSIDE DRIVE IS 17 FEET... BUT
THIS STAGE WILL CAUSE SOME MINOR FLOODING ON PARTS OF WOODWARD WAY AND
LOWER LYING AREAS OF THE BOBBY JONES GOLF COURSE. NO MAJOR FLOODING
IS EXPECTED.

  ANOTHER STATEMENT WILL BEE ISSUED LATER THIS MORNING.

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Georgia, 1989Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1989

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.