Alert archive / Georgia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1989

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 112, NWS Atlanta, GA

June 21, 1989Dodge County, Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 21, 1989, 4:15 PM EDT for Dodge County, Georgia. It was in force for 60 min. 1 report 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
Jun 21, 1989, 4:15 PM EDT (20:15 UTC)
Expired
Jun 21, 1989, 5:15 PM EDT
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Whole counties

County Dodge 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
Jun 21, 4:30 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 0Dodge, 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, 8.3 hours before the alert went out and 198 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 1989-06-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 199 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 1989-06-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 108 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
199 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-28 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
608 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
108 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
131 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
0.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KMCN 212016
SVRMCN
GAC091-212115-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MACON GA
415 PM EDT WED JUN 21 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MACON HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  515 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN CENTRAL GEORGIA
          ...DODGE
 
AT 413 PM WEATHER RADAR IN MACON SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IN
DODGE COUNTY SOUTH OF EASTMAN GEORGIA. MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MILES
AN HOUR.
 
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH YOU SHOULD
PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...LARGE HAIL...AND
DEADLY LIGHTNING.  PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

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, Jun 21, 11:21 AM EDT, 4 hours 54 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTA GA
1120 AM EDT WED JUN 21 1989

...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING METRO ATLANTA FROM THE WEST...

  AT 1115 AM EDT... WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...
MANY WITH MORE HEAVY RAIN... MOVING TOWARD METRO ATLANTA FROM THE WEST.
THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM ALLATOONA LAKE ACROSS MARIETTA
TO JUST WEST OF FAIRBURN AND WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 35 MILES
AN HOUR.

  A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTH GEORGIA INCLUDING
THE ATLANTA METRO AREA. WITH ALL THE RAIN RECEIVED TUESDAY... IT WILL
NOT TAKE MUCH MORE RAIN BEFORE CREEKS... DRAINAGE DITCHES... STREAMS...
AND LAKES OVERFLOW AGAIN. THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF
PRODUCING 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN A VERY SHORT TIME.

  STRONG GUSTY WINDS... FREQUENT DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...
AND TORRENTIAL RAINS CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS METRO ATLANTA IN THE NEXT
COUPLE OF HOURS AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE SLOWLY THROUGH THE AREA.
<
  PERSONS LIVING IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS OR NEAR CREEKS OR DRAINAGE DITCHES
SHOULD BE ALERT AND BE READY TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IF FLASH FLOODING
BEGINS OR A WARNING IS ISSUED. NEVER DRIVE mCARS INTO WATER OF AN UNKNOWN
DEPTH OR THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. MOST DEATHS IN FLASH FLOODS OCCUR
IN CARS.

  FURTHER STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED.
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 11:53 AM EDT, 4 hours 22 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
1145AM WED JUN 21, 1989

...THUNDERSTORMS INCREASING AND MOVING INTO PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST GA...

THUNDERSTORMS ARE INCREASING AGAIN AND BY 1145AM AAN AREA 25 MILES
WIDE REACHED FROM NER BLUE RIDGE IN NORTH GEORGIA SOUTHWARD TO
NEAR ATLANTA.

THE STORMS ARE MOVING NORTHEAST AT NEAR 40 MPH WHILE THE AREA
DRIFTS SLOWLY EASTWARD.

HEAVY RAINS...CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND GUSTY WINDS WILL
PRODUCED BY SOME OF THESE STORMS.

PERSONS IN UNION , LUMPKIN,AND DAWSON COUNTIES CAN EXPECT THESE
STORMS TO MOVE INTO THEIR AREA DURING THE NEXT HOUR. PERSONS
IN COUNTIES EAST AND SOUTHEST OF THOSE COUNTIES MENTION SHOULD
EXPECT THE STORMS TO MOVE IN LATER THIS AFTERNOON.
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 1:52 PM EDT, 2 hours 23 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBUS GA
152 PM EDT WED JUN 21 1989

...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN THE WARM UNSTABLE AIR OVER SOUTHWEST
   AND SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...

AT 148 PM EDT COLUMBUS WEATHER RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS
DEVELOPING IN SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA. THE STORMS PRODUCING
THE HEAVIEST RAIN WERE NEAR DAMASCUS...NEAR ALBANY...AND BETWEEN NEWTON
AND PELHAM. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

THE ATMOSPHERE OVER GEORGIA REMAINS QUITE WARM...MOIST...AND UNSTABLE.
THIS MEANS THAT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE IN THE FORECAST THROUGH
TODAY AND INTO TONIGHT. THESE STORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS...
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...A@ND SMALL HAIL.
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 2:22 PM EDT, 1 hour 53 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MACON GA
222 PM EDT WED JUNE 21 1989

AT 215 PM MACON RADAR SHOWED A FEW VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN
SOUTHWEST GEORGIA APPROACHING THE CITY OF ALBANY. THESE STORMS ARE
MOVING NORTHEAST 25 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL BE NEAR TURNER COUNTY
NEAR 400 PM.

A TRAINED OBSERVER ESTIMATED WIND GUSTS NEAR 50 MILES AN HOUR IN ONE
OF THESE STORMS IN NORTHERN MITCHELL COUNTY AS IT WAS MOVING TO THE
NORTHEAST 25 MILES AN HOUR.

PERSONS IN TURNER AND CRISP COUNTY STAY TUNED TO RADIO FOR WEATHER
UPDATES ON THESE STORMS. THESE STORMS COULD BUILD UP TO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM INTENSITY IN A VERY SHORT TIME.
GEORGIA THIS EVENING.  BE ALERT TO LOCAL WEATHER CONDITIONSk.
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 2:23 PM EDT, 1 hour 52 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MACON GA
222 PM EDT WED JUNE 21 1989

AT 215 PM MACON RADAR SHOWED A FEW VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN
SOUTHWEST GEORGIA APPROACHING THE CITY OF ALBANY. THESE STORMS ARE
MOVING NORTHEAST 25 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL BE NEAR TURNER COUNTY
NEAR 400 PM.

A TRAINED OBSERVER ESTIMATED WIND GUSTS NEAR 50 MILES AN HOUR IN ONE
OF THESE STORMS IN NORTHERN MITCHELL COUNTY AS IT WAS MOVING TO THE
NORTHEAST 25m MILES AN HOUR.

PERSONS IN TURNER AND CRISP COUNTY STAY TUNED TO RADIO FOR WEATHER
UPDATES ON THESE STORMS. THESE STORMS COULD BUILD UP TO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM INTENSITY IN A VERY SHORT TIME.
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 3:20 PM EDT, 55 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBUS GA
320 PM EDT WED JUN 21 1989

...THUNDERSTORM WITH A HISTORY OF PRODUCING SEVERE WEATHER WAS MOVING
   TOWARDS RUSSELL COUNTY ALABAMA...

AT 315 PM EDT COLUMBUS WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM IN NORTH
BARBOUR COUNTY ALABAMA. THIS THUNDERSTORM HAS ALREADY PRODUCED POWER
OUTAGES AND FALLEN TREES. LARGE HAIL WAS ALSO REPORTED EARLIER WITH
THIS STORM. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL BE MONITORED VERY CLOSELY FOR THE NEXT HOUR OR SO
AS IT MOVES INTO RUSSELL COUNTY. IT MAY BECOME NECESSARY TO ISSUE A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR RUSSELL COUNTY IF THE STORM SHOWS SIGNS
OF INCREASING IN INTENSITY. RESIDENTS OF RUSSELL COUNTY MAY HAVE TO ACT
FAST IF A WARNING IS ISSUED. GO INSIDE A STRONG STURDY STRUCTURE AND
STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. DO NOT USE TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY.
ALSO...DO NOT DRIVE ACROSS AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. PLEASE
STAY INFORMED BY LISTENING TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Atlanta, GA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 21, 4:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCLaurens55 min

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.