Alert archive / Georgia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1989

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 80, NWS Atlanta, GA

June 5, 1989Morgan County, Newton County, Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 5, 1989, 3:35 PM EDT for Morgan County, Newton County, Georgia. It was in force for 55 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 5, 1989, 3:35 PM EDT (19:35 UTC)
Expired
Jun 5, 1989, 4:30 PM EDT
In force
55 min
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Morgan County, GA, Newton 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, 7.6 hours before the alert went out and 54 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 1989-06-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1390 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 1989-06-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 63 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
1390 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-25 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
739 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
63 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
45 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KAHN 052009 COR
SVRAHN
GAC013-059-139-157-211-217-219-297-052030-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
335 PM EDT MON JUN 5 1989

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ATHENS HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  430 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA
          ...BARROW...CLARKE...HALL...JACKSON...MORGAN...NEWTON
          ...OCONEE...WALTON

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FORMING RAPIDLY IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA IN TWO
DIFFERENT AREAS...
ONE AREA FROM NEAR WINDER TO MONROE AND JUST EAST OF COVINGTON
THE OTHER NEAR THE SOUTHERN END OF LAKE LANIER IN HALL COUNTY.

THESE MOVING EASTWARD AT 30 MILES AN HOUR AND EXCPECTED TO
MOVE INTO COUNTIES MENTIONED.


A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.  REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
=========================================================================

THE ABOVE WARNING CANCELED AT 4 PM EDT JUNE 5, 1989


SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHS REMAIN IN EFFECT....


=================================================================

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 5, 2:17 PM EDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTA GA
220 PM EDT MON JUN 5 1989

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF NORTHWEST
GEORGIA NORTH AND WEST OF A LINE FROM LAGRANGE TO GRIFFIN TO ATHENS
TO HARTWELL UNTIL 700 PM THIS EVENING...

AT 215 PM...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS SHOWN ON RADAR FROM EAST OF
CHATWORTH IN MURRAY COUNTY SOUTHWESTWARD TO JUST EAST OF ROME IN FLOYD
COUNTY AND THEN SOUTHWARD TO JUST NORTH OF CEDARTOWN IN POLK COUNTY.
THIS LINE WAS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 30 MPH. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS
INDICATED FROM CENTRAL MURRAY COUNTY TO EASTERN FLOYD COUNTY TO NORTH
POLK COUNTY. FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL OCCUR WITH THESE STORMS AS WELL
AS TORRENTIAL RAIN. GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL CAN ALSO BE
EXPECTED WITH THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS AS THEY CONTINUE EASTWARD
THIS AFTERNOON.

ELSEWHERE...THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN CONTINUED TO DEVELOP
OVER NORTHWEST GEORGIA. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
Special weather statement, Jun 5, 2:23 PM EDT, 1 hour 12 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBUS GA
122 PM EDT MON JUN 5 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 407 CONTINUES UNTIL 7 PM EDT FOR
ALL OF EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA AND TROUP AND MERIWETHER COUNTIES OF
WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA...

AT 220 PM EDT COLUMBUS WEATHER RADAR INDICATED NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA AND EAST CENTRAL
ALABAMA...MAINLY FROM FRANKLIN GEORGIA SOUTH TO LAGRANGE AND COLUMBUS
...ALSO FROM ALEXANDER CITY ALABAMA SOUTH TO TROY.  MOVEMENT WAS
NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

PERSONS NEAR THESE STORMS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER. STRONG
GUSTY WINDS..DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLY SOME
SMALL HAIL MAY ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS.   BE PREPARED AND LISTEN TO
NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER NEWS MEDIA FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Jun 5, 2:29 PM EDT, 1 hour 6 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED FOR TIME IN HEADING...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBUS GA
222 PM EDT MON JUN 5 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 407 CONTINUES UNTIL 7 PM EDT FOR
ALL OF EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA AND TROUP AND MERIWETHER COUNTIES OF
WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA...

AT 220 PM EDT COLUMBUS WEATHER RADAR INDICATED NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA AND EAST CENTRAL
ALABAMA...MAINLY FROM FRANKLIN GEORGIA SOUTH TO LAGRANGE AND COLUMBUS
...ALSO FROM ALEXANDER CITY ALABAMA SOUTH TO TROY.  MOVEMENT WAS
NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

PERSONS NEAR THESE STORMS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER. STRONG
GUSTY WINDS..DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLY SOME
SMALL HAIL MAY ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS.   BE PREPARED AND LISTEN TO
NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER NEWS MEDIA FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Jun 5, 3:13 PM EDT, 22 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTA GA
310 PM EDT MON JUN 5 1989

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF NORTH
GEORGIA UNTIL 7 PM...
...HOWEVER THE WATCH IS CANCELLED FOR CHATTOOGA AND FLOYD COUNTIES...

AT 300 PM...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS SHOWN ON RADAR FROM NORTHWEST
THROUGH SOUTHWEST OF ATLANTA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE CLEARED CHATTOOGA
AND FLOYD COUNTIES AND THEREFORE THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS
CANCELLED FOR THOSE COUNTIES. HOWEVER A BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY
HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS IS APPROACHING THE ATLANTA METRO-
POLITAN AREA FROM THE WEST. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE
TORRENTIAL RAIN AND WINDS GUSTS TO NEAR 50 MPH. SOME LOW LYING INTER-
SECTIONS MAY BE TEMPORARILY FLOODED AS THE HEAVIEST RAIN OCCUR.

ELSEWHERE...THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN CONTINUED TO DEVELOP
OVER NORTHWEST GEORGIA. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
Special weather statement, Jun 5, 3:14 PM EDT, 21 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
310 PM EDT MON JUN 5 1989

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EDT FOR
PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND NORTHERN GEORGIA...

THUNDERSTORMS WERE APPROACHING NORTHEAST GEORGIA FROM THE WEST AT
310 PM EDT.

PERSONS IN  HALL JACKSON BARROW WALTON AND NEWTON COUNTIES OF
GEORGIA CAN EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS IN THEIR COUNTIES BY 4 PM EDT.

THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 30 MILES PER HOUR
AND AT A MINIMUM WILL CAUSE GUSTY SURFACE WINDS...SEVERE CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING...AND BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS.

PERSON SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AS THESE STORMS APPROACH FROM THE
WEST AND REMEMBER THAT BEING IN THE SEVERE THUNDERSTROM WATCH
AREA MEANS THAT THE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE IN A SHORT PERIOD
OF TIME.

PERSONS THROUGHOUT THE WATCH AREA SHOULD KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY
AND BE READY FOR ACTION.

KEEP TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR UP TO DATE WEATHER INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, Jun 5, 3:30 PM EDT, 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBUS GA
330 PM EDT MON JUN 5 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 407 CONTINUES UNTIL 7 PM EDT FOR
ALL OF EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA AND TROUP AND MERIWETHER COUNTIES OF
WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA...

AT 325 PM EDT COLUMBUS WEATHER RADAR INDICATED NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA AND EAST CENTRAL
ALABAMA.  AT THAT TIME...THE MOST INTENSE STORMS WERE OVER EAST ALABAMA
FROM NEAR OPELIKA SOUTH TO NEAR SOCIETY HILL AND MIDWAY IN BULLOCH
COUNTY.  MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

PERSONS NEAR THESE THUNDERSTORMS...INCLUDING RESIDENTS OF THE COLUMBUS
AND PHENIX CITY AREA...SHOULD BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER WHEN THESE
STORMS APPROACH.  STRONG GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...BRIEF
HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLE HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THE LARGER STORMS.
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER NEWS MEDIA FOR LATER STATEMENTS
OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 5, 3:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBarrow, Clarke, Hall, Jackson, Oconee, Walton55 min
Jun 5, 4:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHabersham, Lumpkin, White58 min
Jun 5, 4:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBanks58 min
Jun 5, 4:49 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCStephens56 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.