Alert archive / Georgia / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990

Flash Flood Warning 44, NWS Atlanta, GA

March 17, 1990Cobb County, Douglas County, Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this flash flood warning at Mar 17, 1990, 12:30 AM EST for Cobb County, Douglas County, Georgia. It was in force for 6 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 17, 1990, 12:30 AM EST (05:30 UTC)
Expired
Mar 17, 1990, 6:00 AM EST
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Cobb County, GA, Douglas 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 00:00Z, 5.5 hours before the alert went out and 127 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 00:00Z on 1990-03-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 60 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Athens Municipal, GA at 00:00Z on 1990-03-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 428 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
60 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-108 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
953 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
77 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
428 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
525 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 KATL 170532
FFWATL
GAC067-089-097-121-171100-

BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTA GA
1230 AM EST SAT MAR 17 1990

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ATLANTA HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  600 AM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHWEST GEORGIA
          ...COBB...DEKALB...DOUGLAS...FULTON

THIS WARNING IS TO EXTEND THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR THE ATLANTA
METRO AREA.

AT 1220 AM EST... THE STAGE ON PEACHTREE CREEK AT NORTHSIDE DRIVE WAS
17.9 FEET AND RISING STEADILY. MODERATE RAIN HAS BEEN CONTINUING IN
THE ATLANTA AREA AND A CREST OF 19 TO 20 FEET IS FORECAST ON PEACHTREE
CREEK DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. FLOOD STAGE AT NORTHSIDE DRIVE IS
17 FEET AND THIS CREST WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF THE BOBBY JONES
GOLF COURSE AS WELL AS WOODWARD WAY AND OTHER LOW LYING AREAS NEAR
PEACHTREE CREEK. WATER WILL SOON ENTER SOME HOMES ON HANOVER WEST
DRIVE...WEST NANCY CREEK ROAD...ARMAND DRIVE...AND PEACHTREE BATTLE.
WATER MAY REACH HOMES ON BISCAYNE ROAD...RIDGE VALLEY ROAD...
AND PIEDMONT ROAD AS WELL AS COLONIAL APARTMENTS. TAKE ACTION TO
PROTECT PROPERTY NOW.

FLOODING IS ALSO OCCURRING ALONG THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER... SOPE
CREEK... SWEETWATER CREEK... AND NANCY CREEK IN THE ATLANTA AREA
AS WELL AS MANY SMALLER CREEKS AND STREAMS. SEE RIVER FLOOD WARNINGS
FOR SPECIFIC FORECASTS ON THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER AND SWEETWATER
CREEK.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE
THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS.  IF FLASH FLOODING IS
OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY.  MOVE UP TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS.  DO
NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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, Mar 16, 9:44 PM EST, 2 hours 46 minutes before
GAZ006-170400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MACON GA
945 PM EST FRI MAR 16 1990

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 92 COVERS ALL OF CENTRAL GEORGIA UNTIL
4 AM EST SATURDAY MAR 17...

AT 940 PM THUNDERSTORMS HAD AGAIN BECOME STRONGER AND WERE
INTENSIFYING TO THE WEST OF THE CENTRAL GEORGIA AREA. THEY WERE MOVING
FROM NEAR MACON AND TAYLOR COUNTY TOWARD PEACH HOUSTON AND CRAWFORD
COUNTY.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS MAY BE NEEDED WIT	H THESE STORMS VERY SOON.
STAY TUNED T
Special weather statement, Mar 16, 9:54 PM EST, 2 hours 36 minutes before
GAZ002-004-161730-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
950 PM EST FRI MAR 16 1990

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 92 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM SATURDAY FOR THE
NORTHEAST GEORGIA COUNTIES OF CLARKE...ELBERT...MADISON...OCONEE...
OGLETHORPE...MORGAN...GREENE AND TALIAFERRO...

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA TONIGHT
AND SATURDAY...

AT 945 PM EST THE ATHENS RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS
IN WESTCENTRAL GEORGIA BETWEEN COLUMBUS AND MACON. THE STORMS WERE
MOVING EAST AT NEAR 45 MILES AN HOUR.

PERSONS IN THE NORTHEAST GEORGIA CITIES OF ATHENS...MADISON...ELBERTON
AND SURROUNDING AREAS SHOULD KEEP ALERT UNTIL THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
EVENT IS OVER. KEEP TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER
UPDATES.
Local storm report, Mar 16, 11:06 PM EST, 1 hour 24 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTION TO TIME...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
850 PM EST FRI MAR 16 1900

COUNTY........ NEWTON

SOURCE........ COVINGTON SHERIFFS DEPT

TIME.......... APPROX 700 PM EST

LOCATION...... COUNTY WIDE

TYPE STORM.... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM/TORNADO

HAIL..........

DAMAGE........ POWER OUT TO OVER HALF THE COUNTY...NUMEROUS TREES DOWN..
               AT ONE POINT "OVER A MILE OF CONTINOUS TREES ACROSS ROAD"
INJURIES...... NONE AT THIS TIME
Local storm report, Mar 16, 11:08 PM EST, 1 hour 22 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTION TO TIME...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
850 PM EST FRI MAR 16 1900

COUNTY........ WALTON

SOURCE........ WALTON CO SHERIFFS DEPT

TIME.......... APPROX 700 PM EST

LOCATION...... COUNTY WIDE

TYPE STORM.... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM/TORNADO

HAIL..........

DAMAGE........ NUMEROUS TREES DOWN AND POWER OUTAGES

INJURIES...... NONE AT THIS TIME
Special weather statement, Mar 16, 11:25 PM EST, 1 hour 5 minutes before
GAZ002-004-161730-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
1125 PM EST FRI MAR 16 1990

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 92 CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM SATURDAY FOR
THE NORTHEAST GEORGIA COUNTIES OF CLARKE...ELBERT...MADISON...OCONEE...
OGLETHORPE...MORGAN...GREENE AND TALIAFERRO...

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA TONIGHT
AND SATURDAY...

AT 1125 PM EST THE ATHENS RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER
NORTHEAST GEORGIA. MOST OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED FROM NEAR
ROYSTON...SOUTH...TO NEAR CRAWFORDVILLE AND WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT
50 MILES AN HOUR.

PERSONS IN THE NORTHEAST GEORGIA CITIES OF ATHENS...MADISON...ELBERTON
AND SURROUNDING AREAS SHOULD KEEP ALERT FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER AND
BE PREPARED TO TAKE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS SHOULD A WARNING BE ISSUED. KEEP
TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.

ELSEWHERE...RAIN AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM CENTRAL
ALABAMA...ACROSS GEORGIA INTO SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE AND THE WESTERN
CAROLINAS. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Mar 17, 12:06 AM EST, 24 minutes before
GAZ006-170400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MACON GA
1205 AM EST SAT MAR 17 1990

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 92 IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM FOR A LARGE PART OF
GEORGIA...INCLUDING ALL OF CENTRAL GEORGIA.

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR A LARGE PART OF NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA
THROUGH SATURDAY.

AT 1205 AM RADAR SHOWED A LARGE AREA OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER
MUCH OF NORTH AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA. STRONGEST STORMS WERE IN A
BAND FROM  SOUTHEAST OF ATLANTA TO COLUMBUS AND CONTINUING SOUTHWEST
INTO ALABAMA. STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

THESE STORMS WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND BRIEF
BUT VERY HEAVY RAIN. DANGEROUS LIGHTNING WILL OCCUR IN THE LARGER
STORMS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 16, 7:06 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCMorgan, Oconee69 min
Mar 16, 7:18 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCGreene, Oconee, Oglethorpe57 min
Mar 16, 7:18 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCClarke, Jackson, Madison57 min
Mar 16, 7:18 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBanks, Franklin57 min
Mar 16, 7:40 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCClarke, Madison, Oglethorpe35 min
Mar 16, 7:53 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCElbert, Hart67 min
Mar 16, 7:59 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCWilkes61 min
Mar 16, 8:34 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCLincoln41 min
Mar 16, 8:59 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCLincoln61 min
Mar 16, 9:44 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCrawford, Monroe, Peach61 min
Mar 16, 9:44 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCJasper61 min
Mar 16, 9:52 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCPolk8 hr
Mar 16, 9:57 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCCobb, Douglas, Fulton5 hr
Mar 16, 9:57 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCDeKalb5 hr
Mar 16, 10:03 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBibb, Jones57 min
Mar 17, 12:30 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCDeKalb, Fulton6 hr
Mar 17, 1:59 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCHenry, Rockdale4 hr
Mar 17, 1:59 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCClayton, Fayette, Spalding4 hr
Mar 17, 1:59 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCLamar, Pike, Upson4 hr
Mar 17, 1:59 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCButts4 hr
Mar 17, 2:26 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCrawford, Monroe64 min
Mar 17, 5:45 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCCobb, Douglas, Fulton6 hr
Mar 17, 5:45 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCDeKalb6 hr
Mar 17, 6:08 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCButts, Clayton, Fayette, Henry, Lamar, Pike and 1 more4 hr
Mar 17, 6:08 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCUpson4 hr
Mar 17, 6:08 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCRockdale4 hr
Mar 17, 6:37 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCFannin5 hr
Mar 17, 7:21 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCWhite3 hr
Mar 17, 7:35 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCJasper, Jones, Monroe3 hr
Mar 17, 10:54 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCJones, Monroe3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Georgia, 1990Every flash flood warning in 1990

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.