Alert archive / Georgia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 154, NWS Atlanta, GA

May 17, 1990Wilkes County, Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 17, 1990, 1:10 PM EDT for Wilkes County, Georgia. It was in force for 65 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 17, 1990, 1:10 PM EDT (17:10 UTC)
Expired
May 17, 1990, 2:15 PM EDT
In force
65 min
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Whole counties

County Wilkes 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, 5.2 hours before the alert went out and 55 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 1990-05-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 198 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 1990-05-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 128 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
198 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-133 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
914 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
128 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
129 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KAGS 171711
SVRAGS
GAC181-317-SCC065-171815-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUGUSTA GA
110 PM EDT THU MAY 17 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUGUSTA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  215 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA
 
   ...LINCOLN COUNTY...WILKES COUNTY
 
 
IN WEST CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA
 
   ...MCCORMICK COUNTY
 
WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT 1:05 PM SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH
HAIL OVER NORTHERN WILKES COUNTY MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.
 
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 17, 8:41 AM EDT, 4 hours 29 minutes before
GAZ004-002-171330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
840 AM EDT FRI MAY 17 1990

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CANCELLED THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
FOR MUCH OF NORTHWEST GEORGIA ALONG WITH A SMALL PART OF NORTHEAST
GEORGIA.

AT 830 AM EDT A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS
WAS LOCATED ACROSS THE WESTERN TIP OF NORTH CAROLINA SOUTHWEST INTO
NORTHWEST GEORGIA FROM JUST WEST OF ROBBINSVILLE NORTH CAROLINA
SOUTHWEST THROUGH DALTON THEN TO 25 MILES NORTHWEST OF ROME GEORGIA.
LINE MOVEMENT SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

ELSEWHERE SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING
OVER WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTH GEORGIA.
THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED JUST NORTHEAST OF CALHOUN
GEORGIA. MOVEMENT EAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.
EVEN THOUGH THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA HAS BEEN CANCALLED
A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH GUSTY WINDS MAY OCCUR OVER THE
MOUNTAINS OF NORTHEAST GEORGIA AS THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
MOVES ACROSS THE AREA DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS.
Special weather statement, May 17, 9:36 AM EDT, 3 hours 34 minutes before
GAZ001>003-171600-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTA  GA
930 AM EDT THU MAY 17 1990

...LINE OF SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTHWEST GEORGIA...

A NARROW LINE OF SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR
JASPER TO FAIRMOUNT TO CAVE SPRINGS AT 9 AM EDT. RADAR SHOWED THE LINE
MOVING EAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR. STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS AT 9 AM WERE
NORTH OF FAIRMOUNT AND EAST OF ROME. SOME BRIEF PEA SIZE HAIL FELL JUST
EAST OF CALHOUN AFTER 9 AM.

RESIDENTS OF NORTHWEST GEORGIA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO WEATHER CHANGES.
SOME OF THE THNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING WITH POSSIBLE STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL FOR THE NEXT
SEVERAL HOURS THIS MORNING.

THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE AHEAD OF AN EASTWARD MOVING COLD FRONT
AND WILL MOVE ACROSS THE ATLANTA METROPOLITAN AREA AND OUT OF NORTHWEST

GEORGIA BY NOON TODAY.
Special weather statement, May 17, 9:38 AM EDT, 3 hours 32 minutes before
GAZ004-002-171430-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
935 AM EDT FRI MAY 17 1990

AT 830 AM EDT A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS
WAS LOCATED ACROSS THE WESTERN TIP OF NORTH CAROLINA SOUTHWEST INTO
EXTREME NORTH GEORGIA FROM FRANKLIN NORTH CAROLINA SOUTHWEST THROUGH
BLAIRSVILLE TO JUST SOUTH OF BLUE RIDGE TO ROME GEORGIA. THE STRONGEST
THUNDERSTROM IN THIS LINE WAS LOCATED 20 MILES WEST OF JASPER GEORGIA.
LINE MOVEMENT SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

ELSEWHERE SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN
WERE OCCURRING OVER WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTH
GEORGIA. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF
DAHLONEGA GEORGIA. MOVEMENT EAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.

THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS EXTREME NORTH GEORGIA MAY PRODUCE
HEAVY RAIN...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL AS THEY MOVE
ACROSS THE AREA.
Special weather statement, May 17, 10:11 AM EDT, 2 hours 59 minutes before
GAZ002-004-171515-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
1009 AM EDT THU MAY 17 1990

THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RAIN AREA AT 1010AM EDT WAS FROM JUST NORTH
GREENVILLE SOUTH CAROLINA TO JUST NORTH OF GAINESVILLE GEORGIA
TO NEAR CEADARTOWN.

DURING THE PAST HOUR SOME SMALL HAIL OCCURED AT JASPER GEORGIA
AND THAT THUNDERSTORM IS APPROACHING DAWSON COUNTY AT THIS TIME.

THE LINE CONTINUES TO MOVE TO THE SOUTHEAST AT NEAR 25 MILES AN HOUR
WHILE THE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE EAST SOUTHEAST AT NEAR 35 MILES AN HOUR.

CURRENT MOVEMENT WILL PUT MOST OF THE LINE THROUGH  TOCCOA AND
GAINESVILLE DURING THE NEXT HOUR AND INTO ATHENS NEAR NOON.

NONE OF THE THUNDERSTROMS IN THIS LINE ARE SEVERE AT THIS TIME
BUT A CLOSE WATCH SHOULD BE KEPT AS THEY MOVE INTO YOUR AREA
TODAY. WITH SOME HEATING AHEAD OF THE SYSTEM THE STORMS
COULD BECOME LARGER THAN  THEY ARE AT THIS TIME.

GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL BE COMMON WITH8 THE LARGER
STORMS ALONG WITH SOME HAIL.
Special weather statement, May 17, 10:49 AM EDT, 2 hours 21 minutes before
GAZ001>004-171630-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTA  GA
1048 AM EDT THU MAY 17 1990

...LINE OF SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE SOUTHEAST
   THROUGH NORTH GEORGIA...

AT 1040 AM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN ATLANTA SHOWED A
LINE OF SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM TOCCOA
WEST TO NEAR CUMMING TO THE ROCKMART-CEDARTOWN AREA. THIS LINE IS
MOVING SOUTHEAST AT ABOUT 15 MILES AN HOUR. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS
WERE IN THE VICINITIES OF CANTON AND LAKE ALATOONA.

THE LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD MOVE INTO THE NORTHERN
PORTIONS OF THE METRO ATLANTA AREA WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR. BRIEF HEAVY
RAIN AND SOME GUSTY WINDS OF AR{OUND 30 MILES AN HOUR ARE POSSIBLE
WITH THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS.
Special weather statement, May 17, 12:56 PM EDT, 14 minutes before
GAZ004-171800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
1255 PM EDT THU MAY 17 1990

AS THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVED THROUGH ATHENS AT 1245 PM A
GUST TO 36 MILES AN HOUR OCCURED WITH HEAVY DOWNPOURS.

AT 1255 PM A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR CRAWFORD IN OGLETHORPE
COUNTY MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.
THIS STORM IS LIKELY TO PRODUCE VERY GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY DOWNPOURS...
AND HAIL AS IT MOVES THOUGH OGLETHORPE0 COUNTY AND THE
EXTREME SOUTHERN PORTION OF ELBERT COUNTY.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 17, 1:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCLincoln65 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Georgia, 1990Every severe thunderstorm 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.