Alert archive / Georgia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1994

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 17, NWS Atlanta, GA

March 27, 1994Floyd County, Haralson County, Polk County, Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 27, 1994, 8:06 PM EST for Floyd County, Haralson County, Polk County, Georgia. It was in force for 54 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 27, 1994, 8:06 PM EST (01:06 UTC)
Expired
Mar 27, 1994, 9:00 PM EST
In force
54 min
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Floyd County, GA, Haralson County, GA, Polk County, GA

The nearest sounding before it

Athens Municipal, GA (KAHN), launched 00:00Z, 1.1 hours before the alert went out and 176 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 1994-03-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 344 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 00:00Z on 1994-03-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 326 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
344 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-36 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1558 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
67 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
326 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
504 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.4
Supercell composite
6.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KATL 280108
SVRATL
GAC115-143-233-280200-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTA GA
806 PM EST SUN MAR 27 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ATLANTA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  900 PM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTHWEST GEORGIA
 
   ...FLOYD COUNTY...HARALSON COUNTY...POLK COUNTY
 
AT 805 PM EST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM IN ALABAMA MOVING INTO NORTHWEST GEORGIA JUST WEST OF CAVE
SPRINGS. STRONG WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM. IN ADDITION TORRENTIAL RAIN WILL BE FALLING ON ALREADY SATURATED
GROUND. THEREFORE LOCAL FLOODING OF CREEKS AND STREAMS AND ROADS IS
LIKELY.
 
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA.  REMEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.  REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLHY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

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, Mar 27, 4:29 PM EST, 3 hours 37 minutes before
GAZ008-009-010-014-015-016-017-018-023-024-025-026-027-028-029-
035-036-037-038-047-048-049-050-051-272130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
428 PM EST SUN MAR 27 1994

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST FOR ALL COUNTIES
   OF NORTHEAST GEORGIA...EXCEPT HART AND ELBERT UNTIL 9 PM EST.

AT 425 PM EST...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME VERY INTENSE...WERE
OCCURRING ACROSS THE HIGHLANDS OF NORTH GEORGIA AND EXTENDED INTO
NORTHWEST SOUTH CAROLINA. THE MOST INTENSE STORMS WERE IN PICKENS
AND GRENVILLE COUNTIES OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 60 MILES AN HOUR.

OTHER RAIN COVER PARTS OF NORTHEAST ALABAMA...SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE...
AND THE WESTERN CAROLINAS.
Local storm report, Mar 27, 5:20 PM EST, 2 hours 46 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
515 PM SUN MAR 27 1994

COUNTY........LUMPKIN

SOURCE........ LUMPKIN COUNTY EMA

TIME.......... APPROX 3 PM TO 5 PM

LOCATION......LUMPKIN COUNTY@

TYPE STORM....TORNADO

HAIL..........

DAMAGE........

INJURIES......2 FATALITIES...50 TO 75 INJURED. DETAILS UNKNOWN
              AT THIS TIME.
Special weather statement, Mar 27, 5:29 PM EST, 2 hours 37 minutes before
GAZ008-009-010-014-015-016-017-018-023-024-025-026-027-028-029-
035-036-037-038-047-048-049-050-051-272130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
525 PM EST SUN MAR 27 1994

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST FOR ALL COUNTIES
   OF NORTHEAST GEORGIA...EXCEPT HART AND ELBERT UNTIL 9 PM EST.
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING UNTIL 5:45 PM EST FOR HABERSHAM...
   WHITE AND LUMPKIN COUNTIES.

AT 525 PM EST...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME VERY INTENSE...WERE
OCCURRING ACROSS THE HIGHLANDS OF NORTH GEORGIA AND EXTENDED INTO
NORTHWEST SOUTH CAROLINA. THE MOST INTENSE STORMS WERE IN GREENVILLE
COUNTY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EASfT AT 60 MILES AN HOUR.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS INDICATED OVER EAST TENNESSEE...EAST
ALABAMA...AND THE WESTERN CAROLINAS.
Local storm report, Mar 27, 5:59 PM EST, 2 hours 7 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTA GA
555 PM EST SUN MAR 27 1994

COUNTY..... PICKENS COUNTY
SOURCE..... FIRE CHIEF, WOODSTOCK, GA.
TYPE....... TORNADO
WIDTH...... AT ONE POINT 1/2 MILE AS IT CROSSED A ROAD
LENGTH..... UNKNOWN
TIME....... 153 PM EST
LOCATION... IN PICKENS COUNTY JUST NORTH OF THE PICKENS-CHEROKEE CO.
            LINE NORTH OF WOODSTOCK
DAMAGE..... 40 TO 50 HOUSES DAMAGED OR DESTROYED

INJURIES... NUMEROUS...4 CRITICAL...EVACUATED BY HELICOPTER

DEATHS...   FOUR

NOFFSINGER, FIC
Special weather statement, Mar 27, 6:25 PM EST, 1 hour 41 minutes before
GAZ008-009-010-014-015-016-017-018-023-024-025-026-027-028-029-
035-036-037-038-047-048-049-050-051-272130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
625 PM EST SUN MAR 27 1994

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST FOR ALL COUNTIES
   OF NORTHEAST GEORGIA...EXCEPT HART AND ELBERT UNTIL 9 PM EST.

AT 625 PM EST...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW INTENSE...WERE
OCCURRING ACROSS THE HIGHLANDS OF NORTH GEORGIA AND EXTENDED INTO
THE WESTERN CAROLINAS. THE MOST INTENSE STORMS WERE ALONG THE
BORDER BETWEEN SOUTH AND NORTH CAROLINA FROM KINGS MOUNTAIN
WESTWARD TO PICKES SOUTH CAROLINA.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 60 MILES AN HOUR.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS INDICATED OVER EAST TENNESSEE...EAST
ALABAMA...AND THE WESTERN CAROLINAS.
Special weather statement, Mar 27, 7:28 PM EST, 38 minutes before
GAZ008-009-010-014-015-016-017-018-023-024-025-026-027-028-029-
035-036-037-038-047-048-049-050-051-272130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
725 PM EST SUN MAR 27 1994

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EST FOR ALL COUNTIES
   OF NORTHEAST GEORGIA...
...URBAN STREAM FLOODING ADVISORY FOR UNION COUNTY UNTIL 10 PMEST...

AT 725 PM EST...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW INTENSE...WERE
OCCURRING ACROSS THE HIGHLANDS OF NORTH GEORGIA AND EXTENDED INTO
THE WESTERN CAROLINAS. THE MOST INTENSE STORMS WERE NEAR ROME
GEORGIA AND NEAR SHELBY NORTH CAROLINA.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 60 MILES AN HOUR.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS INDICATED OVER EAST TENNESSEE...EAST
ALABAMA...AND THE WESTERN CAROLINAS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 27, 7:19 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCBartow, Gordon26 min
Mar 27, 7:49 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCCherokee, Pickens26 min
Mar 27, 8:11 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCTowns, Union49 min
Mar 27, 8:11 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCLumpkin49 min
Mar 27, 8:47 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCPaulding28 min
Mar 27, 9:03 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCherokee, Cobb42 min
Mar 27, 9:12 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCCherokee, Cobb33 min
Mar 27, 9:29 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCForsyth31 min
Mar 27, 9:41 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCCarroll34 min
Mar 27, 9:42 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHall48 min
Mar 27, 10:02 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCDouglas28 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Georgia, 1994Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1994

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.