Alert archive / Georgia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1996

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 6, NWS Atlanta, GA

March 6, 1996Harris County, Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 6, 1996, 7:30 AM EST for Harris County, Georgia. It was in force for 30 min. 2 reports 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
Mar 6, 1996, 7:30 AM EST (12:30 UTC)
Expired
Mar 6, 1996, 8:00 AM EST
In force
30 min
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Whole counties

County Harris County, GA

The radar

The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 77 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 12:33 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 6, 7:50 AM ESTTornado F0Mulberry Grove, GA
Mar 6, 8:00 AM ESTThunderstorm WindMulberry Grove, 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 0.5 hours before the alert went out and 181 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, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 1996-03-06Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 168 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, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 1996-03-06The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 320 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
168 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-14 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
561 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
63 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
320 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
332 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.3
Supercell composite
1.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS1 KATL 061233 RRA
SVRATL
GAC145-061300-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
730 AM EST WED MAR 6 1996
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  800 AM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA
 
   ...HARRIS COUNTY
 
AT 730 AM EST WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS AT THE
ALABAMA BORDER MOVING EAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR. THESE STORMS HAVE A
HISTORY OF BEING SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS.
 
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
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
 
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER NEWS MEDIA FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR
WARNINGS.

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 6, 3:53 AM EST, 3 hours 37 minutes before
GAZ042-060955-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
353 AM EST WED MAR 6 1996

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO GEORGIA...

AT 350 AM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADARS INDICATED A VERY STRONG
THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO CARROLL COUNTY GEORGIA MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40
MILES AN HOUR.

THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN WITH DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND
STRONG GUSTY WINDS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE
LATEST UPDATES CONCERNING THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Mar 6, 3:54 AM EST, 3 hours 36 minutes before
GAZ042-060955-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
353 AM EST WED MAR 6 1996

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO GEORGIA...

AT 350 AM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADARS INDICATED A VERY STRONG
THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO CARROLL COUNTY GEORGIA MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40
MILES AN HOUR.

THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN WITH DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND
STRONG GUSTY WINDS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE
LATEST UPDATES CONCERNING THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Mar 6, 6:30 AM EST, 1 hour before
GAZ005>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086-
091>098-103>113-061630-

NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
630 AM EST WED MAR 6 1996

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL
GEORGIA TODAY.

A STRONG COLD FRONT WAS APPROACHING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY
EARLY THIS MORNING. AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...WARM MOIST AIR HAD
BECOME THE RULE OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S..  SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
DEVELOPED IN THE MOIST WARM AIR AND MOVED ACROSS ALABAMA INTO
GEORGIA DURING THE PREDAWN HOURS.  SOME OF THE STORMS PRODUCED
SEVERE WEATHER OVER PORTIONS OF ALABAMA DURING THE NIGHT.

AS THE COLD FRONT CONTINUES TO MOVE EASTWARD TODAY...THUNDERSTORMS
COULD ONCE AGAIN INTENSIFY AND MOVE INTO PORTIONS OF NORTH AND
CENTRAL GEORGIA. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY
WINDS...LARGE HAIL...HEAVY DOWNPOURS...AND POSSIBLY TORNADOES.

SPOTTER GROUPS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IN NORTH AND CENTRAL
GEORGIA SHOULD MONITOR LOCAL WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE READY FOR
POSSIBLE ACTIVATION LATER TODAY.
Special weather statement, Mar 6, 6:31 AM EST, 59 minutes before
GAZ005>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086-
091>098-103>113-061630-

NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
630 AM EST WED MAR 6 1996

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL
GEORGIA TODAY.

A STRONG COLD FRONT WAS APPROACHING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY
EARLY THIS MORNING. AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...WARM MOIST AIR HAD
BECOME THE RULE OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S..  SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
DEVELOPED IN THE MOIST WARM AIR AND MOVED ACROSS ALABAMA INTO
GEORGIA DURING THE PREDAWN HOURS.  SOME OF THE STORMS PRODUCED
SEVERE WEATHER OVER PORTIONS OF ALABAMA DURING THE NIGHT.

AS THE COLD FRONT CONTINUES TO MOVE EASTWARD TODAY...THUNDERSTORMS
COULD ONCE AGAIN INTENSIFY AND MOVE INTO PORTIONS OF NORTH AND
CENTRAL GEORGIA. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY
WINDS...LARGE HAIL...HEAVY DOWNPOURS...AND POSSIBLY TORNADOES.

SPOTTER GROUPS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IN NORTH AND CENTRAL
GEORGIA SHOULD MONITOR LOCAL WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE READY FOR
POSSIBLE ACTIVATION LATER TODAY.
Special weather statement, Mar 6, 6:57 AM EST, 33 minutes before
GAZ031-032-033-061400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
657 AM EST WED MAR 6 1996

AT 655 AM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN
PAULDING...COBB AND NORTHERN FULTON COUNTIES. THESE STORMS MAY
CONTAIN STRONG GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE
LATEST UPDATES CONCERNING THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Mar 6, 6:58 AM EST, 32 minutes before
GAZ031-032-033-061400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
657 AM EST WED MAR 6 1996

AT 655 AM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN
PAULDING...COBB AND NORTHERN FULTON COUNTIES. THESE STORMS MAY
CONTAIN STRONG GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE
LATEST UPDATES CONCERNING THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 6, 7:56 AM ESTTornado WarningFFCMeriwether, Talbot34 min
Mar 6, 8:00 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMarion45 min
Mar 6, 8:06 AM ESTTornado WarningFFCMarion39 min
Mar 6, 8:15 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCSchley, Taylor45 min
Mar 6, 8:26 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMacon, Sumter, Webster49 min
Mar 6, 8:44 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCCobb, Fulton4 hr
Mar 6, 8:44 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCDeKalb, Gwinnett4 hr
Mar 6, 8:47 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCrawford, Peach43 min
Mar 6, 9:00 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCDooly, Houston45 min
Mar 6, 9:22 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCClayton, Fulton53 min
Mar 6, 9:29 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBleckley, Dodge, Pulaski, Twiggs46 min
Mar 6, 10:20 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMeriwether, Troup40 min
Mar 6, 11:13 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBleckley, Houston, Pulaski47 min
Mar 6, 11:36 AM ESTTornado WarningFFCBleckley, Dodge, Pulaski54 min
Mar 6, 11:49 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCLaurens26 min
Mar 6, 12:06 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCLaurens54 min
Mar 6, 12:13 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCEmanuel, Johnson, Treutlen47 min
Mar 6, 12:35 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCrisp, Wilcox25 min
Mar 6, 12:45 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCWilcox30 min
Mar 6, 1:02 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCDodge, Telfair43 min
Mar 6, 1:39 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMarion, Talbot, Taylor51 min
Mar 6, 6:45 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCherokee, Forsyth45 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Georgia, 1996Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1996

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.