Alert archive / Georgia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1996

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 85, NWS Atlanta, GA

March 18, 1996Heard County, Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 18, 1996, 9:51 PM EST for Heard County, Georgia. It was in force for 24 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 18, 1996, 9:51 PM EST (02:51 UTC)
Expired
Mar 18, 1996, 10:15 PM EST
In force
24 min
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Whole counties

County Heard County, GA

The radar

The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 53 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:52 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 2.9 hours before the alert went out and 59 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, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 00:00Z on 1996-03-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 143 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, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 00:00Z on 1996-03-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 114 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
143 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-4 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
709 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
61 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
114 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
188 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 KATL 190250 RRA
SVRATL
GAC149-190315-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
951 PM EST MON MAR 18 1996
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1015 PM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTHWEST GEORGIA
 
   ...NORTHERN HEARD COUNTY
 
AT 945 PM EST GOLF BALL HAIL WAS REPORTED AT CENTRALHATCHEE. THIS STORM
WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.
 
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH YOU SHOULD
PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...LARGE HAIL...AND
DEADLY LIGHTNING.  PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG JBUILDING BUT STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
 
 
 
&

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 18, 8:05 PM EST, 1 hour 46 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
805 PM EST MON MAR 18 1996

GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086-091>
098-103>113-190230-
THE CITIES OF AMERICUS-ATHENS-ATLANTA-CALHOUN-CARROLLTON-CARTERSVILLE-
CORDELE-COVINGTON-DAHLONEGA-DALTON-DOUGLASVILLE-DUBLIN-GAINESVILLE-
GRIFFIN-LA GRANGE-LAWRENCEVILLE-MACON-MARIETTA-MILLEDGEVILLE-NEWNAN-
PEACHTREE CITY-ROME-SWAINSBORO-THOMASTON-WARNER ROBINS

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM EST FOR MUCH OF NORTH AND WEST
GEORGIA...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL AND ISOLATED TORNADOES OVER EASTERN
ALABAMA WILL MOVE TO THE GEORGIA BORDER BETWEEN 830 PM AND 9 PM.
THIS WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH A GOOD PORTION OF NORTH AND
CENTRAL GEORGIA BEFORE MIDNIGHT. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND
A FEW TORNADOES HAVE BEEN REPORTED OVER ALABAMA EARLIER THIS EVENING
WITH THIS WEATHER SYSTEM. STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
STATION FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Mar 18, 8:07 PM EST, 1 hour 44 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
805 PM EST MON MAR 18 1996

GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086-091>
098-103>113-190230-
THE CITIES OF AMERICUS-ATHENS-ATLANTA-CALHOUN-CARROLLTON-CARTERSVILLE-
CORDELE-COVINGTON-DAHLONEGA-DALTON-DOUGLASVILLE-DUBLIN-GAINESVILLE-
GRIFFIN-LA GRANGE-LAWRENCEVILLE-MACON-MARIETTA-MILLEDGEVILLE-NEWNAN-
PEACHTREE CITY-ROME-SWAINSBORO-THOMASTON-WARNER ROBINS

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM EST FOR MUCH OF NORTH AND WEST
GEORGIA...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL AND ISOLATED TORNADOES OVER EASTERN
ALABAMA WILL MOVE TO THE GEORGIA BORDER BETWEEN 830 PM AND 9 PM.
THIS WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH A GOOD PORTION OF NORTH AND
CENTRAL GEORGIA BEFORE MIDNIGHT. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND
A FEW TORNADOES HAVE BEEN REPORTED OVER ALABAMA EARLIER THIS EVENING
WITH THIS WEATHER SYSTEM. STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
STATIONr FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND WARNINGS.
Local storm report, Mar 18, 9:31 PM EST, 20 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
931 PM EST MON MAR 18 1996

TIME(EST)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

927 PM     WARESVILLE                GA   1.75 INCH HAIL.
3/18/96    HEARD                          DEPUTY REPORTS GOLFBALL SIZE
                                          HAIL 5-10 MILES FROM GA/AL
                                          BORDER.

935 PM    5W STOVAL                  GA   1.75 IN. HAIL
3/18/96   TROUP                           ABULANCE DRIVER REPORTS GOLF-
                                          SIZE HAIL AT 27S AND LOWER
                                          BIG SPRINGS RD.
Local storm report, Mar 18, 9:42 PM EST, 9 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
931 PM EST MON MAR 18 1996

TIME(EST)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

927 PM     WARESVILLE                GA   1.75 INCH HAIL.
3/18/96    HEARD                          DEPUTY REPORTS GOLFBALL SIZE
                                          HAIL 5-10 MILES FROM GA/AL
                                          BORDER.

935 PM    5W STOVAL                  GA   1.75 IN. HAIL
3/18/96   TROUP                           ABULANCE DRIVER REPORTS GOLF-
                                          SIZE HAIL AT 27S AND LOWER
                                          BIG SPRING4S RD.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 18, 8:58 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCHeard47 min
Mar 18, 9:31 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMeriwether, Troup29 min
Mar 18, 9:40 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCarroll35 min
Mar 18, 10:02 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCCarroll, Douglas43 min
Mar 18, 10:41 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCoweta19 min
Mar 18, 10:44 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHeard, Troup46 min
Mar 18, 10:48 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCPaulding27 min
Mar 18, 10:53 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCarroll, Douglas37 min
Mar 18, 11:03 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHaralson, Polk27 min
Mar 18, 11:17 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCoweta28 min
Mar 18, 11:32 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMeriwether28 min
Mar 18, 11:32 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCFayette, Fulton28 min
Mar 18, 11:52 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCClayton, DeKalb, Henry53 min
Mar 18, 11:52 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCSpalding53 min
Mar 19, 12:03 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHarris, Talbot27 min
Mar 19, 12:19 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCGwinnett, Rockdale41 min
Mar 19, 12:54 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBarrow, Jackson36 min
Mar 19, 1:36 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCJasper, Morgan, Putnam54 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.