Alert archive / Georgia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 357, NWS Atlanta, GA
NWS Atlanta, GA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 4, 1997, 7:37 PM EDT for Dawson County, Lumpkin County, Pickens County, Georgia. It was in force for 53 min. 3 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
- Jul 4, 1997, 7:37 PM EDT (23:37 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 4, 1997, 8:30 PM EDT
- In force
- 53 min
- Issued by
- NWS Atlanta, GA
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Dawson County, GA, Lumpkin County, GA, Pickens County, GA
The radar
The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 130 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:36 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 4, 7:45 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind | Dahlonega, GA | Several trees were knocked down and power lines snapped by thunderstorm winds along Georgia Highway 52 as well as in the Dahlonega area. Winds were estimated at 55 to 63 mph.. |
| Jul 4, 7:45 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind | Dawsonville, GA | A few trees and power lines were knocked down by thunderstorm winds. |
| Jul 4, 7:52 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind | Jasper, GA | At least six trees were knocked down by thunderstorm winds. At least one tree was down on a house, however no damage to the home was reported. |
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 watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 4, 5:00 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 11.6 hours before the alert went out and 128 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 547 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -412 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1429 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 15 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -41 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- -52 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KATL 042338 RRA SVRATL GAC187-291-085-227-050030- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 737 PM EDT FRI JUL 4 1997 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 830 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA ...LUMPKIN COUNTY...UNION COUNTY IN NORTHWEST GEORGIA ...DAWSON COUNTY...PICKENS COUNTY AT 735 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORM FROM 5 MILES EAST OF BLUE RIDGE IN FANIN COUNTY TO 10 MILES SOUTH OF ELLIJAY IN GILMER COUNTY. THESE STORMS ARE GENERALLY MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 20 TO 25 MPH. THIS WILL TAKE THE STORMS OVER THE CITIES OF BLAIRSVILLE...DAHLONEGA AND JASPER AROUND 755 PM EDT. THESE STORMS HAVE CAUSED DOWNED TREES AND POWER LINES AND DIME SIZED HAIL HAS BEEN REPORTED. WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...LIGHTNING POSES A SERIOUS DANGER. STAY INDOORS AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS. DON'T USE TELEPHONES OR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES, UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY. IF BOATING OR SWIMMING...GET TO LAND QUICKLY AND FIND SHELTER. IF IN THE OPEN FIND A LOW SPOT AWAY FROM TREES, FENCES, AND POLES. IF YOU EXPERIENCE STORM DAMAGE TO STRUCTURES OR TREES...OR HAIL THE SIZE OF DIMES OR LARGER...PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING 770-486-8535. &
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, Jul 4, 3:59 PM EDT, 3 hours 38 minutes before
GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 091>098-103>113-050000- NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 359 PM EDT FRI JUL 4 1997 THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER PORTIONS OF NORTH AND EVEN CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THIS AREA IS GENERALLY NORTH OF A COLUMBUS...MACON...AGUSTA LINE. VERY STRONG AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHERN TENNESSEE AND EXTREME NORTHWEST ALABAMA MAY CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND MOVE TO THE EAST...AFFECTING PORTIONS OF NORTH AND POSSIBLY CENTRAL GEORGIA. A WARM AND VERY MOIST AIRMAS COMBINED WITH THE LIFTING FROM AN APPROACHING FRONTAL SYSTEM AND PLENTY OF AFTERNOON HEATING WILL AID IN MAKING THE AREA RIPE FOR THESE STRONG STORMS TO CONTINUE OVER THE AREA. GIVEN THE SHALLOW LAYER OF MOISTURE IN THE GEORGIA ATMOSPHERE AND THE DRYER MIDLEVELS...VERY STRONG DOWNBURST WINDS MAY BE POSSIBLE WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SPOTTERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE ACTIVATION IS NEEDED. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL SHOULD MONITOR THE SITUATION BY BEING ALERT TO FURTHER STATEMENTS...SHORT TERM FORECASTS...AND ANY WATCHES OR WARNINGS ISSUED BY THIS OFFICE. 99
Special weather statement, Jul 4, 4:00 PM EDT, 3 hours 37 minutes before
GAZ001>166-050000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 400 PM EDT FRI JUL 4 1997 HOT TEMPERATURES ACROSS GEORGIA ARE EXPECTED TO MODERATE THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. WITH A RETURN TO MORE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AS WELL AS SOMEWHAT LOWER HUMIDITIES THE HEAT INDEX IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW 105 OVER MOST OF THE STATE SATURDAY. HOWEVER SOME AREAS OF SOUTH GEORGIA COULD SEE A HEAT INDEX NEAR 105 FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS SATURDAY AFTERNOON. A HEAT INDEX OF 105 IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE LEVEL WHERE PEOPLE BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE EXTREME DISCOMFORT OR STRESS. WITH AN INCREASE IN CLOUDS AND EVEN LOWER TEMPERATURES ON SUNDAY...THE HEAT INDEX SHOULD REMAIN BELOW 105 FOR THE ENTIRE STATE.
Special weather statement, Jul 4, 4:00 PM EDT, 3 hours 37 minutes before
GAZ001>166-050000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 400 PM EDT FRI JUL 4 1997 HOT TEMPERATURES ACROSS GEORGIA ARE EXPECTED TO MODERATE THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. WITH A RETURN TO MORE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AS WELL AS SOMEWHAT LOWER HUMIDITIES THE HEAT INDEX IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW 105 OVER MOST OF THE STATE SATURDAY. HOWEVER SOME AREAS OF SOUTH GEORGIA COULD SEE A HEAT INDEX NEAR 105 FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS SATURDAY AFTERNOON. A HEAT INDEX OF 105 IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE LEVEL WHERE PEOPLE BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE EXTREME DISCOMFORT OR STRESS. WITH AN INCREASE IN CLOUDS AND EVEN LOWER TEMPERATURES ON SUNDAY...THE HEAT INDEX SHOULD REMAIN BELOW 105 FOR THE ENTIRE STATE.
Special weather statement, Jul 4, 4:04 PM EDT, 3 hours 33 minutes before
GAZ001>166-050000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 400 PM EDT FRI JUL 4 1997 HOT TEMPERATURES ACROSS GEORGIA ARE EXPECTED TO MODERATE THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. WITH A RETURN TO MORE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AS WELL AS SOMEWHAT LOWER HUMIDITIES THE HEAT INDEX IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW 105 OVER MOST OF THE STATE SATURDAY. HOWEVER SOME AREAS OF SOUTH GEORGIA COULD SEE A HEAT INDEX NEAR 105 FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS SATURDAY AFTERNOON. A HEAT INDEX OF 105 IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE LEVEL WHERE PEOPLE BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE EXTREME DISCOMFORT OR STRESS. WITH AN INCREASE IN CLOUDS AND EVEN LOWER TEMPERATURES ON SUNDAY...THE HEAT INDEX SHOULD REMAIN BELOW 105 FOR THE ENTIRE STATE.
Special weather statement, Jul 4, 4:07 PM EDT, 3 hours 30 minutes before
GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 091>098-103>113-050000- NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 359 PM EDT FRI JUL 4 1997 THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER PORTIONS OF NORTH AND EVEN CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THIS AREA IS GENERALLY NORTH OF A COLUMBUS...MACON...AUGUSTA LINE. VERY STRONG AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHERN TENNESSEE AND EXTREME NORTHWEST ALABAMA MAY CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND MOVE TO THE EAST...AFFECTING PORTIONS OF NORTH AND POSSIBLY CENTRAL GEORGIA. A WARM AND VERY MOIST AIRMASS COMBINED WITH THE LIFTING FROM AN APPROACHING FRONTAL SYSTEM AND PLENTY OF AFTERNOON HEATING WILL AID IN MAKING THE AREA RIPE FOR THESE STRONG STORMS TO CONTINUE OVER THE AREA. GIVEN THE SHALLOW LAYER OF MOISTURE IN THE GEORGIA ATMOSPHERE AND THE DRYER MIDLEVELS...VERY STRONG DOWNBURST WINDS MAY BE POSSIBLE WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SPOTTERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE ACTIVATION IS NEEDED. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL SHOULD MONITOR THE SITUATION BY BEING ALERT TO FURTHER STATEMENTS...SHORT TERM FORECASTS...AND ANY WATCHES OR WARNINGS ISSUED BY THIS OFFICE. 99
The office that day
Everything else NWS Atlanta, GA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 4, 6:12 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Dade, Walker | 48 min |
| Jul 4, 6:45 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Catoosa, Whitfield | 30 min |
| Jul 4, 6:58 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Murray | 32 min |
| Jul 4, 7:15 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Fannin, Gilmer | 45 min |
| Jul 4, 7:37 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Union | 53 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Georgia, 1997Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1997
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.