Alert archive / Georgia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 326, NWS Atlanta, GA

May 3, 1998Bartow County, Cherokee County, Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 3, 1998, 4:32 PM EDT for Bartow County, Cherokee County, Georgia. It was in force for 48 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
May 3, 1998, 4:32 PM EDT (20:32 UTC)
Expired
May 3, 1998, 5:20 PM EDT
In force
48 min
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Bartow County, GA, Cherokee County, GA

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 3, 4:34 PM EDTHail 1.75Cartersville, GAReports from eastern Bartow county indicated up to golf ball size hail.
May 3, 4:55 PM EDTHail 2Canton, GANumerous public and spotter reports indicated dime to golf ball size hail fell across the south half of Cherokee county. Cars and roof tops were damaged a mile south of Holly Springs, where 2 inch hail was reported. Nickel size hail covered the ground 2 inches
May 3, 5:05 PM EDTThunderstorm WindCanton, GAThe Cherokee county EMA reported thunderstorm winds knocked down trees and power lines.

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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 3, 4:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 98 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 12:00Z on 1998-05-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 239 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 12:00Z on 1998-05-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 100 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
239 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-118 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1307 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
100 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
174 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.

864 
WUUS1 KATL 032035 RRA
SVRATL
GAC015-057-032120-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
432 PM EDT SUN MAY 3 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN BARTOW COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN GEORGIA
  CHEROKEE COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN GEORGIA

* UNTIL 520 PM EDT

* AT 430 PM EDT... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS INDICATED BY DOPPLER
  RADAR  12 MILES WEST OF WALESKA MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS IN AND NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM ARE...
   CHEROKEE                    AROUND 445 PM EDT
   WALESKA                     AROUND 450 PM EDT
   LEBANON                     AROUND 450 PM EDT
   HOLLY SPRINGS               AROUND 455 PM EDT
   CANTON                      AROUND 455 PM EDT
   BALL GROUND                 AROUND 505 PM EDT


DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN...AND DEADLY
LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. STAY INSIDE
AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. BOATERS...GOLFERS...
AND OTHERS INVOLVED IN OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES SHOULD SEEK SHELTER
IMMEDIATELY. 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

Local storm report, May 3, 12:45 PM EDT, 3 hours 47 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
1243 AM EDT SUN MAY 3 1998

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

1005 AM    SHARPSBURG                GA   0.75 INCH HAIL
5/3/98     COWETA                         REPORTED BY COWETA 911 ALONG
                                          TABBY LYNCH RD.

1200 PM    MACON                     GA   0.75 INCH HAIL
5/3/98     BIBB                           REPORTED BY PUBLIC.
Local storm report, May 3, 3:57 PM EDT, 35 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
1243 AM EDT SUN MAY 3 1998

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

1005 AM    SHARPSBURG                GA   0.75 INCH HAIL
5/3/98     COWETA                         REPORTED BY COWETA 911 ALONG
                                          TABBY LYNCH RD.

1200 PM    MACON                     GA   0.75 INCH HAIL
5/3/98     BIBB                           REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

335 PM     10 NW ROME                GA   1.00 INCH HAIL
5/3/98     FLOYD                          OCCASSIONALLY GOLFBALL SIZE.
                                          REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

345 PM     ROME                      GA   0.88 INCH HAIL
5/3/98     FLOYD                          REPORTED BY PUBLIC.
Special weather statement, May 3, 4:18 PM EDT, 14 minutes before
GAZ101-116>119-136>141-151>154-164>166-032115-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
418 PM EDT SUN MAY 3 1998

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR PART OF SOUTHEAST
GEORGIA. THE WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 7PM EDT FOR THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...

EFFINGHAM...CHATHAM...BRYAN...LIBERTY...LONG...MCINTOSH...WAYNE...
GLYNN...PIERCE...BRANTLEY...CAMDEN...AND CHARLTON.

WRS
Special weather statement, May 3, 4:18 PM EDT, 14 minutes before
GAZ101-116>119-136>141-151>154-164>166-032115-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
418 PM EDT SUN MAY 3 1998

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR PART OF SOUTHEAST
GEORGIA. THE WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 7PM EDT FOR THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...

EFFINGHAM...CHATHAM...BRYAN...LIBERTY...LONG...MCINTOSH...WAYNE...
GLYNN...PIERCE...BRANTLEY...CAMDEN...AND CHARLTON.

WRS
Special weather statement, May 3, 4:23 PM EDT, 9 minutes before
GAZ101-116>119-136>141-151>154-164>166-032115-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED TO INCLUDE WARE COUNTY IN WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
423 PM EDT SUN MAY 3 1998

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR PART OF SOUTHEAST
GEORGIA. THE WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 7PM EDT FOR THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...

EFFINGHAM...CHATHAM...BRYAN...LIBERTY...LONG...MCINTOSH...WAYNE...
GLYNN...PIERCE...BRANTLEY...CAMDEN...CHARLTON AND WARE.

WRS
Special weather statement, May 3, 4:23 PM EDT, 9 minutes before
GAZ101-116>119-136>141-151>154-164>166-032115-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED TO INCLUDE WARE COUNTY IN WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
423 PM EDT SUN MAY 3 1998

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR PART OF SOUTHEAST
GEORGIA. THE WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 7PM EDT FOR THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...

EFFINGHAM...CHATHAM...BRYAN...LIBERTY...LONG...MCINTOSH...WAYNE...
GLYNN...PIERCE...BRANTLEY...CAMDEN...CHARLTON AND WARE.

WRS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 3, 9:15 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHeard35 min
May 3, 9:32 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCoweta33 min
May 3, 10:00 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMeriwether35 min
May 3, 10:16 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCSpalding49 min
May 3, 10:28 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCLamar, Pike47 min
May 3, 11:24 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCrawford36 min
May 3, 11:34 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBibb51 min
May 3, 12:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCJefferson, Washington35 min
May 3, 12:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCWilcox32 min
May 3, 1:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCToombs34 min
May 3, 2:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCEmanuel47 min
May 3, 3:33 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCFloyd62 min
May 3, 4:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBartow32 min
May 3, 4:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCarroll34 min
May 3, 5:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCForsyth, Fulton47 min
May 3, 5:07 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCFloyd48 min
May 3, 5:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMarion47 min
May 3, 5:35 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCForsyth, Fulton35 min
May 3, 5:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCGwinnett50 min
May 3, 5:46 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCoweta34 min
May 3, 5:59 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCFloyd36 min
May 3, 6:02 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCWebster18 min
May 3, 6:13 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCCoweta, Fayette37 min
May 3, 6:15 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMarion, Schley, Webster35 min
May 3, 6:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBarrow48 min
May 3, 6:22 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCGilmer33 min
May 3, 6:23 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMonroe37 min
May 3, 6:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCarroll33 min
May 3, 6:38 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHouston37 min
May 3, 6:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCJasper35 min
May 3, 6:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCSumter34 min
May 3, 6:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHeard37 min
May 3, 6:46 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCClayton, Henry, Spalding49 min
May 3, 6:56 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCoweta49 min
May 3, 7:01 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCBleckley, Houston, Twiggs34 min
May 3, 7:03 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCMonroe37 min
May 3, 7:05 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCLumpkin50 min
May 3, 7:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBartow34 min
May 3, 7:12 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBibb33 min
May 3, 7:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCButts, Jasper51 min
May 3, 7:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCherokee50 min
May 3, 7:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCJones48 min
May 3, 7:38 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCLaurens32 min
May 3, 7:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCWilkinson35 min
May 3, 7:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCobb48 min
May 3, 7:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHall51 min
May 3, 7:47 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCJasper, Monroe33 min
May 3, 7:50 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCJones35 min
May 3, 7:52 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCFulton48 min
May 3, 7:58 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCSpalding47 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Georgia, 1998Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1998

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.