Alert archive / Georgia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2008

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 520, NWS Atlanta, GA

August 2, 2008Barrow County, Hall County, Jackson County, Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 2, 2008, 5:54 PM EDT for Barrow County, Hall County, Jackson County, Georgia. It was in force for 51 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Aug 2, 2008, 5:54 PM EDT (21:54 UTC)
Expired: Aug 2, 2008, 6:45 PM EDT
In force: 51 min
Issued by: NWS Atlanta, GA
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Barrow County, GA, Hall County, GA, Jackson County, GA

The radar

The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 122 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:02 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
Aug 2, 6:05 PM EDT	HAIL 1	1 Sw Gainesville, GA

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 11 minutes after it went out.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Aug 2, 5:51 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 9.9 hours before the alert went out and 117 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 1040 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -144 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 999 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 58 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 16 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS52 KFFC 022156
SVRFFC
GAC013-139-157-022245-
/O.NEW.KFFC.SV.W.0520.080802T2154Z-080802T2245Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
554 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN BARROW COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA
  SOUTHERN HALL COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA
  NORTHWESTERN JACKSON COUNTY IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA

* UNTIL 645 PM EDT

* AT 554 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
  A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 
  PENNY SIZED HAIL.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR GAINESVILLE         
  MILLS...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 14 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  CANDLER...THOMPSONS MILL AND HOSCHTON.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM EDT SUNDAY
MORNING FOR NORTHERN GEORGIA.

IF YOU SEE WIND DAMAGE...LARGE HAIL OR SIGNIFICANT FLOODING...WAIT
UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED...AND THEN CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE TOLL FREE AT 1 8 6 6 7 6 3 4 4 6 6.

LAT...LON 3421 8359 3406 8378 3422 8395 3439 8380
TIME...MOT...LOC 2154Z 323DEG 12KT 3426 8382

$$

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.

NWS Atlanta, GA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Aug 2, 3:42 PM EDT, 2 hours 12 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 2, 3:42 PM EDT, 2 hours 12 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
342 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/...
SHORT TERM MODELS ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT THIS MODEL RUN. THE
UPPER LEVEL SHORT WAVE LOCATED OVER NEW YORK SLOWLY ROTATES ACROSS
NEW ENGLAND THROUGH MONDAY ALLOWING THE UPPER RIDGE OVER THE
CENTRAL PLAINS TO BUILD EASTWARD. WEAK IMPULSES MOVING THROUGH THE
UPPER FLOW...AS WELL AS A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH SLOWLY SINKING
SOUTHWARD WILL AID IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFTERNOON AND EVENING
THUNDERSTORMS. COVERAGE OF CONVECTION WILL BE ISOLATED AT BEST.
LOW LEVEL THICKNESS VALUES AND H85 TEMPERATURES ARE INDICATING
THAT AFTERNOON HIGHS WILL REMAIN IN THE 90S. WITH GOOD GULF
MOISTURE AVAILABLE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA...HEAT INDICES WILL
CLIMB INTO THE UPPER 90S NORTH TO NEAR 102 ACROSS CENTRAL GEORGIA
TOMORROW AND MONDAY.

.LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
THE UPPER RIDGE PREVAILS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST UNTIL FRIDAY WHEN
THE NEXT LOW MOVES ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES AREA. A WEAK SURFACE
BOUNDARY WILL AGAIN TRAVERSE THE AREA LATE IN THE WEEK PROVIDING A
FOCUS FOR SCATTERED CONVECTION. OTHERWISE MAINLY ISOLATED
AFTERNOON AND EVENING CONVECTION WILL CONTINUE. TEMPERATURES WILL
REMAIN IN THE MID 90S EARLY IN THE EXTENDED PERIODS WITH HEAT
INDICES AT OR ABOVE 100.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
ATHENS          71  97  71  95  70 /  20  20   5  20  10
ATLANTA         74  93  73  95  74 /  20  20  10  20  10
BLAIRSVILLE     66  91  62  92  64 /  20  20   5  20  10
CARTERSVILLE    69  95  66  95  68 /  20  20   5  20  10
COLUMBUS        75  96  77  96  75 /  20  20  20  20  10
GAINESVILLE     73  92  71  94  72 /  20  20   5  20  10
MACON           74  97  73  95  74 /  20  20  20  20  10
ROME            69  96  69  98  68 /  20  20   5  20  10
PEACHTREE CITY  70  94  69  94  70 /  20  20  10  20  10
VIDALIA         73  95  73  95  73 /  20  20  20  20  10

&&

.FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.
&&

12

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 2, 6:22 AM EDT, 11 hours 32 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
622 AM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086-
089>098-102>113-031030-
BALDWIN-BANKS-BARROW-BARTOW-BIBB-BLECKLEY-BUTTS-CARROLL-CATOOSA-
CHATTAHOOCHEE-CHATTOOGA-CHEROKEE-CLARKE-CLAYTON-COBB-COWETA-
CRAWFORD-CRISP-DADE-DAWSON-DEKALB-DODGE-DOOLY-DOUGLAS-EMANUEL-
FANNIN-FAYETTE-FLOYD-FORSYTH-GILMER-GLASCOCK-GORDON-GREENE-
GWINNETT-HALL-HANCOCK-HARALSON-HARRIS-HEARD-HENRY-HOUSTON-JACKSON-
JASPER-JEFFERSON-JOHNSON-JONES-LAMAR-LAURENS-LUMPKIN-MACON-
MADISON-MARION-MERIWETHER-MONROE-MONTGOMERY-MORGAN-MURRAY-
MUSCOGEE-NEWTON-NORTH FULTON-OCONEE-OGLETHORPE-PAULDING-PEACH-
PICKENS-PIKE-POLK-PULASKI-PUTNAM-ROCKDALE-SCHLEY-SOUTH FULTON-
SPALDING-STEWART-SUMTER-TALBOT-TALIAFERRO-TAYLOR-TELFAIR-TOOMBS-
TOWNS-TREUTLEN-TROUP-TWIGGS-UNION-UPSON-WALKER-WALTON-WARREN-
WASHINGTON-WEBSTER-WHEELER-WHITE-WHITFIELD-WILCOX-WILKES-
WILKINSON-
622 AM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

.SYNOPSIS...
A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH WILL REMAIN ACROSS CENTRAL GEORGIA TODAY
WITH A MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS OVER THE STATE.

.PRIMARY HAZARDS...
THE PRIMARY HAZARDS WILL BE FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND
ALSO THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING WIND GUSTS.

.DISCUSSION...
AN UPPER AIR DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE FROM THE OHIO VALLEY REGION
SOUTHWARD INTO GEORGIA TODAY. WITH A MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS IN
PLACE...WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD DEVELOP MAINLY THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE
WITH LIFTED INDEX VALUES RANGING FROM MINUS TWO TO MINUS
FOUR...AND CAPES RANGING FROM 1500 TO 2000. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS
ALSO POSSIBLE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY
THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY CENTRAL GEORGIA SUNDAY
AND MONDAY...THEN THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS NORTH AND
CENTRAL SECTIONS WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTERS ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED BUT SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED
TO SUBMIT REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER THROUGH THE WEB BY GOING TO
WEATHER.GOV/ATLANTA.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 2, 4:50 PM EDT, 1 hour 4 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
450 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

GAZ016-022145-
450 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS
TO 45 MPH IN WHITE COUNTY UNTIL 545 PM EDT...

AT 449 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO NORTHERN WHITE COUNTY...NORTH OF
UNICOI STATE PARK...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 45 MPH AND FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING
STRIKES WILL BE POSSIBLE AS THESE THUNDERSTORM MOVE SOUTHEAST ACROSS
WHITE COUNTY...INCLUDING UNICOI STATE PARK...ROBERTSTOWN...AND
HELEN.  RESIDENTS IN THIS AREA SHOULD STAY INDOORS. ELECTRICAL
APPLIANCES AND TELEPHONES SHOULD NOT BE USED UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY.

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERTS ARE ISSUED WHEN WINDS UP TO 57 MPH ARE
EXPECTED...HAIL IS EXPECTED TO BE LESS THAN THE SIZE OF PENNIES...OR
SIGNIFICANT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED.

19

Special weather statement, Aug 2, 4:57 PM EDT, 57 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
457 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

GAZ021-022200-
457 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN CHEROKEE
COUNTY UNTIL 600 PM EDT...

AT 453 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPING RAPIDLY OVER CANTON AND ANOTHER
DEVELOPING JUST NORTH OF FREE HOME...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.

FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES CAN BE EXPECTED WITH
THESE THUNDERSTORMS AS THEY CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY.  RESIDENTS IN
THIS AREA SHOULD STAY INDOORS. ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES AND TELEPHONES
SHOULD NOT BE USED UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY.

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERTS ARE ISSUED WHEN WINDS UP TO 57 MPH ARE
EXPECTED...HAIL IS EXPECTED TO BE LESS THAN THE SIZE OF PENNIES...OR
SIGNIFICANT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED.

19

Local storm report, Aug 2, 5:06 PM EDT, 48 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
506 PM EDT SAT AUG 02 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0445 PM     HAIL             9 NW ELLIJAY            34.78N 84.60W
08/02/2008  E0.88 INCH       GILMER             GA   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

MGRIESIN

Local storm report, Aug 2, 5:30 PM EDT, 24 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
530 PM EDT SAT AUG 02 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0522 PM     HAIL             2 SE CARTERS            34.59N 84.67W
08/02/2008  E0.88 INCH       MURRAY             GA   PUBLIC

            BOATER ON CARTERS LAKE REPORTED NICKEL SIZE HAIL.

&&

MGRIESIN

Special weather statement, Aug 2, 5:36 PM EDT, 18 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
536 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

GAZ024-022215-
536 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING IN BANKS COUNTY
UNTIL 615 PM EDT...

AT 531 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER ALTO...MOVING SOUTH AT 21 MPH.

THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE PEA SIZED HAIL...EXCESSIVE
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH AS IT MOVES ACROSS
BANKS COUNTY THROUGH 615 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS
STORM INCLUDE ALTO...HOLLINGSWORTH AND HOMER. BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS
WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.

THESE WIND GUSTS MAY PRODUCE MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND BLOW
LIGHT...UNSECURED OBJECTS AROUND.

Local storm report, Aug 2, 5:49 PM EDT, 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
549 PM EDT SAT AUG 02 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0540 PM     HAIL             2 W WALESKA             34.32N 84.59W
08/02/2008  E0.88 INCH       CHEROKEE           GA   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            PENNY TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL FELL.

0547 PM     HAIL             2 SW WALESKA            34.30N 84.57W
08/02/2008  E1.00 INCH       CHEROKEE           GA   PUBLIC

&&

MGRIESIN

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Aug 2, 3:42 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Fannin, Union	63 min
Aug 2, 3:48 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Murray	42 min
Aug 2, 4:27 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Gilmer	48 min
Aug 2, 4:40 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Murray	65 min
Aug 2, 5:00 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Cherokee	45 min
Aug 2, 5:13 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Floyd	47 min
Aug 2, 5:15 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Gilmer, Gordon, Pickens	30 min
Aug 2, 5:33 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Bartow, Gordon	42 min
Aug 2, 5:45 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Cherokee	60 min
Aug 2, 5:49 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Pickens	56 min
Aug 2, 6:02 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Banks	43 min
Aug 2, 6:09 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Gilmer	25 min
Aug 2, 6:13 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Fannin, Murray	47 min
Aug 2, 6:38 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Cobb	67 min
Aug 2, 6:42 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Bartow	63 min
Aug 2, 6:56 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Fulton	64 min
Aug 2, 7:02 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	DeKalb, Gwinnett	58 min
Aug 2, 7:08 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Newton, Walton	52 min
Aug 2, 7:19 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Madison, Oglethorpe	41 min
Aug 2, 7:29 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Wilkes	46 min
Aug 2, 7:36 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Clayton, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Henry, Rockdale	39 min
Aug 2, 7:56 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Carroll, Haralson	49 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Georgia, 2008 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2008

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.