Special Weather Statement, NWS Atlanta, GA

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
350 AM EDT Thu Apr 27 2017

.SHORT TERM /Today through Friday/...
A squall line continues to move through western and central AL early
this morning. This line of storms is ahead of a cold front currently
across central MS.

The line of storms is currently being handled pretty well by the
HRRR. So have followed the HRRR timing and trends fairly closely.
Current surface analysis shows the strongest storms are hugging the
best instability...which is across far SE MS and roughly the
southern half of AL. Expect this trend to continue for the next few
hours. The HRRR does weaken the initial line (the squall line) as it
approaches the CWFA around sunrise and fires additional convection
along the actual cold front as it moves across the CWFA during the
afternoon hours.

Trying to suss out the best areas for strong/isolated severe
convection will be a bit tricky today. The mid level forcing with
this system is expected to get shunted off to the north by mid
morning. So, portions of extreme northern GA should see the best mid
level forcing early today. Mid level lapse rates remain marginal for
the entire CWFA after 12Z. The best shear is also expected across
northern GA...with some decent values south of Interstate 20 this
afternoon. The issue will be instability. The strong/severe
convection across AL/SE MS should continue to hug the best
instability down south through the early morning hours. However, a
few strong (potentially isolated severe) storms could also develop
across far northern GA this morning before the squall line weakens.

For late morning and afternoon...the best chances for any strong to
isolated severe thunderstorms will be along the frontal boundary.
With the early morning convection, thicker cloud cover may inhibit
much of northern GA and portions of western AL from destabilizing as
the front moves through. However, do think areas along and east of
Interstate 85 and south of Interstate 20 should have the best
chances for seeing breaks in the clouds, resulting in good surface
instability this afternoon. With the aid of forcing along the front,
this should be where the strongest convection occurs. By this time,
the best mid level forcing and lapse rates have moved off to the
north and shear values are marginal. So, a few strong storms are
likely with some isolated severe storms possible for the afternoon
hours...mainly east of I-85 and south of I-20.

The models are still progging the frontal boundary to stall across
central portions of GA. Enough moisture and some weak frontal
forcing should allow for some isolated storms to develop during the
day on Friday.

NListemaa

.LONG TERM /Friday Night through Wednesday/...
The long term period will begin fairly tranquil on Friday night.
From a synoptic standpoint...the lower levels will feature a warm
front shifting north of the region and ushering in a pretty moist
and unstable airmass /perhaps most so this season thus far/. This
will be aided in part by the anticyclonic flow from Bermuda sfc
high across the central Atlantic. POPs look to be dying off by
this time with best shot at any lingering storms up in the mtns
where upslope flow would provide best forcing. In the mid
level...things are a bit more interesting upstream from us. A
closed low will have developed across the Southern Rockies and
will be in the process of inducing sfc cyclogenesis across the TX
panhandle area. As this trough digs it will create a downstream
effect which in our case will build a mid level subtropical ridge
into our region from the Caribbean.

With a subtropical ridge influence on Saturday...it will be
hot...thats a given. But despite the synoptic scale descent
associated with the ridge...a very moist /and unstable/ airmass
in place in low levels will allow for the development of diurnally
driven thunderstorms Sat afternoon and evening. Weak shear under
the ridge argues for pulse-severe threat /wind and hail/ given
modest mid level lapse rates and pretty impressive CAPE. Not
seeing any place to pinpoint best coverage right now given lack of
forcing...but orographic lift within a southerly low level flow
regime in the mtns could help enhance coverage up north. Thinking
this same rule will apply for Sunday...although ridge will shift
east so could see better diurnal storm coverage.

Sunday night into Monday could be interesting as a cold front
approaches the area from the west. This frontal system will be
associated with the aforementioned closed low over the
Rockies...which by this time will have pivoted into the Midwest.
Ingredients do not look quite as good as they once did. Concerned
about the large displacement of upper forcing...along with the sfc
low undergoing occlusion processes by the time the front
approaches the far SE states. Couple those factors with an
overnight arrival...and confidence becomes hindered on how well
linear MCS will sustain itself as it gets close to the state line.
Instability begins to wane /tho non-zero/ by 12z though shear and
helicity environments are impressive just ahead of the line.
Better CAPE is possible across central Georgia later in day so
could end up having a lower threat across northern and western Ga
in the morning with an increasing threat across central Ga in the
afternoon. Overall...GFS currently showing greater severe
potential than EC but this is based on slight timing differences
to some extent. This system certainly bears close attention...and
a least a marginal severe threat seems likely at this point. SPC
already highlighting AL/MS in a severe outlook.

Conditions look dry behind the front on Tuesday...but broad mid
level cyclonic flow development by Wednesday points to a wet
period beginning at the end of this long term forecast period.

Kovacik

&&

.AVIATION...
06Z Update...
MVFR stratus still expected to develop ahead of a bkn line of
shra/tsra currently entering western AL. This line of storms is
expected to impact ATL around 16Z. No major changes to the
previous TAF, only moved back the VCSH a couple of hours to around
11Z. No changes to the wind shift to the west that should occur
around 17z. After the bkn line of shra/tsra moves through clouds
should go back to vfr bay the late afternoon.

//ATL Confidence...06Z Update...
High confidence all elements.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Athens          77  62  84  65 /  70  40  20  10
Atlanta         77  63  83  68 /  70  20  20   5
Blairsville     73  52  80  62 /  80  20  20  20
Cartersville    78  58  83  66 /  80  20  20  10
Columbus        80  67  86  68 /  70  40  20   5
Gainesville     75  59  81  65 /  80  30  20  10
Macon           83  65  86  65 /  50  50  20   5
Rome            78  55  84  66 /  80  10  20  10
Peachtree City  78  60  83  64 /  70  20  20   5
Vidalia         88  68  90  70 /  20  20  10  10

&&

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

SHORT TERM...NListemaa
LONG TERM....Kovacik
AVIATION...NListemaa

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
531 AM EDT Thu Apr 27 2017

GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086-
089>098-102>113-280945-
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-
531 AM EDT Thu Apr 27 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of North and Central Georgia.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight...

A cold front carrying a line of thunderstorms will move across
the area today. This line will affect northern and western
portions of Georgia through the earlier morning hours before
moving into the remainder of north and central Georgia later
today. Isolated severe storms will be possible...mainly along and
east of Interstate 85 and south of Interstate 20 this afternoon.
The primary severe threats will be damaging wind gusts...small
hail...and perhaps a few brief spin-ups.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday...

Isolated thunderstorms will be possible Friday...becoming more
scattered Saturday and Sunday as a moist airmass moves in.
Isolated severe weather will be possible with these
storms...mainly in the form of damaging winds and large hail.

A cold front will approach the area Sunday night into Monday.
Severe weather will be a concern as a line of organized
thunderstorms accompanies the front.

After a quiet Tuesday...thunderstorms return again on Wednesday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will not be needed through tonight.

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
515 AM EDT THU APR 27 2017

GAZ001>003-270945-
Catoosa GA-Walker GA-Dade GA-
515 AM EDT THU APR 27 2017

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CATOOSA...NORTHWESTERN WALKER AND
NORTHEASTERN DADE COUNTIES UNTIL 545 AM EDT...

At 515 AM EDT...a strong thunderstorm was near Chattanooga  Valley,
or 7 miles east of Trenton...moving northeast at 55 mph.

  HAZARD...Frequent lightning.

  IMPACT...Lightning is one of nature's leading killers. If you can
           hear thunder...you are close enough to be struck by
           lightning.

Some locations in the path of this storm include
Ringgold, Fort Oglethorpe, Rossville, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain,
Lakeview, Indian Springs, Graysville, Blue Spring, Fairview, Boynton,
Chattanooga  Valley, New England, Morganville, Cooper Heights and
Apison.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People outdoors should seek shelter immediately.  Electrical
appliances should not be used unless in an emergency.

LAT...LON 3497 8498 3497 8500 3494 8500 3491 8501
      3479 8542 3492 8550 3498 8538 3499 8498
TIME...MOT...LOC 0915Z 242DEG 49KT 3488 8538

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
612 AM EDT THU APR 27 2017

GAZ004>006-271030-
Whitfield GA-Murray GA-Fannin GA-
612 AM EDT THU APR 27 2017

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN WHITFIELD...MURRAY
AND NORTHWESTERN FANNIN COUNTIES UNTIL 630 AM EDT...

At 612 AM EDT...a strong thunderstorm was over North Georgia
Speedway, or near Chatsworth...moving northeast at 45 mph.

  HAZARD...Frequent lightning.

  IMPACT...Lightning is one of nature's leading killers. If you can
           hear thunder...you are close enough to be struck by
           lightning.

Some locations in the path of this storm include
Dalton, Chatsworth, Blue Ridge, Eton, Morganton, Crandall, Ramhurst,
Jones Mill, Higdon, Cohutta Wilderness, Epworth, Conasauga Lake,
Mineral Bluff, Fort Mountain State Park, Colwell, North Georgia
Speedway and Copperhill.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People outdoors should seek shelter immediately.  Electrical
appliances should not be used unless in an emergency.

LAT...LON 3499 8433 3487 8424 3483 8436 3484 8437
      3484 8440 3486 8442 3485 8461 3482 8458
      3479 8461 3478 8464 3476 8464 3471 8466
      3463 8488 3474 8497 3499 8459
TIME...MOT...LOC 1012Z 237DEG 51KT 3471 8487