Severe Thunderstorm Warning 26, NWS Atlanta, GA

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
1238 AM EDT Tue Mar 20 2018

.UPDATE...
Severe weather threat has ended across portions of the NW metro.
Have extended the watch a tier of counties southward. Tweaked pops
to reflect current trends. Otherwise, no changes.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 919 PM EDT Mon Mar 19 2018/

UPDATE...
The potential for severe weather continues across portions of the
CWFA into early Tuesday morning. Have only made a few tweaks to
the forecast, mainly for precip timing.

However, the main change to the forecast was to add a Tornado
Watch for portions of north and central GA through 4am.

PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 749 PM EDT Mon Mar 19 2018/

PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 449 PM EDT Mon Mar 19 2018/

SHORT TERM /Tonight through Tuesday Night/...
An upper level low will deepen as it lifts into the TN valley
tonight. the surface front will push through the forecast area
through the day tomorrow. Pre-frontal convection - isolated
thunderstorms will move into portions of west GA over the next
hour, and increase in coverage through the evening hours. The
atmosphere has destabilized with breaks in clouds over west and
central GA. Ingredients for supercells will be in place across all
of CWA with MLCAPE of 1500-2500 J/kg across the area through this
evening. Vertical wind shear quite strong with 0-6km shear
ranging from 50kts over middle GA to 75kts in the far north and
0-1km shear 20kts over middle GA to 30kts in the far north. SPC
has issued a Tornado Watch west of our forecast area, but with the
sounding profiles from the HI-RES guidance supporting supercell
structures with strong rotating updrafts between 22z and 03z,
expect watches to be issued later this evening. A second line of
storms associated with the front will move across the state from
NW to SE after midnight into tomorrow, with cells weakening as
they get into central GA around daybreak, but while severe is not
expected we could still see thunder through the early morning
hours. Do mot expect as much clearing as models are advertising,
based upon the proximity of the wrap around moisture and have held
onto clouds through the day tomorrow with some break across north
Georgia by afternoon. Guidance temperatures are close and have
stayed close to a blend through the period. Temperatures will stay
nearly steady across northwest Georgia with a warm up over east
central Georgia ahead of the cold air advection.

Atwell

LONG TERM /Wednesday through Monday/...
Wrap around moisture will move across north Georgia Tuesday night
into Wednesday as the upper upper low shifts into the Carolinas.
Cooler temperatures behind the cold front will bring light
showers over north Georgia, along with a rain/snow mix and snow
showers by morning over the higher elevations. Any accumulations
will be light at best. Otherwise extended forecast trends were
mostly unchanged. See previous forecast discussion below.

Atwell

LONG TERM /Tuesday Night through Sunday/...
Much colder temperatures will be advecting into the area on breezy
northwest winds by Tuesday night behind a cold front. As an upper
low passes to the north Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, the
chance for light showers will linger across primarily north Georgia.
With temperatures dropping near or below freezing by Wednesday
morning in far north Georgia, the likelihood for a transition to a
rain/snow mix or light snow showers will increase. Light snow
accumulations will be possible across the higher elevations by
Wednesday morning. At this time, generally expecting only up to a
around a half inch in these higher elevations. Any light snow
accumulations would melt by midday Wednesday as temperatures warm
well above freezing. Wednesday will remain a chilly day by late
March standards with high temperatures largely in the 50s (and 40s
in far north Georgia). Sustained northwest winds around 20 mph with
higher gusts will add to the chill.

Thursday and Friday will bring moderating temperatures and will
remain primarily dry with only a slight chance of a few showers
sneaking into far north Georgia by late Friday. Rain chances appear
to begin to increase more appreciably by Saturday as upper pattern
transitions into a more zonal flow and a low pressure system moves
into the Ohio Valley, though discrepancies remain with timing and
evolution.

RW

AVIATION...
18Z Update...
IFR or near IFR cigs will hold on over all TAF sites with a slow
improvement to MVFR between 20-22Z, just ahead of convection.
Will see IFR set up after 00Z with a second round of thunderstorms
overnight between 04-11Z across all TAF sites, but mainly ATL
area. Any TSRA will be scattered. SE-S winds will become SW as
line of storms moves thru 03-07Z then become west and increase to
10-15kts with gusts to 22-25kts after 15Z Tue. Expect variable
winds with gusts with any thunderstorms.

//ATL Confidence...18Z Update...
Medium to low confidence in CIGs.
Medium confidence in timing of convection.
Medium to high confidence in all other elements.

Atwell

AVIATION...
00Z Update...
IFR or near IFR cigs will hold on over ATL/AHN TAF sites with a
slow improvement to MVFR through 08Z, just ahead of convection.
CSG and MCN will have MVFR/VFR CIGs until line of convection
arrives. Will see another round of thunderstorms overnight
between 04-10Z across all TAF sites, but mainly ATL area. Any
TSRA will be scattered. SW winds will become gusty with any storms
and shift to W behind the front with gusty winds throughout the
day on Tuesday.

//ATL Confidence...00Z Update...

Medium to low confidence in CIGs.
Medium confidence in timing of convection.
Medium to high confidence in all other elements.

Atwell

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Athens          39  54  34  60 /  20   5   0   0
Atlanta         37  52  35  58 /  30   5   0   0
Blairsville     33  42  28  51 /  50  30  10   0
Cartersville    36  52  32  58 /  30   5   0   0
Columbus        40  59  37  64 /  20   0   0   0
Gainesville     36  50  33  56 /  30  10   0   0
Macon           40  60  36  62 /  10   0   0   0
Rome            35  52  32  58 /  40   5   0   0
Peachtree City  38  55  34  60 /  30   0   0   0
Vidalia         44  61  39  63 /  10   5   0   0

&&

.FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Tornado Watch until 4 AM EDT early this morning for the
following zones: Baldwin...Bibb...Butts...Clarke...Clayton...
Coweta...Crawford...Fayette...Glascock...Greene...Hancock...
Heard...Henry...Jasper...Jefferson...Johnson...Jones...Lamar...
Meriwether...Monroe...Morgan...Newton...Oconee...Pike...Putnam...
Rockdale...Spalding...Taliaferro...Troup...Twiggs...Upson...
Walton...Warren...Washington...Wilkinson.

&&

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
925 PM EDT Mon Mar 19 2018

GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086-
089>098-102>113-210130-
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-
925 PM EDT Mon Mar 19 2018

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

.DAY ONE...Tonight...

A Tornado Watch has been issued for portions of north and central
Georgia until 4 AM EDT as a more organized line of severe
thunderstorms moves from Alabama into northwest Georgia, the
Atlanta metro area, and into portions of central Georgia. It is
along and ahead of this line where all modes of severe weather
exist, including tornadoes, large hail potentially greater than 2
inches, and damaging winds in excess of 70 MPH. Heavy rainfall and
frequent lightning will also occur. The potential for severe
weather will be its highest through 4 AM Tuesday morning.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday...

There will be a chance of thunderstorms over mainly central Georgia
on Tuesday. The severe threat is reduced Tuesday but a few storms
could be strong to severe with large hail and damaging winds the
primary threats.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is likely through tonight. Spotters are
encouraged to submit reports of severe weather through the web by
going to weather.gov/atlanta.

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
1220 AM EDT TUE MAR 20 2018

GAZ042-052-053-200500-
Coweta GA-Carroll GA-Heard GA-
1220 AM EDT TUE MAR 20 2018

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN COWETA...SOUTHERN
CARROLL AND NORTHERN HEARD COUNTIES UNTIL 100 AM EDT...

At 1219 AM EDT...strong thunderstorms were moving across southern
Carroll and northern Heard counties, at 35 mph. The persistent heavy
rainfall could lead to localized flooding.

  HAZARD...Frequent cloud to ground lightning and heavy rain.

  IMPACT...Lightning is one of nature's leading killers. If you can
           hear thunder...you are close enough to be struck by
           lightning. Heavy rain may cause temporary street flooding
           especially in poor drainage areas.

Some locations in the path of this storm include
Newnan, Carrollton, Tyrone, Palmetto, Bowdon, Whitesburg, Ephesus,
Centralhatchee, Sharpsburg, Turin, Roopville, East Newnan, Plant
Yates, Seaton Lake, Dunaway Gardens, Clem, Cannongate, Blackjack
Mountain, Madras and Byers Crossroads.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People outdoors should seek shelter immediately.  Electrical
appliances should not be used unless in an emergency. Motorists
should slow down and be prepared for possible loss of control due to
hydroplaning.

LAT...LON 3354 8483 3352 8482 3351 8482 3351 8462
      3350 8461 3330 8465 3338 8528 3357 8532
TIME...MOT...LOC 0419Z 279DEG 41KT 3347 8512

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
1250 AM EDT TUE MAR 20 2018

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

1148 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 NW STARRS MILL        33.35N  84.53W
03/19/2018                   FAYETTE            GA   NWS EMPLOYEE

            A LARGE TREE FELL ACROSS REDWINE RD NEAR ROBINSON RD
            AND BLOCKED THE ROADWAY.

&&

EVENT NUMBER FFC1800033

RWILLIS

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
102 AM EDT TUE MAR 20 2018

GAZ052>054-056>059-066>072-200545-
Butts GA-Fayette GA-Monroe GA-Coweta GA-Troup GA-Jones GA-Heard GA-
Jasper GA-Meriwether GA-Pike GA-Henry GA-Lamar GA-Upson GA-
Spalding GA-
102 AM EDT TUE MAR 20 2018

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR BUTTS...SOUTHERN FAYETTE...
MONROE...COWETA...TROUP...NORTHWESTERN JONES...HEARD...SOUTHWESTERN
JASPER...MERIWETHER...PIKE...SOUTHWESTERN HENRY...LAMAR...NORTHERN
UPSON AND SPALDING COUNTIES UNTIL 145 AM EDT...

At 102 AM EDT...a strong thunderstorm was over Orchard Hill, or near
Griffin...moving east at 45 mph.

  HAZARD...40 to 50 mph wind...up to penny sized hail...frequent
           cloud to ground lightning and heavy rain.

  IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
           light...unsecured objects. Heavy rain may cause temporary
           street flooding especially in poor drainage areas.

Some locations in the path of this storm include
Newnan, LaGrange, Griffin, Thomaston, Barnesville, Jackson, Forsyth,
Monticello, Zebulon, Franklin, Greenville, Peachtree City, Locust
Grove, Senoia, Hogansville, Grantville, Woodbury, Luthersville,
Flovilla and Milner.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People outdoors should seek shelter immediately. If you can hear
thunder...you are close enough to be struck by lightning. Motorists
should slow down and be prepared for possible loss of control due to
hydroplaning.

LAT...LON 3337 8440 3335 8439 3337 8434 3336 8435
      3333 8364 3292 8377 3285 8389 3291 8519
      3343 8529
TIME...MOT...LOC 0502Z 277DEG 40KT 3317 8420

HAIL...0.75IN
WIND...50MPH

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
110 AM EDT TUE MAR 20 2018

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

1155 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 NW HAMPTON            33.40N  84.30W
03/19/2018                   HENRY              GA   911 CALL CENTER

            A TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN AT THE INTERSECTION OF NORTH
            HAMPTON DRIVE AND STEELE DRIVE.

&&

EVENT NUMBER FFC1800034

RWILLIS

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
118 AM EDT TUE MAR 20 2018

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

1145 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MCDONOUGH               33.45N  84.14W
03/19/2018                   HENRY              GA   911 CALL CENTER

            A TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN ON SIMS STREET AT LAWRENCEVILLE
            STREET.

&&

EVENT NUMBER FFC1800036

RWILLIS

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
124 AM EDT TUE MAR 20 2018

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

1155 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 SSW OXFORD            33.61N  83.87W
03/19/2018                   NEWTON             GA   911 CALL CENTER

            A TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN ONTO A POWER LINE ON GEIGER
            STREET.

&&

EVENT NUMBER FFC1800037

RWILLIS