Severe Thunderstorm Warning 221, NWS Atlanta, GA

425 
WWUS52 KFFC 182257
SVSFFC

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
657 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

GAC235-315-182307-
/O.CAN.KFFC.SV.W.0221.000000T0000Z-260718T2315Z/
Pulaski GA-Wilcox GA-
657 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL PULASKI AND
NORTHWESTERN WILCOX COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer poses an immediate threat to life or property.
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.  However, gusty winds and
heavy rain are still possible with this thunderstorm.

To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement
agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service
Peachtree City.

&&

LAT...LON 3206 8361 3208 8361 3215 8355 3214 8345
      3204 8342 3199 8353
TIME...MOT...LOC 2252Z 151DEG 6KT 3210 8353 

$$

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
317 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...Afternoon Area Forecast Discussion...

.KEY MESSAGES...

  - A hot and muggy airmass remains in place today into next week,
    with triple digit heat index values remaining likely for many
    areas.

  - A Heat Advisory is in effect for portions of east and central
    Georgia until 8 PM EDT today.

  - Scattered afternoon thunderstorms continue each day. Some may
    be strong to severe with damaging wind gusts, frequent
    lightning, and locally heavy rainfall.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(This evening through Sunday)
Issued at 313 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

A tropical airmass will remain in place across the Southeast through
the short term period and into the next week, which will keep
dewpoints in the mid 70s and precipitable water values between 2 and
2.2 inches. Temperatures this afternoon will rise into the mid 90s
in areas south of I-85 and upper 80s to low 90s to the north. Within
this airmass, heat indices will climb to above 100 across all but
the far northern tier. Furthermore, heat index values will be
between 105-109 degrees in portions of east-central Georgia, where a
Heat Advisory will be in effect until 8 PM EDT this evening.

As SBCAPE values increase to 2000-3000 J/kg, scattered thunderstorms
have developed across far northern and western portions of the
forecast area. These storms will spread south/southeast along
outflows through the remainder of the afternoon and into the
evening. Given the deep atmospheric moisture, stronger storms that
develop will be capable of producing heavy rainfall. This could lead
to localized instances of flash flooding in urban and low-lying
areas given slow storm motion. Stronger storms will also be able to
produce strong, briefly damaging wind gusts. Coverage of showers and
thunderstorms will become more focused across central Georgia this
evening and linger until around midnight.

A longwave trough extends through the eastern Great Lakes and
through the Midwest. As this trough continues towards the Eastern
Seaboard, an associated surface low will deepen and advance
northeast towards Nova Scotia, with a trailing cold front being
nudged further south into Tennessee/North Carolina by early Sunday.
While the front is not expected to enter Georgia, convective
clusters initiated along the boundary are anticipated to drift
southward into the forecast area on Sunday. This, in addition to
continued deep moisture and diurnal enhancement, will promote more
numerous showers and thunderstorms on Sunday afternoon. Similar to
today, a few stronger thunderstorms will be capable of producing
damaging wind gusts and heavy rainfall. Since the cold front will
not reach Georgia, the only relief we will see from the heat will
come from increased storm coverage. Heat indices are forecast to
peak over 100 across the majority of the area, and another Heat
Advisory may be needed across east-central Georgia where they
will be hottest.

Another feature that will warrant continued monitoring will be a mid-
level low that continues to spin over the northeastern Gulf. It
remains possible that this disturbance could become more organized
and gain tropical characteristics, with a 30% chance for development
over the next 2 days and a 40% chance of development over the next 7
days per NHC. No direct impacts from this system are expected during
the short term period. Contrary to some previous forecasts, latest
guidance appears to indicate that this system will not be lifted to
the northeast by the aforementioned trough on Sunday and early next
week. This would leave the disturbance to drift slowly northwest
early next week and leave the same hot, humid airmass in place over
the region going into the long term.

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Monday morning through next Friday)
Issued at 313 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

High temperatures concerns will be the main issue in the first half
of the term forecast. Highs in the mid to upper 90s are expected
every day with apparent temperatures exceeding triple digits. By
Wednesday, a heat advisory may be needed for portions of the central
and eastern parts of the CWA as HI values exceed 105. Little in the
way of relief is expected during the overnight hours as temps only
fall into the low to mid 70s.

A dry cold front Wednesday into Thursday will give us a quick break
from heat and humidity as we close out the work week; though highs
will still be in the upper 80s and lower 90s. That lower humidity
will help break the choke hold of triple digit heat index values as
we roll into next weekend.

There isn't a good signal for likely afternoon thunderstorms, but a
scattered storms will remain possible during the afternoon through
the week. Coverage highest on Wednesday afternoon, but pops are
still limited to slight chance.

&&

.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 128 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

Conditions are largely VFR across the forecast area, with a cu
field between 3-4 kft persisting through the afternoon. Scattered
thunderstorms are ongoing across portions of far north and far
west GA, which are expected to spread SSE this afternoon and
evening. A PROB30 for TSRA is being carried at ATL from 20-00Z,
though coverage of storms will depend on evolution along outflows.
TSRA may last as late as 02-03Z at CSG/MCN as storms become
displaced to the south. Winds will be 6-10 kts from NW in west GA
and SW in east GA, becoming SW at 5 kts or less overnight.
Scattered TSRA is expected once again on Sunday afternoon, most
likely after 18Z.

//ATL Confidence...18Z Update...
Medium confidence on afternoon storm timing and coverage.
High confidence on all elements.

King

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Athens          73  93  73  92 /  20  40  20  30
Atlanta         74  92  74  91 /  10  50  30  30
Blairsville     67  85  67  84 /  10  50  20  70
Cartersville    73  92  73  92 /  10  40  30  40
Columbus        75  93  74  93 /  40  60  20  30
Gainesville     73  92  73  90 /  10  40  30  50
Macon           73  92  73  92 /  40  30  10  30
Rome            72  92  72  91 /  10  50  30  50
Peachtree City  72  92  72  91 /  20  50  30  30
Vidalia         75  95  74  95 /  30  10  10  40

&&

.FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Heat Advisory until 8 PM EDT this evening for GAZ027-036>039-
047>051-058>062-071>076-081>086-094>098-105>113.

&&

SHORT TERM...King
LONG TERM....Vaughn
AVIATION...King

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
235 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086-
089>098-102>113-191845-
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-
235 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north and central Georgia.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight...

Scattered thunderstorms this afternoon and evening will be capable
of producing locally heavy rainfall, frequent lightning, and gusty
to locally damaging winds. Heavy rain could elevate the risk for
localized flash flooding.

A Heat Advisory is in effect through this evening for much of east
and parts of central Georgia where heat index values in excess of
105 degrees are expected.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday...

Scattered afternoon thunderstorms are expected through much of the
week ahead. Any storms that form will be capable of producing
gusty winds, frequent lightning, and locally heavy rainfall.

Heat concerns will linger through next week as maximum heat index
values are expected to rise into the triple digits for many areas.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will not be needed through tonight.

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
437 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

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

0420 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     2 W Kelleytown          33.54N 84.13W
07/17/2026                   Henry              GA   Public

            Public reports a large tree and power lines
            down near the 200 block of Kibbee Road.

&&

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
440 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

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

0402 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     1 SSE Lilburn           33.88N 84.14W
07/17/2026                   Gwinnett           GA   Public

            Public reports a tree down along Bailey
            Drive.

&&

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
624 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

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

0230 PM     Lightning        2 SE Canton             34.22N 84.47W
07/17/2026                   Cherokee           GA   Public

            Lightning triggered a house fire on
            Hillcrest Ridge in Canton GA. Time was
            estimated based on radar.

&&