Severe Thunderstorm Warning 303, NWS Atlanta, GA

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
221 PM EDT Fri Aug 21 2026

...Afternoon Area Forecast Discussion...

.KEY MESSAGES...

 - Scattered to numerous thunderstorms this afternoon will pose a
   damaging wind gust threat across Central Georgia. Frequent
   lightning and locally heavy rainfall possible with any storms.

 - Warm and humid again today but slightly 'cooler' and more seasonal
   temperatures return this weekend into early next week.

 - Mostly dry this weekend with low daily rain chances returning
   for most by mid-week next week.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(This afternoon through Saturday)
Issued at 220 PM EDT Fri Aug 21 2026

An upper level longwave trough currently extends from the northern
Great Lakes towards the Deep South, and will continue to amplify as
its axis shifts eastward towards the Atlantic coast. A surface front
associated with this trough has entered far northwest Georgia. The
movement of the trough will help advance the frontal boundary south
and east through the afternoon and evening. Areas along and south of
the front will be the focus for thunderstorm activity amid a warm
and moist environment. Temperatures in portions of central and east
Georgia will climb into the into the mid to upper 90s (compared to
low 90s in areas north of I-85) while dewpoints remain in the low
90s. Robust destabilization within this hot and humid airmass
combined with forcing ahead of the front will allow storms to
develop quickly during the remainder of the afternoon. This will
culminate in high-end chance to low-end likely PoPs in areas
generally south/east of Atlanta from 4 PM to 8 PM, with gradually
diminishing chances during the evening with the loss of daytime
heating.

With SBCAPE values between 2500-3500 J/kg, DCAPE values between 800-
1200 J/kg, and precipitable water values of 1.9-2.2 inches, several
storms this afternoon and evening will be capable of becoming
severe. Downburst winds up to 60 mph will be the primary threat with
any severe storms that occur, which will be capable of damaging
trees and powerlines. Storms over the course of the day will also
contain frequent lightning and be highly efficient rainfall
producers given deep moisture. This could lead to isolated flooding
concerns, especially if stronger storms linger over urban or flood-
prone areas.

On Saturday, the trough axis will clear Georgia to the east, pushing
the frontal boundary through the forecast area. Noticeably drier air
will filter in behind this front, lowering dewpoints into the 60s
across the majority of the area. Though highs will still rise into
the low 90s, it will feel less oppressive given these dewpoints. An
isolated shower or thunderstorm cannot be ruled out in east-central
Georgia closest to the front on Saturday afternoon, while clear
conditions are forecast elsewhere across the forecast area.

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Sunday morning through next Thursday)
Issued at 220 PM EDT Fri Aug 21 2026

By the end of the weekend, temps will have fallen into the upper
80s and low 90s with RH values in the afternoon will drop into the
mid to low 40s bringing heat index values down and making it feel
very dry for this time of year. A welcome relief from the hot an
humid weather that had seem to be stuck over GA for the past
month.

With this dry airmass behind the front, we'll also get a break from
thunderstorms during the afternoon as well until Wednesday when
winds become more southerly and we start to pull moisture back in
from the Gulf. This weekend and early next week will be a great
opportunity to be outside without hating it.

After Wednesday, the upper level flow becomes more zonal and we'll
start to see a return to the diurnal pattern that we are used to.
With that pattern, we are also expecting a slow return of triple
digit heat indices for the second half of the work week.

&&

.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 143 PM EDT Fri Aug 21 2026

Isolated SHRA/TSRA has begun to develop in portions of central and
east GA, including near MCN, and will increase in coverage by 20Z
and into the evening. A PROB30 for TSRA is being carried from
20-00Z at ATL when storms will be most likely. VFR conditions are
ongoing underneath a cu field between 035-050. Aside from gusty
outflow winds from TSRA, prevailing winds will be W at 5-10 kts
through the afternoon, diminishing to 5 kts or less overnight.
Winds will shift to NW at 5-10 kts during the daytime on Saturday.
Low clouds will be possible in the early morning in portions of
east Georgia on Saturday, with IFR ceilings most likely from
10-13Z at AHN. FEW-SCT MVFR clouds will be possible as far east as
PDK in the early morning.

//ATL Confidence...18Z Update...
Medium confidence on early morning low clouds.
High confidence on all other elements.

King

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Athens          70  91  69  92 /  40   0   0   0
Atlanta         72  92  72  92 /  20   0   0  10
Blairsville     65  84  62  83 /  10   0   0   0
Cartersville    70  92  69  92 /  10   0   0   0
Columbus        73  94  72  95 /  50   0   0   0
Gainesville     70  90  69  90 /  10   0   0   0
Macon           72  93  71  94 /  60  10  10   0
Rome            69  92  69  91 /   0   0   0  10
Peachtree City  71  92  70  92 /  30   0   0  10
Vidalia         72  93  72  95 /  50  20  10   0

&&

.FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&

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

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
154 PM EDT Fri Aug 21 2026

GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086-
089>098-102>113-221800-
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-
154 PM EDT Fri Aug 21 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north and central Georgia.

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

Scattered thunderstorms are expected across Central and Eastern
Georgia this afternoon and evening. A few storms could be strong
to severe with strong to damaging winds, frequent lightning, and
locally heavy rainfall.

Hot and humid conditions continue across much of the area, with
heat index values rising into the triple digits this afternoon.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday...

Isolated to scattered afternoon thunderstorms will return on
Wednesday and Thursday afternoon.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will not be needed through tonight.

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
252 PM EDT Fri Aug 21 2026

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

1130 PM     Flash Flood      2 SW Varnell            34.88N 85.00W
08/20/2026                   Whitfield          GA   Public

            Tree down across the road near the
            intersection of Harper Lane and Glisson
            Drive.

&&

TV

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
252 PM EDT Fri Aug 21 2026

GAZ083-211915-
Twiggs GA-
252 PM EDT Fri Aug 21 2026

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southeastern Twiggs
County through 315 PM EDT...

At 252 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was over District Path, or near
Jeffersonville. This storm was nearly stationary.

HAZARD...40 to 50 mph wind, pea sized hail and frequent cloud to
         ground lightning.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
         light, unsecured objects.

Locations impacted include...
Jeffersonville, Marion, Tarversville, District Path, and Bullard.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People outdoors should seek shelter immediately. If you can hear
thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.

&&

LAT...LON 3258 8326 3250 8345 3263 8351 3272 8334
TIME...MOT...LOC 1852Z 155DEG 2KT 3261 8340

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
253 PM EDT Fri Aug 21 2026

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

1135 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     3 WNW Dawnville         34.84N 84.92W
08/20/2026                   Whitfield          GA   Emergency Mngr

            Tree down across road near the intersection
            of Beaverdale RD NE and Cherokee Estate RD
            NE.

&&

TV

Preliminary Local Storm Report...Corrected
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
254 PM EDT Fri Aug 21 2026

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

1130 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     2 SW Varnell            34.88N 85.00W
08/20/2026                   Whitfield          GA   Emergency Mngr

            Tree down across the road near the
            intersection of Harper Lane and Glisson
            Drive.

&&

TV

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
255 PM EDT Fri Aug 21 2026

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

1130 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     1 SSW Tunnel Hill       34.83N 85.06W
08/20/2026                   Whitfield          GA   Emergency Mngr

            Tree down across road near the intersection
            of Old Cottonwood Mill Rd and Papaw Way.

&&

TV

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
257 PM EDT Fri Aug 21 2026

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

1130 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     2 SW Varnell            34.88N 85.00W
08/20/2026                   Whitfield          GA   Emergency Mngr

            Tree reported down across road in the
            vicinity of Northwest Highschool.

&&

TV