Thunderstorm Wind, Hart
- When
- August 20, 4:30 PM EST
- Where
- Hart County, 7 mi ESE of Hartwell
- Measured
- 60 kt (69 mph)
- Reported by
- PARK/FOREST SERVICE
- Coordinates
- 34.320, -82.820
Hail and Damaging Winds in Georgia, August 20, 1999
A cluster of severe thunderstorms swept south across portions of northeast Georgia during the early evening. Numerous trees were blown down along the shore of Lake Hartwell, as well as in Russell State Park and Bobby Brown State Park.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $45,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 7
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS GSP wrote it up.
A cluster of severe thunderstorms swept south across portions of northeast Georgia during the early evening. Numerous trees were blown down along the shore of Lake Hartwell, as well as in Russell State Park and Bobby Brown State Park. Some of these trees fell on cottages. Lightning also set several trees on fire around Russell State Park and resulted in numerous power outages. A mobile home was blown over by the wind and a house under construction was moved off it's foundation in Bowman. Many trees and power lines were blown down in the city of Elberton. Several porches were crushed by the falling trees and a boarding house had it's tin roof ripped off.
The radar
The Greer radar (KGSP), 83 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:28 UTC.
Event by event
5 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Elbert
- When
- August 20, 4:45 PM EST
- Where
- Elbert County, Ruckersville to 2 mi W of Ruckersville
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 34.180, -82.770
Lightning, Elbert
- When
- August 20, 4:45 PM EST
- Where
- Elbert County, 2 mi NE of Ruckersville
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 34.117, -82.840 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Thunderstorm Wind, Elbert
- When
- August 20, 4:45 PM EST
- Where
- Elbert County, Bowman
- Measured
- 60 kt (69 mph)
- Property damage
- $20,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 34.200, -83.030
Thunderstorm Wind, Elbert
- When
- August 20, 5:00 PM EST
- Where
- Elbert County, Elberton
- Measured
- 60 kt (69 mph)
- Property damage
- $25,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 34.120, -82.870
Hail, Elbert
- When
- August 20, 5:02 PM EST
- Where
- Elbert County, 6 mi NE of Elberton
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 34.180, -82.800
Thunderstorm Wind, Elbert
- When
- August 20, 5:20 PM EST
- Where
- Elbert County, 15 mi SE of Elberton
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph)
- Reported by
- PARK/FOREST SERVICE
- Coordinates
- 33.970, -82.680
What these are
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
- Lightning
- A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornado and Waterspouts in New Jersey, August 20, 1999
- Flash Flood in Pennsylvania, August 20, 1999
- Hail and Damaging Winds in South Carolina, August 20, 1999
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Georgia, August 20, 1999
- Flash Flood in Pennsylvania, August 20, 1999
- Hail and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, August 20, 1999
- Flash Flood in Pennsylvania, August 20, 1999
- Flash Flood in Pennsylvania, August 20, 1999
- Damaging Wind in Louisiana, August 20, 1999
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, August 20, 1999
- Flash Flooding in New York, August 20, 1999
- Damaging Wind in Louisiana, August 20, 1999
More
Every storm in Georgia in 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, August 1999
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5714065, 5714133, 5714134, 5714135, 5714136, 5714137, 5714138.