3 thunderstorm wind, 3 flood, 3 flash flood, 2 lightning, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it; 9 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Atlanta, GA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 24, 5:30 AM EST, 0 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED TO ADD AVIATION DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 530 AM EST TUE DEC 24 2002 ...330 AM PUBLIC DISCUSSION... CURRENT SATELLITE LOOP SHOWS STRONG SYSTEM CRANKED UP OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND INTO ALABAMA. RAIN HAS BEGUN TO FALL OVER MOST OF NORTH GEORGIA. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION ACROSS ALL OF NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA BY THIS AFTERNOON. WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE SHAPING UP...LOOKING AT OCCASIONAL SHOWERS WITH SOME THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE THAT A FEW OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE. THE BIGGEST THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ISOLATED TORNADO. THIS SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH THE STATE OVER THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS. AS THIS SYSTEM PULLS OUT LOOKS LIKE THE NORTHERN COUNTIES ALONG THE TN/NC BORDER MAY SEE SOME SNOW WED MORNING. THE COLD AIR BEGINS TO FILTER INTO THE STATE WED AND THERE IS STILL SOME LINGERING MOISTURE OVER N GA AT THAT TIME. THERE MAY BE A SLIGHT ACCUMULATION BUT NOTHING MORE THAN AN INCH. AFTER ALL THAT...A VERY DRY AND COLD AIRMASS SETTLES IN OVER THE REGION FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY. THERE IS AN UPPER TROUGH AND A WEAK SHORTWAVE THAT SWEEPS ACROSS FRIDAY...BUT MOISTURE IS ALMOST NON EXISTENT. WILL GO WITH PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY FRIDAY IN THE NORTH. TEMPERATURES WILL BEGIN TO MODERATE BY THE WEEKEND AS SURFACE RIDGE SHIFTS SLOWLY SOUTH AND EAST...AND PLENTY OF SUNSHINE SOAKS THE AREA. .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATL 55 39 45 26 / 99 70 10 00 AHN 51 39 45 26 / 99 99 10 00 GVL 49 36 41 25 / 99 80 20 00 RMG 53 36 42 26 / 99 70 20 00 CSG 60 45 52 28 / 99 70 10 00 MCN 60 44 52 28 / 99 99 10 00 .ATL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. ...AVIATION DISCUSSION... WARM FRONT EAST FROM SURFACE LOW NEAR MGM TO LGC-MCN-VLD LINE. LOW WILL MOVE NORTHEAST UNDER UPPER LOW TO NEAR AHN BY 00Z. CIGS WILL LOWER TO 005-010OVC AS BAND RAIN AND ISOLATED TSTMS MOVES EAST AHEAD OF LOW...REACHING ATL BY 11Z. DUE TO ASSOCIATED SATURATING OF LOWER ATMOSPHERE...IFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST UNTIL PASSAGE OF COLD FRONT TRAILING LOW AROUND 00Z AT ATL. ACCOMPANYING SURFACE WINDS WILL REMAIN SOUTHEAST UNTIL FROPA...THEN VEERING TO WESTERLY. WHILE A FEW TSTMS WILL LINGER PAST 12Z VCNTY ATL..MAIN THREAT GONE BY 14Z. CIGS/VSBYS BLO OVC010/3SM WILL SPREAD EAST TO AHN-MCN LINE BY 12Z...IMPROVING TO 010-020/2-4SM AFTER 00Z. WIND SHIFT TO WEST WITH IMPROVING CONDITIONS WITH FROPA. ISOLATED EMBEDDED TRWS AMAY PRODUCE WIND GUST TO 35-40MPH.
GAZ042-052>054-056-066>071-074>076-078>086-089>098-102>113-241300- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 245 AM EST TUE DEC 24 2002 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY. ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE INTO THIS EVENING. .SYNOPSIS... AN UPPER TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO ACCELERATE EASTWARD AND MOVE INTO THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BY TONIGHT. AN ASSOCIATED SURFACE LOW IS EXPECTED TO MOVE NORTHEASTWARD FROM SOUTH MISSISSIPPI TO THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY BY TONIGHT WITH A SECONDARY LOW DEVELOPING OVER GEORGIA. A FRONT ACROSS SOUTH GEORGIA WILL MOVE NORTH AS A WARM FRONT TO CENTRAL GEORGIA BY NOON AND BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXIST SOUTH OF A LINE FROM CARROLLTON TO GRIFFIN TO MACON TO GIBSON INTO THIS EVENING. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO PRIMARILY DEVELOP ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE WARM FRONT. HOWEVER...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE NORTH THE FRONT. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE. DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE MOST LIKELY THREAT. WHILE THEY ARE UNLIKELY...ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE. THE MOST LIKELY TIME OF OCCURRENCE OF THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WILL BE AFTER 8 AM. .DISCUSSION... INSTABILITY IN THE WARM SECTOR IS EXPECTED TO BE MODERATE. THE LOW LEVEL JET IS LIKELY TO REMAIN STRONG BUT BECOME MORE PARALLEL TO THE UPPER WITH TIME. THIS SUGGESTS POSSIBLE STRONG SPEED SHEAR BUT DECREASING DIRECTIONAL SHEAR WITH TIME. THUS HELICITIES WILL BE DIMINISHING TO NEAR 100 BY THIS AFTERNOON...WHILE CAPES INCREASE TO ABOVE 700. DEWPOINTS CURRENTLY IN 50S ALONG AND SOUTH OF A COLUMBUS TO MACON LINE WILL INCREASE INTO THE 60S BY THIS AFTERNOON...AND INTO THE 50S OVER NORTH GEORGIA. LIFTED INDICES WILL LOWER INTO THE MINUS ONE OR TWO RANGE. THE EXACT EXTENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SEVERITY OF THESE STORMS WILL GREATLY DEPEND UPON HOW ALL THESE FACTORS COME TOGETHER AND TIMING...ALL OF WHICH ARE UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME. THE SITUATION WILL BE CLOSELY MONITORED. .FOR SPOTTERS... SPOTTER GROUPS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL SHOULD MONITOR LOCAL WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE ALERT FOR ANY UPDATES AND BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVATION. .DAY TWO THROUGH DAY SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. SOME SNOW IS POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS WEDNESDAY MORNING AND SOME RAIN ON MONDAY...BUT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. && FOR THE GRAPHICAL HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK AND OTHER WEATHER INFORMATION...PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/FFC.
GAZ030>032-041>043-241030- SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 507 AM EST TUE DEC 24 2002 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS IN DOUGLAS...CARROLL... HARALSON...PAULDING...POLK AND COBB COUNTIES UNTIL 530 AM EST... AT 456 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM ARAGON TO ROOPVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. THIS LINE IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH IN SOME AREAS. TREE LIMBS MAY BE SNAPPED AND SMALL OBJECTS BLOWN AROUND AS THIS LINE PASSES. THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD BE ENDING OVER THE AREA BY 530 AM EST. SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERTS ARE ISSUED WHEN WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH 40 TO 50 MPH.
GAZ032-033-043>045-053>055-241115- SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 526 AM EST TUE DEC 24 2002 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS IN COWETA...FAYETTE... CLAYTON...DOUGLAS...DEKALB...COBB AND FULTON COUNTIES UNTIL 615 AM EST... AT 519 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES WEST OF KENNESAW TO 14 MILES WEST OF PALMETTO...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. WINDS OF 25 TO 30 MPH ARE LIKELY AS THESE STORMS PASS...WITH LOCALIZED GUST UP TO 50 MPH POSSIBLE. SMALL TREES AND TREE LIMBS MAY BE SNAPPED BY THESE WINDS. THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD BE ENDING OVER THE AREA BY 615 AM EST. SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERTS ARE ISSUED WHEN WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH 40 TO 50 MPH.
The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 54 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 10:31 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 3 flood, 3 flash flood, 2 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A reporter with an Atlanta Television news station reported that numerous trees were blown down across the county. In Carrollton, one of the downed trees landed on a home causing damage to the structure and injuring a young girl that lived at the residence.
The Gordon county 911 center reported flooding of Millers Ferry Road.
The Pickens county 911 center reported that several roads around the county had standing water on them from heavy rain.
National Weather Service official river gage readings showed a quick rise of Sope Creek near Marietta as the result of 2.5 inches of rain in six hours or less. The river crested at 13.1 feet. Flood stage is 12.0 ft. Only minor nuisance flooding of low lying streets and areas near the creek, namely near Cobb Parkway/U.S. Highway 41, was observed. No monetary damage was associated with the flooding.
National Weather Service official river gage readings showed a rise of Peachtree Creek at Northside Drive from less than 10 feet to 17.3 feet in a 1 to 2 hour time frame. Flood stage is 17.0 feet. This was the result of rainfall up to 2.5 inches in 6 hours or less. Only minor nuisance flooding of low lying streets and areas, such as the Cross Creek Golf Course, near the creek was observed, with no monetary damage reported.
The Gwinnett Daily Post reported that lightning struck the rear of a home on Spring Rose Glen causing slight fire damage, but extensive wiring damage. The family had to be relocated because all power had to be shut off to the home until repairs were made. However, no injuries were reported as a result of the incident.
National Weather Service official river gage readings showed a rise of Peachtree Creek at Northside Drive from less than 10 feet to 17 feet in a 1 to 2 hour time frame. Flood stage is 17.0 feet. This was the result of rainfall up to 2.5 inches in 6 hours or less throughout this general area. Only minor nuisance flooding of low lying areas near the creek were observed, with no monetary damage reported. Nuisance flooding in low lying areas was also observed on Nancy Creek, which flows through the same general area.
The Oconee Enterprise reported that lightning struck a home in the Baker's Acres subdivision. The lightning struck just outside the house, but the current ran in on a Christmas light cord. The lightning strike caused extensive damage to the floor and sheet rock walls of the home's carport. Although the residents were home at the time of the incident, no injuries were reported.
The Crisp county 911 center reported that a lone tree was blown down.
The Crisp county 911 center reported that there was minor flooding of U.S. Highway 41/Georgia Highway 90 in low lying areas.
The Telfair county 911 center reported that one tree was blown down and a couple of power lines on County Road 91.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, December 2002
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: 5326458, 5326456, 5326457, 5326452, 5326450, 5326566, 5326451, 5326565, 5326453, 5326454, 5326455.