5 lightning, 2 thunderstorm wind, 2 flood, 1 flash flood, 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 Atlanta radar (KFFC), 9 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:59 UTC.
5 lightning, 2 thunderstorm wind, 2 flood, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The Fayette county 911 center reported pea size hail.
A storm spotter from Orchard Hill reported that rainfall of five to seven inches across the county resulted in the flooding of several small creeks, streams, and drainage ditches.
The Griffin Daily News reported that five to seven inches of rain in a 3 hour period or less resulted in flooding of several streets and creeks around the county. As a result, there were several brief road closures. The Hedge Creek Reservoir, which is the water supply for the city of Griffin, also rose out of its banks.
The Upson county Emergency Management Director reported that thunderstorm rains of five to seven inches in a three hour period resulted in significant flooding in the north central and northeast part of the county. Seven roads were washed out as the result of the heavy rain which washed out bridges and/or culverts on these roads. Sprewell Bluff Road west of Thomaston experienced major damage and was closed indefinitely. Willis Road off Georgia Highway 36 northeast of Thomaston also sustained major damage and was closed indefinitely. There were five other roads in the northern part of the county with minor damage. In addition, an apartment complex just northeast of Thomaston also experienced minor flooding.
The Griffin Daily News reported that two trees were blown down on Ellis road in the city.
The Upson county Emergency Management Director reported that lightning struck and killed a horse.
The Thomaston Times reported that lightning struck an 85-year old home. The fire smoldered for about half-a-day, then ignited into flames. The house suffered moderate damage, but most of the contents were saved.
The Newnan Times-Herald reported that lightning struck a home in Senoia, but no monetary damage was reported.
Lightning struck a tree in Jackson causing the tree to splinter. Pieces of the tree were found up to 50 feet away.
The Hawkinsville Dispatch & News reported that lightning struck electrical lines in the downtown area causing an electrical surge that destroyed a number of computer and phone systems in downtown area buildings. The county offices in the courthouse and annex were the hardest hit with every office suffering computer damage and the entire phone system was out in the building. The courthouse clock and the bank clock across the street from the courthouse also stopped when the lightning hit. There were several other businesses affected by the lightning strike in the downtown area including a paint store, the Dispatch & News, an x-ray facility, and a drugstore. Each store suffered varying degrees of damage to computers and phone systems in the buildings.
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, October 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: 5318578, 5318573, 5318574, 5318576, 5318575, 5318577, 5318473, 5318475, 5318474, 5318572.