Damaging Wind in Georgia, February 4, 2003

Name: Damaging Wind in Georgia, February 4, 2003
Start: 2003-02-04T04:25
End: 2003-02-04T04:25
Location: Georgia

February 4, 2003 · NWS FFC · 1 event in 1 county or zone

1 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $4,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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 forecasters said that day

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 Feb 4, 3:28 AM EST, 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 4, 3:28 AM EST, 57 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
330 AM EST TUE 04 FEB 2003

CURRENT SATELLITE LOOP SHOWS LINE OF SHOWERS AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS
MOVING EAST THROUGH THE STATE. THIS IS A VERY FAST MOVING SYSTEM AND
SHOULD BE COMPLETELY EAST OF THE STATE BY 18Z. THERE ARE SOME VERY
GUSTY WINDS JUST AHEAD OF THE FRONT AS IT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA.
WINDS GUSTING 40 TO 50 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED. NOT MUCH CONVECTION WITH
THIS FRONT. THERMODYNAMICS NOT SUPPORTIVE OF THUNDER AND NOTHING IN
UPSTREAM OBSERVATIONS INDICATING MUCH THREAT. THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW
LIGHTNING STRIKES BUT THE MAIN CONCERN IS THE GUSTY WINDS. WILL
ISSUE A WIND ADVISORY FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA FROM 09Z TO 15Z TODAY.
EXPECTING SUSTAINED WINDS 25 TO 30 THIS MORNING SUBSIDING THROUGH
THIS AFTERNOON.

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...

KATL 52 27 51 31 / 20 00 00 00
KAHN 53 27 52 31 / 30 00 00 00
KGVL 52 25 48 28 / 20 00 00 00
KRMG 51 25 49 28 / 10 00 00 00
KCSG 57 31 54 34 / 40 00 00 00
KMCN 60 29 53 33 / 50 00 00 00

.ATL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...NONE.

01

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 3, 5:45 AM EST, 22 hours 40 minutes before

GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086-
089>098-102>113-031630-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
545 AM EST MON FEB 3 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE TONIGHT.

.SYNOPSIS...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL WEAKEN OVER GEORGIA TODAY AS A COLD FRONT
APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. MOISTURE WILL INCREASE AHEAD OF THE COLD
FRONT TONIGHT IN THE FORM OF RAIN AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS.

.PRIMARY HAZARD...
THE PRIMARY HAZARD FROM THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LIGHTNING AND
GUSTY WINDS.

.DISCUSSION...
MOISTURE WILL INCREASE AT ALL LEVELS ACROSS THE STATE TONIGHT AHEAD
OF THE COLD FRONT. THE LIMITING FACTOR WILL BE MARGINAL INSTABILITY
WHICH WILL KEEP THE THUNDERSTORMS BELOW SEVERE LEVELS. HOWEVER...
WITH STRONG WINDS JUST ABOVE THE SURFACE TONIGHT...A FEW OF THE
THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MILES AN HOUR.

.FOR SPOTTERS...
SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGERS SHOULD KEEP ALERT TO THE LATEST
FORECASTS...HOWEVER AT THIS TIME ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED.

.DAY TWO THROUGH DAY SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.
THERE IS A CHANCE OF A MIXTURE OF RAIN AND SNOW ACROSS THE MOUNTAIN
COUNTIES THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING...OTHERWISE NO HAZARDOUS
WEATHER IS EXPECTED.

FOR THE GRAPHICAL HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK AND OTHER WEATHER
INFORMATION...PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/FFC.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Feb 4, 1:20 AM EST, 3 hours 5 minutes before

GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-030>035-041>048-052>058-066>070-078-079-
040915-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
120 AM EST TUE FEB 4 2003

BRIEF STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA EARLY THIS
MORNING.

A VERY STRONG COLD FRONT WILL BE MOVING ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA EARLY
THIS MORNING. STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY THIS FRONT AS IT
MOVES THROUGH. WINDS AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WILL BE SOUTH AT 15 TO
25 MPH...HOWEVER AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH...THE WINDS WILL BECOME
NORTHWEST AT 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 40 TO 45 MPH. THE WINDS WILL
DIMINISH TO 20 TO 25 MPH WITHIN AN HOUR OF THE COLD FRONTS PASSAGE.

BY 2 AM...THE COLD FRONT AND ASSOCIATED GUSTY WINDS WILL HAVE MOVED
THROUGH DADE COUNTY...AND BE ALONG A LINE FROM CHATTANOOGA...TO
SUMMERVILLE. BY 3 AM THE COLD FRONT WILL BE ALONG A LINE FROM BLUE
RIDGE...TO CANTON...TO CARROLLTON...AND BY 4 AM THE FRONT WILL HAVE
MOVED THROUGH THE ATLANTA AREA...BE ALONG A LINE FROM
GAINESVILLE...TO LAWRENCEVILLE...TO GRIFFIN.

Special weather statement, Feb 4, 1:44 AM EST, 2 hours 41 minutes before

GAZ004>007-011>013-019>021-030-031-041-041000-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
144 AM EST TUE FEB 4 2003

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS IN
BARTOW...CHATTOOGA...CHEROKEE...FANNIN...FLOYD...GILMER...GORDON...
HARALSON...MURRAY...PAULDING...PICKENS...POLK...WHITFIELD...COUNTIES.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR DETECTED A LINE OF STRONG
SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS...FROM NORTH MURRAY COUNTY...TO
DALTON...TO SOUTHWEST FLOYD COUNTY. THIS LINE WAS MOVING EAST AT 25
MPH...AND BY 230 AM IT WILL BE ALONG A LINE FROM BLUE RIDGE...TO
CARTERSVILLE...TO TALLAPOOSA. BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...AND WINDS GUSTING
TO 40 TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS LINE. THESE WINDS MAY CAUSE
SOME SMALL TREE LIMBS TO BE BLOWN DOWN. RESIDENTS OF THIS AREA
SHOULD STAY INSIDE AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS...AND MONITOR NOAA WEATHER
RADIO OR OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERTS ARE ISSUED WHEN WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO
REACH 40 TO 50 MPH.

Special weather statement, Feb 4, 2:40 AM EST, 1 hour 45 minutes before

GAZ031-032-041>043-040830-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
240 AM EST TUE FEB 4 2003

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR 50 MPH WINDS IN CARROLL...COBB...
DOUGLAS...HARALSON...PAULDING...COUNTIES.

A LINE OF SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR ANNISTON
ALABAMA...TO TALLAPOOSA...WILL MOVE EAST AT 40 MPH. THIS LINE HAS
BEEN PRODUCING WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 55 MPH. THESE WINDS WILL SPREAD
ACROSS HARALSON...PAULDING...COBB...CARROLL...AND DOUGLASS COUNTIES
BETWEEN 245 AM AND 345 AM. THESE HIGHS WINDS WILL CAUSE SOME SMALL
TREE LIMBS TO BE BLOWN DOWN. RESIDENTS OF THIS AREA SHOULD STAY
INSIDE AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS...AND MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR
OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD END ACROSS THE AREA BY 345 AM EST.

Special weather statement, Feb 4, 3:25 AM EST, 1 hour before

GAZ022-023-031>034-042>045-052>055-066-040915-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
325 AM EST TUE FEB 4 2003

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR 45 TO 55 MPH WINDS IN CARROLL...
CLAYTON...COBB...COWETA...DE KALB...DOUGLAS...FAYETTE...FORSYTH...
GWINNETT...HALL...HEARD...NORTH FULTON...PAULDING...SOUTH
FULTON...TROUP...COUNTIES...

A LINE OF SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS FROM JUST WEST OF
ROSWELL...TO CARROLLTON...WILL MOVE EAST AT 40 MPH. THIS LINE HAS
BEEN PRODUCING WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH. BY 430 AM...THIS LINE
WILL HAVE MOVED THROUGH THE MOST OF THE GREATER ATLANTA AREA...AND
BE ALONG A LINE FROM GAINESVILLE...TO DECATUR...TO PEACHTREE
CITY...TO LAGRANGE.

THESE HIGHS WINDS WILL CAUSE SOME SMALL TREE LIMBS TO BE BLOWN DOWN.
RESIDENTS OF THIS AREA SHOULD STAY INSIDE AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS...
AND MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS FOR POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.

Special weather statement, Feb 4, 4:25 AM EST, 0 minutes before

GAZ024-025-027-034>037-045>049-053>058-066>070-078-079-089-041030-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
425 AM EST TUE FEB 4 2003

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR 45 MPH WINDS IN BANKS...BARROW...
BUTTS...CLARKE...CLAYTON...COWETA...DE KALB...FAYETTE...
GWINNETT...HARRIS...HENRY...JACKSON...LAMAR...MADISON...MERIWETHER...
MORGAN...MUSCOGEE... NEWTON...OCONEE...PIKE...ROCKDALE...
SPALDING...TALBOT...TROUP...UPSON...WALTON...COUNTIES...UNTIL 530 AM.

A LINE OF SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS FROM HOMER...TO PEACHTREE
CITY...TO LAGRANGE...WILL MOVE EAST AT 40 MPH. THIS LINE HAS BEEN
PRODUCING WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 45 MPH. BY 530 AM...THIS LINE WILL BE
FROM DANIELSVILLE...TO ATHENS...TO JACKSON...TO COLUMBUS.

THESE HIGHS WINDS WILL CAUSE SOME SMALL TREE LIMBS TO BE BLOWN DOWN.
RESIDENTS OF THIS AREA SHOULD STAY INSIDE AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS...
AND MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS FOR POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.

The radar

The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 18 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:24 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Fayette

When: February 4, 4:25 AM EST
Where: Fayette County, 6 mi NW of Fayetteville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $4,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 33.517, -84.517

The Fayette county Emergency Management Director reported that several power lines were brought down by high winds and/or trees being blown down onto the power lines between the Fulton/Fayette county line on Georgia Highway 92 to just northwest of Fayetteville. In addition, one of the downed trees took out a gas meter and caused a gas leak.

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.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Georgia in 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history Warnings in Georgia, February 2003

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: 5340886.