7 thunderstorm wind, 2 lightning, 2 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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 Jul 21, 4:30 PM EST, 1 hour earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 530 PM EDT MON JUL 21 2003 330 PM PUBLIC FORECAST DISCUSSION... WILL UP POPS TO CATEGORICAL ACROSS THE NORTH TUESDAY NIGHT WITH BEST COMBINATION OF UPPER LEVEL AND SURFACE FORCING. GENERAL TIMING AND STRENGTH OF THE SYSTEM LOOKS TO REMAIN IN LINE WITH THE CURRENT FORECAST...SO NOT MANY CHANGES EXCEPT TO UP POPS WITH INCREASED CONFIDENCE. SYSTEM MOVES OUT WITH MUCH DRIER AIRMASS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA BY 12Z THURSDAY. APPEARS THAT ENOUGH MOISTURE BEGINS SEEPING NORTHWEST INTO THE FORECAST AREA ON SOUTHEAST RETURN FLOW FRIDAY AND SATURDAY FOR ISOLATED TO SCATTERED DIURNAL CONVECTION ACROSS SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA. .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... KATL 72 85 69 81 / 40 60 90 60 KAHN 71 86 69 82 / 40 60 90 60 KGVL 69 81 67 80 / 40 60 90 60 KRMG 71 85 68 82 / 50 70 90 50 KCSG 74 88 73 84 / 40 60 70 60 KMCN 73 89 72 84 / 30 60 70 60 .ATL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. AVIATION FORECAST DISCUSSION... LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS NORTH ALABAMA SHOWING SOME SIGNS OF WEAKENING AS IT APPROACHES NORTHWEST GEORGIA. MODELS HINT AT LINE SPLITTING WITH MORE ACTIVE PORTIONS MOVING NORTH ACROSS TENNESSEE AND SOUTHEAST ACROSS ALABAMA. DO EXPECT ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS (MAINLY NORTH SECTIONS OF GEORGIA) THIS EVENING. SCT TO BKN CLOUDS 1 TO 2 THOUSAND FEET POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT/EARLY TUESDAY WITH VSBYS LOWERING 2 TO 5 MILES IN FOG. FOG BURNING OFF WITH CIGS LIFTING 3 TO 4 THOUSAND FT AFTER 14Z. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING TUESDAY AFTERNOON...BECOMING MORE WIDESPREAD AS THE DAY PROGRESSES.
GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-212100- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 915 AM EDT MON JUL 21 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY. ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. .SYNOPSIS... BERMUDA HIGH PRESSURE WILL PERSIST OVER THE STATE. A FRONTAL SYSTEM OVER THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY WILL PUSH INTO NORTHWEST GEORGIA TUESDAY AFTERNOON. .PRIMARY HAZARD... THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE LARGE HAIL...HEAVY DOWNPOURS THAT MAY CAUSE FLOODING...INTENSE LIGHTING AND DAMAGING WINDS. THE BEST CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WILL BE AFTER 2 PM EDT. .DISCUSSION... ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...ACROSS PARTS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA...AS DAYTIME HEATING WILL COMBINE WITH INCREASING MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING SYSTEM. THIS WILL LEAD TO GREATER INSTABILITY. DEWPOINTS ARE EXPECTED TO RISE INTO THE MID 70S. CAPE WILL BE INCREASING TO 2500 TO 3000 ACROSS THE AREA. LIFTED INDICES WILL BE -4 TO -5. THIS WILL LEAD TO ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. .FOR SPOTTERS... SPOTTER GROUPS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL SHOULD MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS...AND BE READY FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVATION. .DAY TWO THROUGH DAY SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY...WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY. NONE ARE EXPECTED THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. FOR THE GRAPHICAL HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK AND OTHER WEATHER INFORMATION...PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV...AND CLICK ON GEORGIA.
GAZ034-212230- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 600 PM EDT MON JUL 21 2003 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS IN GWINNETT COUNTY UNTIL 630 PM EDT... AT 558 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF DACULA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THIS STORM HAS PRODUCED SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS ESTIMATED TO 50 MPH IN LAWRENCEVILLE AT 550 P.M. THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD BE ENDING OVER THE AREA BY 630 PM EDT. SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERTS ARE ISSUED WHEN WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH 40 TO 50 MPH...HAIL IS EXPECTED TO BE LESS THAN THE SIZE OF DIMES...OR SIGNIFICANT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED.
GAZ002-011-212300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 601 PM EDT MON JUL 21 2003 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR SMALL HAIL...GUSTY WINDS...AND INTENSE LIGHTNING FOR WALKER AND CHATTOOGA COUNTIES UNTIL 645 PM EDT... AT 650 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A DEVELOPING LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM LAFAYETTE...TO TRION...TO LYERLY...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL AFFECT THE CITIES OF LAFAYETTE...LINWOOD...TRION...SUMMERVILLE...AND LYERLY. HAIL LESS THAN THE SIZE OF DIMES...WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH...INTENSE CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL ACCOMPANY THIS ACTIVITY. HEAVY RAIN MAY QUICKLY CAUSE FLOODING OF ROADWAYS IN THE AREA AS THE GROUND IS SATURATED AND CAN TAKE LITTLE ADDITIONAL RAINFALL. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT FOR YOU TO PROCEED SAFELY. RAB
GAZ023-025-035-212300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 619 PM EDT MON JUL 21 2003 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS IN NORTHERN BARROW...JACKSON AND SOUTHERN HALL COUNTIES UNTIL 700 PM EDT... AT 614 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER BRASELTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THIS STORM PRODUCED PEA-SIZED HAIL IN BUFORD AREA AT 615 PM AND IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD BE ENDING OVER THE AREA BY 700 PM EDT. SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERTS ARE ISSUED WHEN WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH 40 TO 50 MPH...HAIL IS EXPECTED TO BE LESS THAN THE SIZE OF DIMES...OR SIGNIFICANT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED.
The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 83 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:39 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind, 2 lightning, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that a 27-year old male was struck by lightning while mowing a lawn. The thunderstorm was not directly over the location at the time, but was nearby in Lawrenceville. The young man was pronounced dead on arrival at a local medical center.
The Walker county 911 center reported that a few trees were blown down.
The Jackson county Deputy Emergency Management Director reported that a thunderstorm downburst or microburst had caused considerable damage in the city of Pendergrass. The City Hall and an adjacent temporary garage sustained significant damage, as well as a nearby vehicle. Numerous trees and several power lines were also blown down in the area and power outages were widespread throughout the city for several hours. In Jefferson, the public reported that the roof was blown off a Wendy's restaurant and several trees were blown down as well.
The Spalding county 911 center reported that one tree was blown down on Georgia Highway 155.
The public reported penny-sized hail.
The Banks county Emergency Management Director reported that thunderstorm winds blew down several trees in the Homer area and caused minor damage to a construction site and an adjacent restaurant near the Jackson county line, just off U.S. Highway 441. Other trees and some power lines were blown down in Maysville.
The Polk county 911 center reported that lightning set a structure on fire. Damage estimates were inconclusive.
The Banks county Emergency Management Director reported that a few trees were down in Homer and some power lines were down near Maysville on the Jackson county line.
The Madison county 911 center reported that one tree was blown down in Pocataligo.
The Emanuel county 911 center reported penny-sized hail.
The Carroll county Emergency Management Director reported that a few trees were blown down from Temple, to Mount Zion, to Bowdon.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning, Gwinnett | 2003-07-21 | 27 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, July 2003
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: 5335003, 5334937, 5334938, 5334945, 5334939, 5334940, 5334944, 5335004, 5334942, 5334941, 5334943.