Flash Flooding and Hail in Georgia, July 22, 2003

The public reported that drainage ditches in the area were well out of their banks and water was flowing across the roads.

The Social Circle Fire Department reported that a few roads in the area were flooded and impassable with water flowing across the roads.

A storm spotter reported extensive flooding of roads in the Rutledge area. Water, six inches or greater in depth, was flowing across roads in the area as well as across the yards of several homes. In Bostwick, a number of roads were flooded and impassable with water flowing across the roads.

The public and the Chattooga county 911 center reported that a number of trees were down, including several large trees which were down across Georgia Highway 48.

The Cave Springs Fire Department reported that several trees were blown down in Cave Springs and the Floyd county 911 center reported that several trees were blown down in Armuchee. The Rome New Tribune reported that a number of trees and power lines were down throughout the county. Cleanup crews worked for hours to clear debris from roads. Over 5000 people were left without power for several hours following the thunderstorm.

The Bartow county 911 center reported that a number of trees had been blown down throughout the county. In Cartersville, the public reported that one tree fell across their front porch, causing damage to the structure.

The Polk county 911 center reported that several trees were down on power lines.

The Fulton county 911 center reported that there was a two-mile wide swath of damage to trees and some buildings in the Alpharetta area. Some roads were closed, including Coleman Road which remained closed into the next day. Fire Station Number 1 in Alpharetta was damaged when three trees fell on and damaged the roof of the building. Also in Alpharetta, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that a pine tree fell on and crushed an unoccupied Jeep on Old Milton Parkway. Further south in the county, damage was less significant, but nonetheless there were several trees blown down on West Paces Ferry Road in the Buckhead community. At the Lakewood Antiques Market a 100 year-old red oak fell damaging a new hurricane fence and narrowly missing a workman driving a Bobcat. The tree was measured at 21 feet in circumference and was 77 feet tall, with an estimated weight of 9 tons. In the far northern end of the county, around Birmingham, several tree limbs were also blown down. Well over 100,000 people in the Atlanta Metropolitan area were left without power during the event, with nearly 45,000 homes and businesses still without power the next morning.

The Forsyth county 911 center reported that a number of trees had been blown down across the county. The Forsyth County news reported that one large tree fell on a home in Barrett Downs, causing considerable damage to the home and two people received minor injuries when trees fell on them. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution also reported that part of the roof was blown off a Wendy's Restaurant on McFarland Drive.

A SkyWarn spotter reported that a number of trees had been blown down onto roads in the Berkeley Lakes area of northwest Gwinnett county, just northwest of Pittman in the Berkeley Lakes area.

The Cobb county 911 center, the public, and the Marietta Daily Journal all reported that a number of trees and power lines had been blown down throughout the county, but especially between Acworth, Kennesaw, and throughout the Marietta area. A number of trees were down on roads, including Lower Roswell Road and Allgood Road. A home sustained significant damage on Jim Owens Road near the Kennesaw/Acworth border and another tree was down on a house at a residence on Allgood Road in Marietta. Two small private planes were pulled free from their tie downs at McCollum field in Marietta and flipped onto their backs. Both planes sustained significant damage as a result. A woman, who was 9-months pregnant at the time, suffered minor injuries when a tree struck the windshield of her Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV). Dobbins Air Force Base, just southeast of Marietta, recorded a wind gust of 66 miles per hour at 136 pm EDT. At least 5000 homes around the county were left without power for a number of hours.

The public reported a number of trees blown down in Canton, Woodstock, and Arnold Mill. A vehicle in Canton suffered extensive damage when trees fell on it. The public measured a wind gust of 60 mph in Hickory Flat on their home weather station.

WGCL-TV of Atlanta reported that lightning struck a tree in Kennesaw, which subsequently split and fell down. The Marietta Daily Journal reported that lightning struck several homes in the county causing minor damage.

The public reported penny-sized hail.

The Douglas county 911 center reported that a number of trees had been blown down throughout the Douglasville area. The public reported that two trees were down near the Douglas/Carroll county border, just east of Villa Rica. The Douglas County Sentinel reported that a home on Hollis Street was partially crushed when a large tree fell on the house. Although the occupant was at home during the event, he did not suffer any injuries.

The Haralson county 911 center reported that several trees were blown down.

The public reported penny-sized hail.

The public reported that at least five medium-sized trees were blown down. One of the trees landed on a brand new pickup truck and boat. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that power lines were blown down across cars on Tara Boulevard in the Morrow area.

The Paulding county 911 center reported that a number of trees had been blown down throughout the county. The public reported that some trees were down across Poplar Springs Road in Hiram.

The public reported that two large trees were blown down across their driveway in the Cherokee Hills Subdivision destroying a vehicle.

The public reported that a number of trees had been blown down. Atlanta TV Channel 46 reported that one tree fell on a church on Clairmont road in Chamblee, causing damage to the structure. The county 911 center later reported that some power lines were down in the Stone Mountain area. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that in Decatur, a very large oak tree fell on and crushed a car with two occupants inside. However, no injuries were reported with this incident.

The Forsyth County News reported that a 13-year old girl was injured when lightning struck a tree next to where she was standing. The girl complained of blurred vision and breathing difficulty following the incident.

The Dawson county 911 center reported that several trees and power lines were down.

The Barrow county 911 center reported that two trees had been blown down.

The Gwinnett county SkyWarn network, along with county 911 center and the public reported that a number of trees and tree limbs were blown down from Suwanee, to Lawrenceville, to Snellville. The Lawrenceville area appeared to be among the hardest hit areas. One home was damaged in Suwanee and several power lines were blown down around Lawrenceville. The Forsyth County News reported that a very large tree fell on a home in Barrett Downs and that numerous trees and power lines were down in the area. The newspaper also reported that trees fell on and injured two people, but no fatalities were reported. Tree debris, mailboxes, and garbage cans were found on some streets following the storm.

The public reported penny-sized hail.

The Jackson county 911 center reported that a few trees were blown down.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that lightning struck and set on fire a laundry room. Damage was reported to be minor.

The Lumpkin county 911 center reported that several trees and power lines were down.

The Carroll county 911 center reported that a few trees were blown down.

The White county 911 center reported that two trees were blown down.

The public, as well as the local Gainesville newspaper, reported that a number of trees, some very large, were blown down around the county, especially in the Oakwood and Flowery Branch areas. Several power lines were knocked down by the fallen trees. Two homes in the southern part of the county sustained damage when large trees, one of them 65-feet tall, fell on the homes. Other reports from the public indicated that shingles were removed from the the roofs of some homes. Over 7000 people in the county were left without power for several hours following the thunderstorm.

The public reported quarter-sized hail.

The Coweta county 911 center reported that one power line was down at the intersection of Fisher Road and Lower Fayetteville Road.

The Newton county 911 center reported that several trees and power lines were down across the north part of Covington.

The public reported that from 50 to 75 large trees were blown down or snapped off near Walnut Grove and the county 911 center reported that a large number of trees and several power lines were down in the Monroe area. Many of these trees were 70 to 80 feet tall and 2 to 2.5 feet in diameter.

An amateur radio operator reported that a couple of trees were blown down.

The Morgan county Emergency Management Director reported penny to quarter-sized hail in Bostwick and penny-sized hail in Madison.

The Banks county 911 center reported that at least 23 trees and seven power lines were down across the county.

The Jackson county 911 center reported that several trees and power lines were blown down across the county.

The public reported that three trees were blown down on U.S. Highway 441 near Farmington, blocking the road.

The Monroe county Emergency Management Director reported penny-sized hail in Forsyth and across the north part of the county as well.

The public reported that a couple of trees fell, one on a house northeast of Forsyth causing damage both to the roof and the side of the house, while another tree fell across the road.

The Houston county 911 center reported that several trees and power lines were down in Perry while a National Weather Service cooperative observer reported that several trees were down in Warner Robins.

The Morgan county Emergency Management Director reported that a number of trees and power lines were blown down and that it appeared as if a downburst or microburst had hit around the 1200 block of Nolan Store Road.

The Oglethorpe county 911 center reported that a few trees had been blown down.

The Greene county 911 center reported that around five trees had been blown down.

The Macon county 911 center reported that several trees and power lines were blown down in Montezuma and the National Weather Cooperative observer in Marshallville reported that several power lines were down there.

The public reported that some roads in the Clinton area were flooded and impassable.

The public reported penny-sized hail.

The Warrenton Clipper reported that lightning struck and destroyed the chimney on a home, along with two television sets and some telephones inside.

The public reported that several trees were uprooted or blown over.

The public reported quarter-sized hail.

The Crisp county Emergency Management Director reported that a worker at an engineering facility was injured when thunderstorm winds blew a heavy metal door onto the person who as a result suffered serious head injuries. The 51-year old male later died as a result of the injury on August 8, 2003.