A strong Arctic cold front moved through the region during the late afternoon and evening and brought very strong and gusty northwest winds to all of north and central Georgia as much colder air was ushered into the region. The strongest winds were realized in the counties north of Atlanta.
Every event with a place to put it; 29 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 episode as NWS FFC wrote it up.
A strong Arctic cold front moved through the region during the late afternoon and evening and brought very strong and gusty northwest winds to all of north and central Georgia as much colder air was ushered into the region. The strongest winds were realized in the counties north of Atlanta. However, even some counties in central Georgia experienced problems with the strong winds. Damage details by county are listed below. Unless otherwise noted, the information was obtained from the respective county's 911 center.Banks: Several trees and power lines were down. (Estimated Damage: $5,000)Bartow: A few power lines were down. (Estimated Damage: $2,000)Bibb: Several trees and power lines down around the county. Around 600 people were left without power.Reported by the Macon Telegraph. (Estimated Damage: $5,000)Catoosa: Several trees and power lines were down. (Estimated Damage: $5,000)Cherokee: Many trees and several power lines down across the county, especially the northern portions north of Canton. Several roads were blocked by downed trees and power lines. (Estimated Damage: $15,000)Cobb: Fox 5 TV of Atlanta reported that several large pine trees were uprooted, one causing significant damage to a home. Several power lines were also down in the area. (Estimated Damage: $50,000)Dawson: A couple of trees were down. (Estimated Damage: $500)Douglas: A couple of trees were down. (Estimated Damage: $500)Fannin: A couple of trees were down. (Estimated Damage: $500)Fayette: A large oak tree was uprooted two miles west of Starrs Mill at the intersection of Redwine Road and Georgia Highway 74.Floyd: A couple of trees and a couple of power lines were down. The information was reported by the county Emergency Management Director. (Estimated Damage: $3,000)Forsyth: More than 12 trees and 6 power lines were down around the county. (Estimated Damage: $5,000)Fulton: Three trees and three power lines were down in the northern part of the county. (Estimated Damage: $1,500)Gilmer: Many trees and several power lines were down. (Estimated Damage: $12,000)Gordon: Several trees and a couple of power lines were down. (Estimated Damage: $7,000)Gwinnett: Several trees and power lines down around the county. Several hundred people were left without power during the evening hours. Reported by the Gwinnett Daily Post. (Estimated Damage: $5,000)Hall: A few trees were down. (Estimated Damage: $500)Haralson: A few trees were down. (Estimated Damage: $500)Laurens: Several trees were down, one a large tree. Several residents in the county lost power.Reported by the Courier Herald of Dublin. (Estimated Damage: $2500)Lumpkin: Several trees were down. Reported by the Lumpkin County Sherriff. (Estimated Damage: $1,000K)Murray: A few trees and power lines were down. (Estimated Damage: $3,000)Paulding: A power line was down on Georgia Highway 92 south of Dallas. A few limbs were also down around the county. (Estimated Damage: $1,000)Pickens: A few trees and several power lines were down. (Estimated Damage: $5,000)Polk: Several trees and a few power lines were down. (Estimated Damage: $3,000)Towns: A couple of trees and a couple of power lines were down. (Estimated Damage: $3,000)Union: A couple of trees and a couple of power lines were down. (Estimated Damage: $3,000)Walker: Several trees and power lines were down. (Estimated Damage: $5,000)White: A couple of trees were down. (Estimated Damage: $500)Whitfield: A couple of trees were down. Measured wind gust of 38 mph recorded on home weather station. Reported by cooperative observer in Dalton. (Estimated Damage: $500)
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 Jan 22, 6:30 PM EST, 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 630 PM EST SAT JAN 22 2005 .UPDATE... ADDED SLT CHC POPS FOR SE 1/2 OF CWA. RADAR/SAT SHOW LINE OF SHRA CONTINUING TO SLOWLY EXPAND IN COVERAGE. NO INITIAL SIGN OF DISSIPATING WITH DECREASING INSTABILITY SO WILL CARRY SLT CHC FOR ENTIRE EVENING. FRONT MOVING QUICKLY SOUTHEAST NOW WITH GUSTS TO 25 TO 35 MPH REPORTED IN MANY LOCATIONS INCLUDING ATLANTA METRO. TEMPS APPEAR ON TRACK. IGNORING RIDICULOUS 18Z MAV FCST TEMPS FOR TONIGHT (32 AT KRMG...30 AT KATL). 18Z MAV VALUES ARE 10 TO 15 DEGREES WARMER THAN PREV RUNS. SNELSON && .SHORT TERM... DIFFICULT FORECAST THIS PERIOD. WEDGE AFFECTING LARGE PORTION OF NORTH GEORGIA...INCLUDING ATLANTA AND AREAS TO THE NORTH AND EAST. COLD FRONT HAS BEEN PUSHING SOUTH AND EAST MUCH SLOWER THAN ADVERTISED BY MODELS...AND IS CURRENTLY LOCATED OVER FAR NORTHWEST GEORGIA. AS WEDGE BREAKS DOWN BY EARLY THIS EVENING THE FRONT SHOULD PICK UP SPEED AND MOVE THROUGH SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF FORECAST AREA SOMETIME AFTER MIDNIGHT. AS UPPER LEVEL SHORT WAVE ROTATES ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC STATES OVERNIGHT..STRONG VORT MAX WILL MOVE THROUGH THE CAROLINAS...BELIEVE COLDER AIR WILL BE IN PLACE OVER NORTHEAST MOUNTAINS BUT WITH LIMITED MOISTURE...SO WILL DROP SNOW SHOWERS TO FLURRIES OVERNIGHT. AM NOT EXPECTING ANY ACCUMULATIONS AT THIS TIME. MODELS INDICATING ANY WRAP AROUND AFFECTS WILL REMAIN TO OUR NORTH AT THIS TIME AND WILL LEAVE AN MENTION OF PRECIP OUT TOMORROW MORNING. WILL EXTEND THE WIND ADVISORY THROUGH NOONTIME TOMORROW AS WINDS WILL PICK UP BEHIND THE FRONT...GRADIENT WILL REMAIN STRONG THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE NORTHEAST GULF TOMORROW NIGHT. .LONG TERM... NO MAJOR CHANGES PLANNED. NEXT SYSTEM APPROACHES THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT...HOWEVER APPEARS DRY AND WILL CONTINUE DRY FORECAST THROUGH DAY 7. && .FIRE WEATHER... DRY AIRMASS WILL BUILD INTO THE FORECAST AREA TOMORROW. 10 HOUR FUELS HAVE BEEN DRYING BELOW 10 PERCENT DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. && .AVIATION... AVIATION CONDITIONS IMPROVING RAPIDLY. COMPLICATED SITUATION IN PLACE WITH WEAK WEDGE IN NE SECTIONS...AT THIS HOUR MAINLY NE OF A RYY-PDK-AHN LINE...DRY SLOT TO THE SOUTHWEST FROM ATL-CSG-MCN...AND ARCTIC COLD FRONT MOVING RAPIDLY SE THROUGH THE NW SECTIONS...NOW NEAR A DNN-RMG-ANB LINE. COLD FRONT WILL BE THE DOMINATING FEATURE IN THE SHORT TERM AND THROUGH THIS TAF VALID PERIOD AS IT QUICKLY SCOURS OUT REMAINING WEDGE NE SECTIONS AND SHOVES DRY/WARM SLOT SOUTH OUT OF THE AREA IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. MAIN CONCERN FOR THIS TAF SET WILL BE STRONG...GUSTY WINDS. OTHERWISE...CONDITIONS WILL BECOME VFR AT ALL SITES WITHIN THE NEXT 6 HOURS...AND REMAIN THAT WAY THROUGH THE TAF VALID PERIOD. CEILINGS...IFR-LIFR CIGS NOW CONFINED TO AREAS EAST OF RETREATING WEAK WEDGE...MAINLY EAST OF A PDK-AHN LINE. AHN WILL BE THE LAST TO BREAK OUT OF THE WEDGE...SO WILL NEED TO KEEP IFR THERE FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS YET. ATL SHOULD BE MVFR AT WORSE...AND MCN-CSG SHOULD REMAIN MOSTLY VFR. DRYING WILL BE QUICK...SO EXPECT CLEARING AT ALL SITES AT OR SHORTLY AFT 06Z. VISIBILITY...AS WITH CIGS...MAIN PROBLEM WILL BE IN WEDGE AREA...WHERE PERIOD OF IFR STILL LIKELY THROUGH THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS...E.G...AHN. OTHERWISE...MVFR FOR ATL AREA UNTIL STRONGER FRONT PASSES THROUGH...THEN VFR. GENERALLY VFR MCN-CSG. WX...LINE OF SHRA DEVELOPING FROM JUST SOUTH OF CSG-MCN WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED FOR TSRA POTENTIAL. THE ONLY AIRPORT TO BE AFFECTED BY THESE WOULD BE MCN...AND MAINLY IN THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO AS THIS ACTIVITY WILL RACE VERY QUICKLY TO THE EAST AND OUT OF THE AREA. WIND...MAIN PROBLEM FOR THIS TAF SET. WINDS HAVE SHIFTED TO THE WEST EVERYWHERE...EXCEPT AHN...STILL IN THE WEDGE. QUICKLY WITHIN AN HOUR OR SO OF 00Z...WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 25KTS WITH GUSTS TO 30KTS...ESPECIALLY FOR ATL. STRONGER WINDS WILL TAKE ANOTHER COUPLE OF HOURS TO REACH MCN AND AHN. EXPECT WINDS GENERALLY 310-320 18-22KTS WITH GUSTS TO 30KTS THROUGH 06Z...THEN 15-20KTS WITH GUSTS 25-28KTS OVERNIGHT...THEN GENERALLY 10-20KTS WITH GUSTS TO 25KTS THROUGH 18Z SUN...DIMINISHING TO 10-15KTS BY 00Z MON. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATLANTA 19 35 20 44 / 10 00 00 00 ATHENS 23 37 18 47 / 10 00 00 00 GAINESVILLE 21 34 18 43 / 20 00 00 00 ROME 21 36 16 46 / 10 00 00 00 COLUMBUS 27 40 21 50 / 10 00 00 00 MACON 28 41 19 49 / 10 00 00 00 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && 12/RAB
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 507 AM EST SAT JAN 22 2005 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-231100- BALDWIN-BANKS-BARROW-BARTOW-BIBB-BLECKLEY-BUTTS-CARROLL-CATOOSA- CHATTAHOOCHEE-CHATTOOGA-CHEROKEE-CLARKE-CLAYTON-COBB-COWETA-CRAWFORD- CRISP-DADE-DAWSON-DE KALB-DODGE-DOOLY-DOUGLAS-EMANUEL-FANNIN-FAYETTE- FLOYD-FORSYTH-GILMER-GLASCOCK-GORDON-GREENE-GWINNETT-HALL-HANCOCK- HARALSON-HARRIS-HEARD-HENRY-HOUSTON-JACKSON-JASPER-JEFFERSON-JOHNSON- JONES-LAMAR-LAURENS-LUMPKIN-MACON-MADISON-MARION-MERIWETHER-MONROE- MONTGOMERY-MORGAN-MURRAY-MUSCOGEE-NEWTON-NORTH FULTON-OCONEE- OGLETHORPE-PAULDING-PEACH-PICKENS-PIKE-POLK-PULASKI-PUTNAM-ROCKDALE- SCHLEY-SOUTH FULTON-SPALDING-STEWART-SUMTER-TALBOT-TALIAFERRO-TAYLOR- TELFAIR-TOOMBS-TOWNS-TREUTLEN-TROUP-TWIGGS-UNION-UPSON-WALKER-WALTON- WARREN-WASHINGTON-WEBSTER-WHEELER-WHITE-WHITFIELD-WILCOX-WILKES- WILKINSON- 507 AM EST SAT JAN 22 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY. ...STRONG GUSTY WINDS LATE TODAY AND TONIGHT.... .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA TODAY. .PRIMARY HAZARD... STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP BEHIND THE FRONT LATE TODAY AND TONIGHT. .DISCUSSION... GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL SPREAD INTO THE STATE LATE TODAY AND TONIGHT BEHIND A STRONG COLD NOW PUSHING ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE GENERALLY IN THE RANGE OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH POSSIBLE. WITH WINDS OF THIS MAGNITUDE AND TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO FALL INTO THE 20S OVERNIGHT...WIND CHILLS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA AND IN THE TEENS ACROSS CENTRAL GEORGIA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED TODAY. .DAY TWO THROUGH DAY SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. && FOR THE GRAPHICAL HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK AND OTHER WEATHER INFORMATION...PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV...AND CLICK ON GEORGIA.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
29 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, January 2005
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: 5435360, 5435484, 5435485, 5435489, 5435491, 5435492, 5435493, 5435497, 5435502, 5435358, 5435359, 5435490, 5435356, 5435357, 5435486, 5435487, 5435488, 5435494, 5435496, 5435499, 5435506, 5435495, 5435498, 5435500, 5435503, 5435504, 5435501, 5435507, 5435505.