S. An unusually strong mid-summer cold front accompanied the upper trough.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 upper trough was sweeping from the Ohio Valley into the southeast U.S. An unusually strong mid-summer cold front accompanied the upper trough. These features combined with a moist tropical air mass present over the region resulted in the development of scattered to numerous thunderstorms during the heat of the afternoon and early evening. Many of these thunderstorms became severe and damaging straight-line and downburst winds.
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 Aug 7, 10:55 AM EST, 58 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1155 AM EDT THU AUG 7 2008 .UPDATE... SENT QUICK UPDATE TO THE FORECAST TO ADD SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH TO THE ZONES. MADE ONLY MINOR MODIFICATION TO THE POP GRIDS TO BOOST POPS SLIGHTLY IN THE NORTH IN LIGHT OF APPROACHING CONVECTIVE CLUSTER FROM THE NORTHWEST. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 535 AM EDT THU AUG 7 2008/ SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... UPPER RIDGE WEAKENING ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST TODAY AS NORTHEAST STATES TROUGH BEGINS TO DEEPEN. AS A RESULT...SURFACE BOUNDARY TO OUR NORTH WILL BEGIN TO DRIFT SOUTHWARD. THIS IN COMBINATION WITH PERSISTENT LEE SIDE TROUGH SHOULD HELP TRIGGER SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE CWA WILL BE ON SOUTHERN FRINGE OF STRONG WINDS ALOFT...AND A FEW STORMS COULD REACH SEVERE LIMITS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. LOWERING HEIGHTS DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS SHOULD PUSH THE FRONT THROUGH NORTH GEORGIA BY FRIDAY MORNING...AND INTO CENTRAL ZONES DURING FRIDAY AFTERNOON. DRIER AIR WORKING ITS WAY INTO NORTHERN ZONES FRIDAY MORNING...BUT HAVE CONTINUED POPS ACROSS CENTRAL THROUGH THE DAY IN CASE THE BOUNDARY STALLS FOR A WHILE IN THAT AREA. THE CWA SHOULD BE DRY AND NOT AS HOT ON SATURDAY. WILL LET HEAT ADVISORY DIE AT 8 AM THIS MORNING. AN INCREASE IN CLOUDINESS AND WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD HELP HEAT INDEX VALUES THIS AFTERNOON REMAIN JUST BELOW ADVISORY CRITERIA. LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... NORTHWESTERLY FLOW DOMINATING THE STATE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. HAVE CONTINUED A DRY FORECAST UNTIL MONDAY. BY THAT TIME...A DEVELOPING SHORT WAVE IN THE UPPER MID WEST SHOULD BRING MOISTURE BACK INTO THE CWA. AS THIS WAVE MOVES EASTWARD ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY...CONVECTION SHOULD DEVELOP OVER THE SOUTHEAST AHEAD OF THE SURFACE FRONT THROUGH THE END OF THE PERIOD. AVIATION /8AM THURSDAY THROUGH 8AM FRIDAY/... SCATTERED HIGH CLOUDS WITH GENERALLY NO RESTRICTIONS TO VISIBILITIES AT THIS TIME. MEAN WIND SURFACE TO 500MB IS WEST AROUND 10KTS. EXPECT AFOREMENTIONED APPROACHING COLD FRONT AND SURFACE TROUGH TO DEVELOP TSTMS AS EARLY AS 2PM AND CONTINUE TO 10 PM OVER AND NEAR THE TAF SITES. A COMPROMISE ON TIMING OF THE TSTMS DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN THE GFS IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON AND THE NAM TOWARD EVENING WAS USED. MVFR CEILINGS AND IFR VISIBILITIES CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE TSTMS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 97 68 90 65 89 / 30 50 20 5 5 ATLANTA 92 70 89 67 86 / 40 50 20 5 5 BLAIRSVILLE 87 61 86 59 84 / 60 50 10 10 10 CARTERSVILLE 89 64 89 60 88 / 50 50 10 10 5 COLUMBUS 97 74 91 69 93 / 30 50 50 5 5 GAINESVILLE 91 68 88 65 85 / 50 50 10 10 10 MACON 99 73 92 65 92 / 30 50 40 5 5 ROME 92 67 91 61 90 / 60 50 10 10 5 PEACHTREE CITY 92 68 88 60 88 / 30 50 20 5 5 VIDALIA 98 73 90 67 92 / 30 50 60 10 5 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR NORTH AND PORTIONS OF CENTRAL GEORGIA UNTIL 6PM. && 07
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1130 AM EDT THU AUG 7 2008 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-081030- BALDWIN-BANKS-BARROW-BARTOW-BIBB-BLECKLEY-BUTTS-CARROLL-CATOOSA- CHATTAHOOCHEE-CHATTOOGA-CHEROKEE-CLARKE-CLAYTON-COBB-COWETA- CRAWFORD-CRISP-DADE-DAWSON-DEKALB-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- 1130 AM EDT THU AUG 7 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED OVER NORTH GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE OVER CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT ACROSS NORTH TENNESSEE WILL MOVE SOUTH AND BECOME STATIONARY OVER CENTRAL GEORGIA BY FRIDAY MORNING. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... THE PRIMARY HAZARDS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS UP TO 70 MPH AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. LARGE HAIL UP TO 1.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER ...MINOR FLOODING AND PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS WILL ALSO BE LIKELY. .DISCUSSION... THE AIRMASS OVER GEORGIA REMAINS MODERATELY UNSTABLE. LIFTED INDICES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA WILL RANGE FROM MINUS 5 TO MINUS 7 AND CAPES WILL RANGE FROM 2500 TO 4000. WINDS ALOFT ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA WILL BE MODERATELY STRONG FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR...AND WILL ALLOW THUNDERSTORMS TO BECOME MORE ORGANIZED AND ENHANCE THE THREAT FOR DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY...ESPECIALLY ACROSS CENTRAL GEORGIA. THERE IS ALSO A CHANCE OF AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTH GEORGIA MONDAY AND ALL OF GEORGIA TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1215 PM EDT THU AUG 7 2008 GAZ011-019-071645- 1215 PM EDT THU AUG 7 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR PEA SIZED HAIL AND 40 MPH WINDS IN FLOYD AND CHATTOOGA COUNTIES UNTIL 1245 PM EDT... AT 1113 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER CHATTOOGAVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE PEA SIZED HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AS IT MOVES ACROSS FLOYD AND CHATTOOGA COUNTIES THROUGH 1245 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE CHATTOOGAVILLE...HOLLAND...COOSA... ROME...LINDALE AND CAVE SPRING.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1224 PM EDT THU AUG 7 2008 GAZ001-071700- 1224 PM EDT THU AUG 7 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN DADE COUNTY UNTIL 100 PM EDT... AT 1122 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF NEW ENGLAND...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. LIGHTNING DETECTION SYSTEMS INDICATE NUMEROUS CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. RESIDENTS IN THIS AREA SHOULD STAY INDOORS. ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES AND TELEPHONES SHOULD NOT BE USED UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY. SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERTS ARE ISSUED WHEN WINDS UP TO 57 MPH ARE EXPECTED...HAIL IS EXPECTED TO BE LESS THAN THE SIZE OF PENNIES...OR SIGNIFICANT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. 19
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1243 PM EDT THU AUG 7 2008 GAZ019-071730- 1243 PM EDT THU AUG 7 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN FLOYD COUNTY UNTIL 130 PM EDT... AT 1239 PM EDT/1139 AM CDT/...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN FLOYD COUNTY FROM COOSA TO CAVE SPRING...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. LIGHTNING DETECTION SYSTEMS INDICATE NUMEROUS CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. RESIDENTS IN THIS AREA SHOULD STAY INDOORS. ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES AND TELEPHONES SHOULD NOT BE USED UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY. SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERTS ARE ISSUED WHEN WINDS UP TO 57 MPH ARE EXPECTED...HAIL IS EXPECTED TO BE LESS THAN THE SIZE OF PENNIES...OR SIGNIFICANT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. 19
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 95 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:51 UTC.
15 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
The Floyd County Emergency Management Director reported that a few trees were blown down in the far western part of the county near the Alabama state line along Georgia Highway 20 and Blacks Bluff Road.
The Polk County Emergency Management Director reported that there was moderate damage to the roof of a barn off Hutto Road near the intersection near the intersection of U.S. Highway 278 and Lindsey Chapel Road. Pea-sized hail was also observed in the area.
The public observed golf ball-sized hail south of Rayle.
The Cherokee County Emergency Management Director relayed a report of quarter-sized hail from north central Cherokee county, northeast of Waleska.
The Cherokee County Emergency Management Director reported that a couple of large trees were down across a highway.
A member of the U.S. Air Force working at Warner Robins Air Force Base observed penny to nickel-sized hail.
The Fulton County Emergency Management Director reported that at least a dozen trees were down just south of downtown Atlanta. Two homes on Adella Street were damaged a a result of trees that fell on the structures.
The Dawson County Emergency Management Director reported that up to a dozen trees were down on the east and south side of Dawsonville. Trees were down on Woodland Circle, Dawson Forest Road East, and Georgia Highway 53 East. In addition, the canopy to some playground equipment was blown over at Rock Creek Park. A tree was also blown down on Georgia Highway 9 in Silver City on the Forsyth county line.
The Hall County 911 Center reported that three trees were blown down in the Gainesville area, one on Pea Ridge Road, one on Montgomery Street, and one on Spring Road.
The Lumpkin County 911 Center reported that a power line was blown down on Long Branch Road, southeast of Dahlonega.
The Jackson County 911 Center reported that at least seven trees were down across the northern portion of the county from near Pendergrass to Commerce. Trees were reported down along Lanier Road, South Apple Valley Road, Georgia Highway 60, Georgia Highway 335, Kingsbridge Road, and near the Jefferson First Baptist Church. One tree fell on a home in the Commerce area causing moderate damage to the structure. In addition, damage was also reported to the porch of a home on Harp Street in the Commerce.
The Banks County Emergency Management Director reported that three trees were blown down in the far southern portion of the county near Georgia Highway 326.
The public reported that at least three trees were down between Georgia Highway 15/78 and just west of Meeks. An outbuilding sustained major damage on Carroll Road, just off Georgia Highway 15/78.
The Bibb County Sheriff's Office reported that several trees and some power lines were down within the county. Three trees were down near Lizella. A tree was down on an apartment on Houston Avenue on the southside of Macon, and a few power lines were down on the west side of Macon with another power line down on the east side of Macon. Radar data indicated that winds likely gusted to 60 mph across the west central, central, and southeast parts of the county as the thunderstorms moved through those areas.
The public reported that three pecan trees were uprooted and the siding was torn off a home on Hardison Street. Two swing sets were also flattened by strong downburst winds in the Byron area.
The public observed golf ball-sized hail. Radar data suggests that this occurred in the Miami Valley area, not near Byron.
The Twiggs County 911 Center reported that more than a dozen trees were blown down across the county. Doppler radar base velocity data indicated wind speeds up to 65 mph tracked across much of the county from northwest to southeast.
The Bleckley County 911 Center, Emergency Management Director, and the Cochran police department all reported wind damage from thunderstorms. At least four trees were down in the northern part of the county on Long Street Road near Five Points. A power pole was down three miles west of Cochran, and a power line was down in Cochran.
The Harris County 911 Center and the public reported that up to four trees and a few power lines were down in the southwest and south central part of the county, southwest of Hamilton.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, August 2008
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: 131328, 131332, 131345, 131342, 131343, 131355, 131359, 131361, 131369, 131371, 131375, 131374, 131376, 131383, 131387, 131389, 131600, 131605, 131611.