A cold front was moving southward into North Georgia while an upper-level short wave was passing over the area in west-northwest flow aloft. Surface conditions were very warm and moist.
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 cold front was moving southward into North Georgia while an upper-level short wave was passing over the area in west-northwest flow aloft. Surface conditions were very warm and moist. Scattered to numerous thunderstorms developed around noon and continued into the early evening. While no severe thunderstorms were reported, frequent cloud-to-ground lightning was observed.
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 10, 10:29 AM EST, 2 hours 32 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1129 AM EDT THU JUL 10 2008 .UPDATE... MINOR ADJUSTMENTS MADE TO TEMPS...DEW POINTS IN GRIDS TO CATCH CURRENT TRENDS. UPDATED ZONES OUT SHORTLY WITH FEW COSMETIC CHANGES. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 520 AM EDT THU JUL 10 2008/ SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... SURFACE BOUNDARY VICINITY OF TENNESSEE...AND COMBINATION OF LEE SIDE TROUGH AFFECTING THE CWA TODAY. IN THIS BROAD CONVERGENCE ZONE...LIKELY POPS LOOK REASONABLE FOR THE NORTH WITH CHANCE OR GOOD CHANCE ELSEWHERE. NOT MUCH CHANGE FOR FRIDAY AS BOUNDARY SINKS A BIT SOUTHWARD INTO THE CWA...AND GENERAL CHANCE TO GOOD CHANCE POPS LOOK OKAY. SOME DRYING INDICATED FOR SATURDAY MAINLY OVER THE CAROLINAS AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE EASTERN STATES. GEORGIA LOOKS LIKE IT WILL REMAIN IN THE MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR THROUGH THAT TIME SO HAVE LEFT CHANCE POPS IN FOR THE CWA. MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES SHOULD HELP HOLD TEMPERATURES DOWN A BIT SO HAVE TRENDED TOWARD THE COOLER MAX TEMPERATURES ESPECIALLY FOR TODAY AND FRIDAY. LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... GEORGIA REMAINS IN THE MOIST AIRMASS THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND A CONTINUATION OF MAINLY DIURNAL POPS LOOKED OKAY. TROUGH DEVELOPING OVER THE EASTERN STATES SHOULD PUSH ANOTHER FRONT INTO THE CWA ON MONDAY. MODELS AGREE THE FRONT SHOULD PUSH THROUGH CENTRAL GEORGIA GIVING US DRY WEATHER TUESDAY. SOME HINT OF MOISTURE RETURN ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE STATE BY WEDNESDAY SO HAVE INCLUDED SLIGHT CHANCE FOR PARTS OF THE EAST CENTRAL ZONES. AVIATION... PREVAILING WINDS WILL REMAIN WEST THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD... INCREASING TO NEAR 10 KTS AFTER 17Z AND DIMINISHING TO 5 KTS OR LESS AFTER 01Z. CEILINGS EXPECTED TO REMAIN VFR FOR THE MOST PART...SOME SCT030 NOTED IN CSG/MCN AND LOW STRATUS ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA IN RAIN COOLED AREAS. MAY SEE SOME STRATUS DEVELOPMENT AROUND SUNRISE BUT IT SHOULD BURN OFF BY 13-14Z...WITH MAINLY SCT-BKN CU BY LATE THIS MORNING. ENOUGH MOISTURE AVAILABLE...AND WITH LEFTOVER BOUNDARIES FROM LAST NIGHT...CONVECTION SHOULD BEGIN TO FIRE IN VICINITY OF ALL TAF SITES BETWEEN 17-18Z. THE WEAK BOUNDARY OVER NORTH GEORGIA BY THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE CLOSE ENOUGH FOR AT LEAST PROB30 OVER ATL/AHN SITES AFTER 21Z. CONVECTION SHOULD AGAIN DIMINISH WITH THE LOSS OF HEATING...TAPERING OFF BY 03Z. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 85 66 88 69 92 / 60 40 30 20 20 ATLANTA 86 70 86 71 89 / 60 40 40 20 30 BLAIRSVILLE 79 64 87 62 89 / 70 40 30 20 20 CARTERSVILLE 83 67 87 67 90 / 70 50 40 20 30 COLUMBUS 91 74 91 73 90 / 50 40 50 30 40 GAINESVILLE 82 66 86 69 89 / 70 50 30 20 30 MACON 92 73 91 72 91 / 40 40 50 30 30 ROME 86 69 91 70 92 / 70 50 40 20 30 PEACHTREE CITY 85 70 86 69 89 / 60 40 40 30 30 VIDALIA 90 72 87 72 91 / 30 40 50 40 40 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 49
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 553 AM EDT THU JUL 10 2008 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-111000- 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- 553 AM EDT THU JUL 10 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .SYNOPSIS... A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL SAG SOUTHWARD ACROSS NORTH AND PORTIONS OF CENTRAL GEORGIA THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... THE PRIMARY HAZARDS WILL BE HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND. .DISCUSSION... A MOIST...UNSTABLE AIRMASS WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. DAYTIME HEATING WILL AID IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS BY THIS AFTERNOON. THE WEAK COLD FRONT WILL ACT AS A FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT AS IT SLOWLY SHIFTS SOUTHWARD THROUGH TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY... AND AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY...MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
1040 AM EDT THU JUL 10 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0500 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 W JASPER 34.47N 84.45W
07/09/2008 PICKENS GA EMERGENCY MNGR
10 TREES DOWN. ONE TREE FELL ON A DECK OUTSIDE A
HOME...DESTROYING THE DECK.
&&
MSRSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1243 PM EDT THU JUL 10 2008 GAZ047-048-101715- 1243 PM EDT THU JUL 10 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR 40 MPH WINDS IN NEWTON AND WALTON COUNTIES UNTIL 115 PM EDT... AT 1240 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER OXFORD...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AS IT MOVES ACROSS NEWTON AND WALTON COUNTIES THROUGH 115 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE ALMON...PORTERDALE...OXFORD...COVINGTON... JERSEY...ALCOVY AND SOCIAL CIRCLE. BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 106 PM EDT THU JUL 10 2008 GAZ044-053>055-101730- 106 PM EDT THU JUL 10 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR 40 MPH WINDS IN COWETA...FAYETTE... CLAYTON AND FULTON COUNTIES UNTIL 130 PM EDT... AT 105 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER UNION CITY...MOVING EAST AT 11 MPH. THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AS IT MOVES ACROSS COWETA... FAYETTE...CLAYTON AND FULTON COUNTIES THROUGH 130 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE SANDY CREEK...LEES MILL...UNION CITY...TYRONE...FAIRBURN...FAYETTEVILLE...COLLEGE PARK...KENWOOD...ATLANTA HARTSFIELD-JACKSON AIRPORT... RIVERDALE...MORROW...LAKE CITY...JONESBORO...IRONDALE AND FOREST PARK. BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. 16
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 139 PM EDT THU JUL 10 2008 GAZ033-044-055-101815- 139 PM EDT THU JUL 10 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR 40 MPH WINDS IN CLAYTON AND FULTON COUNTIES UNTIL 215 PM EDT... AT 135 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER COLLEGE PARK...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AS IT MOVES ACROSS CLAYTON AND FULTON COUNTIES THROUGH 215 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE EAST POINT...ATLANTA HARTSFIELD-JACKSON AIRPORT...COLLEGE PARK...RIVERDALE...HAPEVILLE...MORROW...FOREST PARK AND LAKE CITY. BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. 16
The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 36 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:01 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
The Daily Herald of McDonough reported that several lightning-related structural fires were set in the McDonough area. However, no major damage was reported from any of the incidents.
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, July 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: 129450.