An unusually strong cold front and upper-level trough continued to approach Georgia from the northwest as strong low pressure remained over the northeast United States. This combined with ample daytime heating and moisture produced scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms.
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.
An unusually strong cold front and upper-level trough continued to approach Georgia from the northwest as strong low pressure remained over the northeast United States. This combined with ample daytime heating and moisture produced scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms. Several of the storms became severe and produced penny to quarter-sized hail and wind damage.
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 5, 10:25 AM EST, 2 hours 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1125 AM EDT SAT JUL 5 2008 .UPDATE... MORNING SOUNDINGS SHOW DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE IN PLACE WITH MODERATE INSTABILITIES OF 2000-3000 CAPES AND -5 LIS PROGGED BY EARLY AFTERNOON. SATL WATER VAPOR SHOWS WEAK DISTURBANCES TRACKING THRU THE BASE OF A LONGWAVE TROUGH NEARLY OVERHEAD. LATEST RADAR SHOWS A CLUSTER OF STORMS OVER CENTRAL ALABAMA AND QUICKLY MOVING EASTWARD. ALL ABOVE SUGGEST AN UPDATE TO INCREASE RAIN CHANCES THIS AFTERNOON IS WARRANTED. WILL SHOW 50-60% RAIN CHANCES FOR MOST AREAS...WITH HIGHER POPS GENERALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF A CARROLLTON TO SPARTA LINE. WILL ALSO TWEAK HIGHS DOWN A DEGREE OR SO OVER THE SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST REACHES OF THE FORECAST AREA WHERE MID 90S ARE CURRENTLY ADVERTISED. THE DEEP MOISTURE AND WARM MID LEVEL AIR WILL ALL SERVE TO HINDER STRONG DOWNBURST WIND AND HAIL THREAT TODAY. HOWEVER... COULD SEE ISOLATED STRONG PULSE STORMS WITH WIND GUST OF 35-40 MPH. /39 ---------------------------PREVIOUS DISCUSSION--------------- .SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH MONDAY/... SOME DISCREPANCIES NOTED IN SHORT TERM MODELS HANDLING OF LONG WAVE TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN U.S. NAM DEVELOPS LOW DEEPER AND FURTHER SOUTH THAN GFS/ECMWF. NAM INITIALIZED WEAK IMPULSE ASSOCIATED WITH SHOWERS MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN ALABAMA BETTER THOUGH AND HAVE TAKEN A BLEND OF MODELS LEANING TOWARD NAM IN THE EARLIER PERIODS AND TOWARD GFS SOLUTION BY END OF SHORT TERM AS IT SHUNTS UPPER DYNAMICS NORTHWARD...BUILDING THE UPPER RIDGE WESTWARD ON MONDAY. FOR TODAY...WEAK IMPULSE MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN ALABAMA WILL SHIFT SHOWERS INTO NORTH GEORGIA THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. GOOD MOISTURE REMAINS OVER THE AREA WITH PWS NEAR 1.85 AND SHOULD SEE ANOTHER ROUND OF AFTERNOON/EVENING THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP. AN ISOLATED STORM COULD PULSE TO SEVERE CRITERIA...AS CAPES WILL BE IN THE 2000-3000 RANGE WITH LIFTED INDICES OF -4 TO -6 BUT ORGANIZED SEVERE IS NOT EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON. AS THE LOW ROTATES ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT...SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS WITH ANOTHER ROUND OF AFTERNOON/EVENING CONVECTION...SIMILAR TO THIS AFTERNOON EXPECTED. AS THE UPPER RIDGE BUILDS IN ON MONDAY CONVECTION SHOULD BECOME MORE ISOLATED IN NATURE. TOOK A BLEND OF MAV/MET TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE SHORT TERM BASED UPON LOCAL BIASES. .LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE CONTINUES TO INFLUENCE THE WEATHER PATTERN ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE EXTENDED PERIODS. DEEP SOUTHWEST FLOW WILL KEEP ENOUGH GULF MOISTURE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA THAT SCATTERED AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE. GUIDANCE TEMPERATURE CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE NEAR SEASONAL NORMALS THROUGH NEXT WEEK AND SEE NO REASON TO TOO MANY CHANGES TO EXTENDED PERIODS. && .AVIATION... FEW SHOWERS SKIRTING ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH GEORGIA THIS MORNING...SHOULD STAY NORTH OF METRO ATL TAF SITES. AT BEST MAY HAVE TO CARRY VCSH AT RYY FOR AN HOUR OR SO THIS MORNING. LOOK FOR SCT TSTORMS TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON (MAINLY AFTER 17Z)...AS HEATING BECOMES A MAJOR PLAYER. OTHERWISE LOOK FOR VARYING AMOUNTS OF MAINLY MID/HIGH CLOUDS ACROSS THE THE COUNTY WARNING AREA THROUGH MID MORNING...THEN SCT TO BKN CU IN THE 5 TO 6 THSD FT RANGE DEVELOPING LATE MORNING AND INTO THE AFTERNOON. VSBYS GENERALLY UNRESTRICTED EXCEPT POSSIBLY LOWERING TO AROUND 5 MILES IN FOG/HAZE AT FAVORED LOCATIONS UNTIL AROUND 13Z....THEN POSSIBLY 1 TO 3 MILES IN TSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. SOUTHWEST WINDS 8 TO 10 KTS LOOK GOOD FOR MUCH OF THE PERIOD...EXCEPT STRONGER/GUSTY IN AND AROUND TSTORMS. 49 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 88 67 86 68 89 / 40 40 40 30 20 ATLANTA 88 70 85 69 86 / 30 30 30 30 20 BLAIRSVILLE 82 63 83 60 86 / 40 40 30 30 20 CARTERSVILLE 88 65 87 65 88 / 40 30 30 30 20 COLUMBUS 91 71 89 70 92 / 30 30 40 30 20 GAINESVILLE 85 67 85 67 88 / 40 40 40 30 20 MACON 91 71 89 69 91 / 40 40 40 30 30 ROME 89 68 92 67 93 / 40 30 30 20 20 PEACHTREE CITY 89 66 86 66 87 / 30 30 30 30 20 VIDALIA 96 70 89 70 91 / 30 40 50 30 30 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 12
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 521 AM EDT SAT JUL 5 2008 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-061000- 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- 521 AM EDT SAT JUL 5 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT DRIFTING SOUTH FROM THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AND A PASSING UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL ENHANCE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA TODAY AND TONIGHT. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... THE PRIMARY HAZARD ASSOCIATED WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM THAT DEVELOPS WILL BE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. HOWEVER...STRONG WINDS AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE IN ANY ISOLATED PULSE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THAT DEVELOPS. THE GREATEST THREAT OF ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS WILL BE NORTH OF A COLUMBUS TO MACON TO AUGUSTA LINE...DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .DISCUSSION... AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE AND A COLD FRONT PUSHING SOUTH FROM THE TENNESSEE VALLEY WILL AID IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. INSTABILITY WILL BE MODERATE WITH CAPE VALUES FROM 1000 TO 2500...AND LIFTED INDICES IN THE MINUS 2 TO MINUS 5 RANGE. A FEW OF THE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE SEVERE...PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY...MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED BUT SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER THROUGH THE WEB BY GOING TO WEATHER.GOV/ATLANTA.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1223 PM EDT SAT JUL 5 2008 GAZ033-044-045-051700- 1223 PM EDT SAT JUL 5 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN FULTON AND DEKALB COUNTIES UNTIL 100 PM EDT... AT 1223 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER EAST POINT...AND MOVING EAST AT 24 MPH. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS OF 35 MPH ARE LIKELY AS THIS STORM MOVES ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL FULTON AND INTO DEKALB COUNTIES THROUGH 100 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE EAST POINT...ATLANTA...TURNER FIELD...PIEDMONT PARK...GRANT PARK...DRUID HILLS...GRESHAM PARK... DECATUR... PANTHERSVILLE...SCOTTDALE...AVONDALE ESTATES...BELVEDERE PARK AND CLARKSTON.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 100 PM EDT SAT JUL 5 2008 GAZ055-051730- 100 PM EDT SAT JUL 5 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR WIND GUSTS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN CLAYTON COUNTY UNTIL 130 PM EDT... AT 1259 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER FOREST PARK...AND MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM AS IT MOVES ACROSS CLAYTON COUNTY THROUGH 130 PM. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM ARE...RIVERDALE... FOREST PARK...MORROW...LAKE CITY AND CONLEY. RESIDENTS IN THIS AREA SHOULD STAY INDOORS. ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES AND TELEPHONES SHOULD NOT BE USED UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 107 PM EDT SAT JUL 5 2008 GAZ079-089>091-051730- 107 PM EDT SAT JUL 5 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR STRONG WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN CHATTAHOOCHEE...MARION...MUSCOGEE AND TALBOT COUNTIES UNTIL 130 PM EDT... AT 106 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THAT EXTENDED FROM NEAR BOX SPRINGS TO NEAR MANTA...AND MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 35 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN ARE LIKELY AS THESE STORMS MOVE ACROSS PORTIONS OF CHATTAHOOCHEE... MARION... MUSCOGEE AND TALBOT COUNTIES THROUGH 130 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE JAMESTOWN...BOX SPRINGS...CUSSETA...MANTA...JUNIPER... OAKLAND... BRANTLEY...BERGINSVILLE...JUNCTION CITY...GENEVA AND BUENA VISTA.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 126 PM EDT SAT JUL 5 2008 GAZ046-057-051800- 126 PM EDT SAT JUL 5 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR STRONG WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN HENRY AND ROCKDALE COUNTIES UNTIL 200 PM EDT... AT 125 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THAT EXTENDED FROM NEAR WHITEHOUSE TO NEAR STOCKBRIDGE...AND MOVING EAST...SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 40 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAIN ARE LIKELY AS THESE STORMS MOVE ACROSS HENRY AND ROCKDALE COUNTIES THROUGH 200 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE STOCKBRIDGE...WHITEHOUSE...FLIPPEN AND MCDONOUGH.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 134 PM EDT SAT JUL 5 2008 GAZ048-051800- 134 PM EDT SAT JUL 5 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR STRONG WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN NEWTON COUNTY UNTIL 200 PM EDT... AT 134 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM ABOUT 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ALMON...AND MOVING EAST...SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 40 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN ARE LIKELY AS THIS STORM MOVES ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTH NEWTON COUNTY THROUGH 200 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE ALMON...PORTERDALE AND COVINGTON.
The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 41 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:52 UTC.
10 hail, 3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The public reported that penny-sized hail fell for up to five minutes on the north side of McDonough and covered the ground in some spots.
The public observed penny-sized hail in far western Newton county on Georgia Highway 212 near the Rockdale county line.
The public observed penny-sized hail in eastern Macon county between Montezuma and the Houston/Dooly county line. The Macon County 911 Center reported that a couple of trees were also blown down about five miles southeast of Montezuma.
The public observed penny-sized hail approximately five miles south of Covington.
The Pulaski County Emergency Management Director reported that quarter-sized hail was observed.
The public observed penny-sized hail in the far southwest portion of Toombs county, southwest of Cedar Crossing.
The public reported that a number of trees were down on the south side of Eatonton. Damage was reported to some buildings and vehicles in the area as a result of the downed trees. Several homes in the area sustained damage when trees fell on them. The Eatonton Messenger reported that most of the damage in Eatonton was along North Jefferson, Magnolia, and Putnam Avenues, or along South Washington and Church Street, or Agnes Drive.
The public observed penny-sized hail south of Barnesville. Radar data supports that hail of similar size likely occurred just west and especially to the east of this location.
The Butts County 911 Center reported that several trees were down from just west of Jackson to Flovilla.
The public observed quarter-sized hail in the Fort Benning area, in the far northwest part of the county.
The public observed penny-sized hail northwest of Juliette. The public also reported that several large tree limbs were down in the area. The county 911 center reported that one tree was down on U.S. Highway 41 about two miles west of Forsyth.
The public observed nickel-sized hail southwest of Harrisonville.
The Jefferson County Emergency Management Director reported that one large tree limb was blown down onto a power line.
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: 122902, 122895, 122911, 123724, 122912, 123726, 123729, 123525, 123545, 123563, 123548, 123712, 123565.