An upper-low continued to sink slowly south from the mid-Atlantic region into the southeast United States. This combined with the usual July heat and humidity allowed for pulse thunderstorms to develop as usual.
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 upper-low continued to sink slowly south from the mid-Atlantic region into the southeast United States. This combined with the usual July heat and humidity allowed for pulse thunderstorms to develop as usual. A few of these became severe and produced marginal severe hail, wind damage, and intense lightning. One significant downburst was observed in southern Cherokee county where nearly 1000 trees were blown down, causing extensive damage to hundreds of homes.
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 7, 5:55 PM EST, 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 655 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 .UPDATE... WILL RAISE POPS TO CHANCE CATEGORY IN NORTH GA FOR TONIGHT DUE TO CONVECTION FIRING ALONG A RESIDUAL THETA-E BOUNDARY LYING FROM ROME TO HELEN. WEAK UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT FROM DECAYING MCV WILL HELP KEEP THE CONVECTION ALIVE PAST MIDNIGHT. SOME MAY APPROACH SEVERE...BUT NOT EXPECTING MUCH MORE THAN THAT. MODIFIED SKY COVER AND TEMPS FOR TONIGHT...AS WELL. .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... CURRENT SATELLITE LOOP SHOWS SOME CU DEVELOPING ACROSS THE REGION BUT IT IS VERY LOW TOPPED COMPARED TO THE LAST TWO DAYS. THERE ARE SOME SCT SHOWERS MAINLY ACROSS OUT SERN SECTIONS WITH SOME ISOLATED TSRA BUT THINGS ARE NOT DEVELOPING AS RAPIDLY TODAY. THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AXIS IS IS JUST EAST OF OUR AREA AND ALLOWING THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OVER THE NORTHERN GULF TO WORK INTO W GA. THE TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE MOVING SLOWLY EAST AND MOVE OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST BY 12-18Z WED. WE WILL GET INTO MORE UPPER LEVEL ZONAL FLOW AS THE RIDGE CONTINUES TO BUILD OVER THE GULF COAST STATES. THE CURRENT GFS LOOKS TO HAVE INITIALIZED VERY WELL WHEN COMPARED TO THE CURRENT WV LOOP. A LARGE MOISTURE PLUME EXTENDING FROM THE MID ATLANTIC STATES DOWN ALONG THE COAST AND OUT INTO THE GULF IS REPRESENTED WELL IN THE MODELS. THEY SHOW THIS PLUME STAYING FAIRLY STATIONARY THROUGH TUE AND THEN GETTING CAUGHT UP IN THE DEVELOPING ZONAL FLOW. THERE ARE A FEW LITTLE SHORTWAVES MOVING OUT OF THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WED/THU BUT THEY MAINLY MOVE ACROSS TN/KY. THEY WILL KEEP GA UNDER A NICE AREA OF MOISTURE SO WILL KEEP DIURNALLY DRIVEN CHANCE POPS IN THE SHORT TERM. TEMPS SHOULD BE VERY CLOSE TO SEASONAL NORMS ALSO. .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MOVING OFFSHORE WED WILL MAKE ROOM FOR THE DEVELOPING UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDING OVER THE NORTHERN GULF. THIS RIDGE WILL BRING IN GOOD ZONAL FLOW THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND KEEP A NICE CAP ON THE ANY CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH DAY 7. DIURNALLY DRIVEN INSTABILITIES AND MOISTURE WILL BE AVAILABLE BUT THIS RIDGE WILL KEEP ANY CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY TO A MINIMUM. WILL CONTINUE WITH CURRENT THINKING OF CHANCE POPS EACH DAY IN THE EXTENDED. GUIDANCE TEMPERATURES CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE NEAR SEASONAL NORMALS THROUGH NEXT WEEK AND SEE NO REASON TO MAKE ANY CHANGES. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 68 89 68 91 69 / 20 30 20 30 20 ATLANTA 70 89 70 90 70 / 10 20 10 30 20 BLAIRSVILLE 64 85 64 84 65 / 20 30 20 30 30 CARTERSVILLE 66 91 66 90 68 / 10 20 20 30 30 COLUMBUS 70 91 73 91 73 / 10 30 10 30 20 GAINESVILLE 69 87 69 89 70 / 10 20 20 30 30 MACON 69 92 70 94 73 / 20 40 20 40 20 ROME 69 93 69 92 70 / 10 20 20 30 30 PEACHTREE CITY 65 90 67 89 69 / 10 30 10 30 20 VIDALIA 69 90 71 92 71 / 50 50 20 40 20 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 01
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 552 AM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-081000- 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- 552 AM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON OVER CENTRAL GEORGIA. .SYNOPSIS... DEEP MOISTURE WILL REMAIN OVER MUCH OF THE AREA AS AN UPPER LEVEL WAVE PULLS NORTHWARD INTO THE MID-ATLANTIC STATES. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... THE PRIMARY HAZARD WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM THAT DEVELOPS WILL BE FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. THE BEST CHANCE FOR ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE BETWEEN 2 PM AND 9 PM. .DISCUSSION... A WEAK IMPULSE WILL MOVE ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND EAST GEORGIA AS THE UPPER WAVE PULLS NORTHWARD TODAY. WITH GOOD MOISTURE AVAILABLE...THIS IMPULSE WILL COMBINE WITH DAYTIME HEATING TO AID IN THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT...MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF A COLUMBUS TO MACON TO ATHENS LINE. WITH CAPE VALUES OF 1000 TO 1500 AND LIFTED INDICES BETWEEN MINUS 1 TO MINUS 3... ISOLATED STORMS COULD BE SEVERE...PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY 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 642 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 GAZ020-030-031-072315- 642 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR PEA SIZED HAIL AND 50 MPH WINDS IN NORTHWEST PAULDING...NORTHEAST POLK AND SOUTHWEST BARTOW COUNTIES UNTIL 715 PM EDT... AT 641 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER TAYLORSVILLE...MOVING SOUTH AT 5 MPH. THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE PEA SIZED HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH AS IT MOVES ACROSS PAULDING...POLK AND BARTOW COUNTIES THROUGH 715 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE STILESBORO...TAYLORSVILLE...EUHARLEE AND ARAGON.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 649 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 GAZ082-083-072315- 649 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR PEA SIZED HAIL AND 50 MPH WINDS IN TWIGGS AND BIBB COUNTIES UNTIL 715 PM EDT... AT 646 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR RUTLAND OR ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTH OF MACON DRIFTING SOUTH AT 5 MPH. THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE PEA SIZED HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH AS IT MOVES ACROSS TWIGGS AND BIBB COUNTIES THROUGH 715 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE SKIPPERTON...RUTLAND...HUBER...PAYNE AND MACON. MOTORISTS SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND ALLOW EXTRA DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF YOU.
The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 74 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:16 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, 2 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
The Paulding County Emergency Management Director reported that lightning struck several homes across mostly the northern half of the county causing structural fires.
The Paulding County Emergency Management Director reported that two to three trees were down in the northern part of the county.
The public observed penny-sized hail in the Acworth area. The hail fell for up to three minutes in the area.
The Acworth Police reported that six large trees were down in the northeast part of the city.
The Cherokee County Emergency Management Director conducted a survey of extensive thunderstorm wind damage across south central Cherokee county in the Towne Lake area, just west and northwest of Woodstock. The damage area, oriented from northwest to southeast, was bounded on the northwest by Eagle Watch Drive and Running Deer Parkway on the southeast, or about one mile west Interstate 75. It was concluded that the damage was caused by thunderstorm downburst winds between 58 and 65 mph. Damage was very extensive with 800 to 100 trees either blown down or snapped in half. Many of the trees fell on residential homes causing significant damage. All together, 196 homes were damaged, 14 sustaining major damage and 132 with minor damage.
The Cherokee County Emergency Management Director reported that seven homes, mostly in the Towne Lake area west of Woodstock, were struck by lightning. While most of the resulting fires caused minor damage, one home was completely destroyed as a result of the fire started by the lightning strike.
Numerous reports of hail, ranging in size from pennies to quarters, were received from the public across the southern portion of Cherokee county in the Towne Lake area, just northwest of Woodstock, and also in Woodstock as well.
The public observed penny-sized hail in northeast Cobb county, just northeast of Marietta. This was from a separate thunderstorm cell that developed on outflow from the earlier thunderstorm that also produced penny-sized hail as well as wind damage in the Acworth area.
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: 123789, 123791, 123867, 123868, 123850, 123862, 123853, 123870.