A rare July cold front was approaching Georgia from the northwest. A weak upper-level trough accompanied the front.
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 rare July cold front was approaching Georgia from the northwest. A weak upper-level trough accompanied the front. This combined with typical July afternoon heat and humidity set the stage for scattered thunderstorms. A couple became severe and produced damaging downburst winds. Heavy rain also fell across some of the same areas that had experienced flooding during the early morning hours.
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 9, 9:53 AM EST, 4 hours 29 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1053 AM EDT WED JUL 9 2008 .UPDATE... MINOR ADJUSTMENTS MADE TO TEMPS AND DEW POINTS IN GRIDS TO CATCH CURRENT TRENDS. NO UPDATE TO ZONES PLANNED AT THIS TIME. 49 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 525 AM EDT WED JUL 9 2008/ SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AREA OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHEAST GEORGIA FINALLY STARTING TO DIMINISH IN INTENSITY..AFTER CAUSING SOME LOCAL FLOODING PROBLEMS. MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW SURFACE FRONT SINKING SOUTHWARD TO APPROACH NORTH GEORGIA BY TONIGHT...STALLING THERE ON THURSDAY AS SEVERAL SHORT WAVES MOVE ALONG THE BOUNDARY. HAVE GIVEN NORTHERN ZONES HIGHEST POPS THROUGH THURSDAY. LOOKS LIKE BOUNDARY WEAKENS SOME ON FRIDAY BUT THE CWA REMAINS IN A MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS AND HAVE CONTINUED MOSTLY CHANCE POPS. VARYING AMOUNTS OF CLOUDS EXPECTED THROUGH THE SHORT TERM AND AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES COULD BE A BIT HIGHER OR LOWER THAN FORECAST. IN GENERAL...HAVE TRIED TO TAKE A BLEND OF MAV/FWC. LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA REMAIN IN A BASICALLY DIURNAL PATTERN THROUGH THE LONG TERM. HOWEVER...A TROUGH DEEPENING INTO THE OHIO VALLEY MAY BRING SOME DRYING TO THE STATE BY THE FIRST OF THE WEEK. AT THIS TIME...WILL NOT COUNT ON THINGS BEING COMPLETELY DRY AND HAVE LEFT LOW POPS IN FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY. AVIATION... AS SURFACE HIGH OVER THE SOUTHEAST SINKS A BIT FURTHER SOUTH... WINDS WILL BE OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST TODAY...INCREASING TO 08-10KTS BY THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE TAPERING BACK TO 05KTS AFTER 00Z. THIS WILL KEEP GOOD GULF MOISTURE OVER THE AREA...AND AID IN THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. GFS INDICATING SCATTERED STORMS DEVELOPING THIS AFTERNOON WITH DAYTIME HEATING...WHICH COULD AFFECT ANY/ALL TAF SITES AND AM INCLINED TO CONTINUE VCTS ALL SITES AFTER 21Z. AS SURFACE FRONT SAGS SOUTHWARD BY LATE TONIGHT...A LINE OF STORMS SHOULD SHIFT SOUTHWARD BETWEEN 00-06Z AFFECTING ATL AREA AND AHN SITES...MODELS IN AGREEMENT THAT ANY DEVELOPMENT WILL DISSIPATE ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA AS IT RUNS INTO THE UPPER RIDGE. WILL CONTINUE A PROB30 00-06Z TIMEFRAME ONLY FOR ATL AREA/AHN TAF SITES. SOME LOW STRATUS EVIDENT ON SATELLITE OVER SOUTHWEST GEORGIA...EXPECT CSG/MCN WILL BE SCT-BKN010 FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS THIS MORNING. LIKEWISE FTY/AHN/PDK VISIBILITIES MAY DROP TO MVFR AROUND SUNRISE WITH CLEARING BETWEEN 14-15Z. CUMULUS DEVELOPMENT WILL AGAIN BRING SCT-BKN050 ACROSS THE TAF SITES BY 18Z. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 91 70 88 69 86 / 40 20 50 40 30 ATLANTA 88 71 86 70 85 / 40 20 50 40 20 BLAIRSVILLE 82 67 81 64 80 / 50 40 60 50 20 CARTERSVILLE 89 69 85 69 85 / 50 30 60 50 20 COLUMBUS 92 73 91 71 91 / 40 20 50 30 30 GAINESVILLE 86 68 84 68 83 / 50 30 60 50 20 MACON 94 74 92 71 92 / 40 20 50 40 40 ROME 90 73 86 71 90 / 50 40 60 50 20 PEACHTREE CITY 88 70 86 69 87 / 40 20 50 40 30 VIDALIA 92 72 91 71 91 / 30 20 40 40 40 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1058 AM EDT WED JUL 9 2008 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-101015- 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- 1058 AM EDT WED JUL 9 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... HIGH PRESSURE OFF THE GEORGIA COAST WILL BUILD WEST ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTH GEORGIA AND FLORIDA TODAY AS A COLD FRONT SAGS SOUTHWARD THROUGH TENNESSEE...MOVING INTO NORTH GEORGIA LATE THIS EVENING. .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... DEEP GULF MOISTURE WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA TODAY. WITH DAYTIME HEATING...THE AIR MASS WILL BECOME UNSTABLE THIS AFTERNOON WITH LIFTED INDICES OF MINUS 3 TO MINUS 5 AND CAPES AROUND 2000. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE UNSTABLE AIR MASS AFTER NOON. A SURFACE COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY MOVE ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH GEORGIA LATER THIS EVENING WHICH MAY ACT AS A FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORMS OVERNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY...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
140 PM EDT WED JUL 09 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0603 PM TSTM WND DMG WOODSTOCK 34.10N 84.51W
07/08/2008 CHEROKEE GA EMERGENCY MNGR
2 TREES DOWN
0715 PM HAIL 5 N CUMMING 34.28N 84.14W
07/08/2008 E0.75 INCH FORSYTH GA PUBLIC
0720 PM TSTM WND DMG MATT 34.30N 84.15W
07/08/2008 FORSYTH GA EMERGENCY MNGR
ROOF DAMAGE TO A HOUSE ON NICHOLAS DRIVE
0720 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 SW CUMMING 34.18N 84.17W
07/08/2008 FORSYTH GA EMERGENCY MNGR
8 TREES DOWN FROM ATLANTA HIGHWAY TO CASTLEBERRY ROAD
&&
SLAMBACKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
232 PM EDT WED JUL 09 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0300 AM FLASH FLOOD 3 NW MCKEE 34.49N 84.18W
07/09/2008 DAWSON GA EMERGENCY MNGR
COCHRANS CREEK AND GAB CREEK CAME OUT OF THEIR BANKS AND
CAUSED MINOR FLOODING OF AGRICULTURAL FIELDS. A LARGE
GARDEN WAS FLOODED OUT IN THE 2000 BLOCK OF BAILEY WATERS
ROAD.
&&
KFRANTZSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 247 PM EDT WED JUL 9 2008 GAZ003>005-011-012-019-091930- 247 PM EDT WED JUL 9 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR PEA SIZED HAIL AND 35 MPH WINDS IN FLOYD...CHATTOOGA...GORDON...WHITFIELD...CATOOSA AND MURRAY COUNTIES UNTIL 330 PM EDT... AT 244 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM ROCKY FACE TO MENLO...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH. THESE STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE PEA SIZED HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH AS THEY MOVE ACROSS FLOYD...CHATTOOGA...GORDON...WHITFIELD...CATOOSA AND MURRAY COUNTIES THROUGH 330 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE SUBLIGNA...ROCKY FACE...KEITH...CLOUDLAND...VARNELL... TUNNEL HILL...TRION...MENLO...DALTON...SUMMERVILLE...BERRYTON... TILTON...TIDINGS...SUGAR VALLEY AND JAMES H. FLOYD STATE PARK. BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 259 PM EDT WED JUL 9 2008 GAZ022-033-034-091930- 259 PM EDT WED JUL 9 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN GWINNETT... FORSYTH AND FULTON COUNTIES UNTIL 330 PM EDT... AT 256 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER ALPHARETTA...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE PEA SIZED HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH AS IT MOVES ACROSS GWINNETT...FORSYTH AND FULTON COUNTIES THROUGH 330 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE ROSWELL...ALPHARETTA... BERKELEY LAKE...DULUTH...SUWANEE AND SUGAR HILL. BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 67 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:22 UTC.
3 lightning, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that lightning struck a home on Knotty Pine Trail near Marietta. The home was completely destroyed by the resulting fire.
The Gwinnett Daily Post of Lawrenceville reported that lightning struck a large storage shed behind a residence. The resulting fire caused moderate damage to the structure and its contents.
The Gwinnett Daily Post of Lawrenceville reported that a woman was struck by lightning while at outside in Dacula Park during an afternoon thunderstorm. She was transported to the hospital in Lawrenceville and treated for injuries.
The Gilmer County Fire and Rescue Department reported that four trees were down on power lines and an additional tree was uprooted between Georgia Highway 5 and Georgia Highway 282, just southwest of Ellijay.
The Pickens County Emergency Management Director reported that a thunderstorm downburst resulted in a dozen trees being blown down in the area just west and south of Jasper, especially near Georgia Highway 53, where a large tree fell on and destroyed the deck of a home. Just south of Jasper, a large oak tree fell on a home causing damage to that structure.
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: 129446, 129444, 129447, 126126, 126071.