A stationary front was situated across north Georgia. High pressure aloft had drifted off the east coast and a weak low pressure area was evident aloft over Georgia.
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 stationary front was situated across north Georgia. High pressure aloft had drifted off the east coast and a weak low pressure area was evident aloft over Georgia. Scattered to numerous thunderstorms developed with daytime heating during the afternoon and evening. Several of these became severe and produced damaging downburst winds, hail, and frequent cloud-to-ground lightning.
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 Jun 11, 4:31 AM EST, 8 hours 54 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 531 AM EDT WED JUN 11 2008 .SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... MODERATE INSTABILITY AND DAYTIME HEATING SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO CONVECTION DEVELOPING AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON. WEAK TROUGH ACROSS THE STATE SHOULD AID IN THE DEVELOPMENT...OTHERWISE DYNAMICS LOOK WEAK. NO BIG CHANGE IN THE AIR MASS THROUGH FRIDAY AND MAINLY DIURNAL THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED EACH DAY. UPPER THICKNESS VALUES NOT QUITE AS HIGH AS PREVIOUS DAYS...AND WITH A LOW LEVEL SOUTHEAST FLOW...MAX TEMPERATURES SHOULD NOT BE QUITE AS HOT OVER MUCH OF THE CWA. .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... MODELS INDICATE A FRONT PUSHING INTO THE CWA ON SATURDAY AND HAVE INCREASED POPS A BIT ACROSS THE AREA. A PATTERN CHANGE APPEARS TO BE FORECAST FOR THE MID WEEK...WITH A TROUGH FORMING IN THE EASTERN STATES AND RIDGING IN THE WEST. ECMWF AND GFS AGREE OVERALL...BUT DIFFER IN STRENGTH AND PLACEMENT OF FEATURES. AT THIS TIME...HAVE KEPT LOW CHANCE OR SLIGHT CHANCE THROUGH THE LONG TERM. && .AVIATION... WEAKENING BERMUDA RIDGE HAS MOVED SOUTH ACROSS FL WITH WEAK TROF EXTENDING FROM THE UPPER EAST COAST DOWN INTO CENTRAL GA. THIS TROF WILL PUT US IN MORE EASTERLY FLOW TODAY. WINDS ARE STILL W TO NW THIS MORNING BUT THEY SHOULD TURN EASTERLY BY 14Z. WINDS WILL STAY EAST TO SE ALL DAY AT 5 TO 10 KTS. CEILINGS WILL BE MOSTLY FEW050 TO SCT080 WITH SOME BKN040 IN AND AROUND ANY SHRA/TSRA DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHRA/TSRA ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE REGION SO WILL INCLUDE VCTS BETWEEN 18-03Z. THERE ARE ALSO SOME AREAS OF PATCHY BR/HZ THIS MORNING SO WILL SEE VSBYS IN THE 3-6SM RANGE ACROSS THE STATE TILL 13Z. ONCE THIS MORNING FOG BURNS OFF SHOULD BE P6SM THE REST OF THE DAY. .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 94 68 87 66 89 / 30 20 20 20 20 ATLANTA 90 71 86 69 86 / 30 20 30 20 30 BLAIRSVILLE 86 66 82 62 82 / 30 20 20 20 20 CARTERSVILLE 90 66 88 66 86 / 30 20 30 20 30 COLUMBUS 95 72 88 70 88 / 30 20 50 30 40 GAINESVILLE 91 70 86 67 85 / 30 20 20 20 20 MACON 95 71 90 68 90 / 30 20 30 20 30 ROME 91 69 90 68 90 / 30 20 30 20 30 PEACHTREE CITY 91 67 87 67 86 / 30 20 30 20 30 VIDALIA 95 70 91 68 91 / 30 20 30 20 20 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 41
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 628 AM EDT WED JUN 11 2008 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-121030- 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- 628 AM EDT WED JUN 11 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS AND ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GA. .SYNOPSIS... WEAK HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AND ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA SHOULD KEEP THE COLD FRONT OVER GEORGIA FAIRLY STATIONARY TODAY. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... THE PRIMARY HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM WILL BE FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS...AND HAIL. THE BEST PLACE FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WILL BE NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA BETWEEN 2 PM AND 10 PM TODAY. .DISCUSSION... A COLD FRONT HAS STALLED JUST SOUTH OF ATLANTA AND IS EXPECTED TO STAY FAIRLY STATIONARY THROUGH TONIGHT. MODERATE INSTABILITY IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA TODAY WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS TEMPERATURES SOAR INTO THE 90S. CAPES AROUND 1500...LIFTED INDICES IN THE MINUS 2 TO MINUS 4 RANGE...AND WEAK UPPER LEVEL WINDS SUGGEST A FAIRLY UNORGANIZED PULSE STORM ENVIRONMENT. STEEPENING LOW-LEVEL LAPSE RATES ALSO INDICATE A MARGINAL WIND DAMAGE THREAT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... FORMAL SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED BUT SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 151 PM EDT WED JUN 11 2008 GAZ069>071-079>082-111830- 151 PM EDT WED JUN 11 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR WIND GUSTS OF 40 MPH AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IN PORTIONS OF TAYLOR... CRAWFORD... TALBOT... BIBB... UPSON... MONROE AND LAMAR COUNTIES UNTIL 230 PM EDT... AT 150 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER UPSON...CRAWFORD AND NORTH TAYLOR COUNTIES. THESE STORMS WERE DRIFTING WEST NORTHWEST AT 5 TO 10 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 40 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE MUSELLA...LOG TOWN...YATESVILLE... CULLODEN... CARSONVILLE...WESLEY...PRATTSBURG...SPREWELL BLUFF STATE PARK...ROLAND...PICKARD...THOMASTON AND PLEASANT HILL.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 205 PM EDT WED JUN 11 2008 GAZ074-084-085-096-097-109-111845- 205 PM EDT WED JUN 11 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR WIND GUSTS OF 40 MPH AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN PORTIONS OF DODGE...BLECKLEY...LAURENS...JOHNSON... WILKINSON AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES UNTIL 245 PM EDT... AT 205 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER LAURENS...NORTH DODGE AND SOUTH WILKINSON COUNTIES. THESE STORMS WERE DRIFTING TO THE WEST AND NORTHWEST AT 5 TO 10 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 40 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE LOWERY...PLAINFIELD...CADWELL... RENTZ...YONKERS... MONTROSE...EAST DUBLIN...DUDLEY...DUBLIN...DEXTER AND CHESTER.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 206 PM EDT WED JUN 11 2008 GAZ089-090-111845- 206 PM EDT WED JUN 11 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN NORTHEAST CHATTAHOOCHEE AND MUSCOGEE COUNTIES UNTIL 245 PM EDT... AT 203 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPING IN NORTHEAST CHATTAHOOCHEE COUNTY...11 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MIDLAND...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 10 MPH. LIGHTNING DETECTION SYSTEMS INDICATE NUMEROUS CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE INTO EASTERN MUSCOGEE COUNTY AND AFFECT THE CITIES OF MIDLAND AND EVENTUALLY COLUMBUS. 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 Robins AFB radar (KJGX), 44 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:25 UTC.
15 thunderstorm wind, 12 hail, 10 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
The Laurens County 911 Center reported that a tree was down on a power line along U.S. Highway 441 at Holly Drive north of Dublin.
The Talbot County 911 Center observed penny-sized hail. A few shingles were blown off roofs of homes in the area.
The Pulaski County Emergency Management Director reported that four buildings at the Harness Horse Racing Training Facility sustained significant damage from downburst thunderstorm winds. Damages to the facility exceeded $200,000. At least two trees were also down on power lines in the area of Lower River Road and Woodard Road.
The Harris County Journal reported that lightning struck a large single-story wood frame home at the corner of Second Street and First Avenue. The house was completely destroyed from the resulting fire.
The Twiggs County 911 Center reported that at least six trees were blown down just northeast of Huber along U.S. Highways 129 and 80 northeast of Huber and also along Sgoda Road.
The Pulaski County Emergency Management Director reported that lightning strikes ignited two fires in southwest Pulaski county, one to a wheat field and the other to some woods. Nine acres of a wheat field burned and two acres of woods burned before the fires were extinguished.
The Harris County 911 Center reported that five brush fires and one structural fire were started from lightning strikes. No specific damage amount was provided.
The Harris County 911 Center reported that from eight to ten trees were blown down in the northwest part of the county near Whitesville.
The public observed penny-sized hail for 25 minutes southeast of LaGrange. Radar data supported that this affected much of the southeast and east central part of the county.
The Fayette County Emergency Management Director reported that lightning struck and set on fire a 4000 square foot home in the Harbor Lakes subdivision off Antioch Road, approximately three miles south-southeast of Fayetteville. The fire was contained before the home was completely destroyed.
The public observed penny to nickel-sized hail just north of Peachtree City and an off-duty National Weather Service employee observed penny-sized hail near Tyrone.
The Coweta County 911 Center reported that at least three trees and several power lines were down in the vicinity of Happy Valley Circle in the northern part of the county.
The Fulton County Emergency Management Director reported that from 50 to 100 trees were blown down along Hutcheson Ferry Road between Hearne and Rico Road west of Palmetto in south Fulton county.
The public observed penny to golf ball-sized hail on the west side of Newnan along Welcome Road and penny-sized hail was reported just east of downtown Newnan at the intersection of Georgia Highway 34, Bullsboro Road, and Interstate-85.
The Fulton County Emergency Management Director reported that a couple of trees were down on power lines, one on Long Island Drive and another on Carroll Lane at Power Ferry Road, both in Sandy Springs.
The public observed penny-sized hail southwest of Douglasville and just south of Winston along Brightstar Road and Georgia Highway 5.
The Bibb County 911 Center reported that a couple of power lines were down on Riverside Road.
The Cherokee County 911 Center reported that many trees and power lines were down across the eastern half of the county from just east of Woodstock, to Canton, to North Canton, to Ball Ground.
The Paulding County 911 Center reported that three trees and two power lines were blown down in the Dallas and New Hope areas.
The Paulding County 911 Center reported that two structures were set on fire by lightning. Damage amounts were not specified.
The Cherokee County 911 Center reported that lightning set a home on fire on Remington Court just northeast of Woodstock.
The Glascock County 911 Center reported that several trees were uprooted or snapped in half in the northwest part of the county between Mitchell and the Washington County line. A barn sustained moderate damage on Georgia Highway 102 near Mitchell.
The Washington County Electric Management Cooperative reported that more than a dozen trees and several power lines were down across the northern part of the county, generally near Georgia Highway 102 from the Glascock county line to Warthen, mostly just south of Hamburg State Park. In addition, many trees and several power lines were also down along Georgia Highway 15 from Warthen to Sandersville.
The public reported that penny-sized hail fell for nearly five minutes around Euharlee.
The Washington County Sheriff's Department observed nickel-sized hail around Warthen.
The Daily Tribune of Cartersville reported that lightning struck several homes in the Bishop Road area on the northwest side of Cartersville. Fire emergency crews were dispatched to at least four homes in the area. One home however, sustained significant damage as the fire reignited several hours after being put out. The home was a total loss. No other significant damage was reported at the remaining sites.
The Polk County 911 Center reported that several structural fires were set in the county by lightning. Radar shows that the strongest reflectivity affected the western half of the county. Exact damage amounts were not able to be determined.
Penny-sized hail was observed by a CoCoRaHS observer southwest of Cedartown.
The public observed quarter-sized hail in the southwest part of the county.
The Lumpkin County Emergency Management Director reported that from 20 to 25 trees were blown down in the western part of the county around Nimblewill. Several roads were blocked from downed trees.
The Jefferson County 911 Center reported that several trees and a couple of power lines were down along Gamble School Road, southwest of Wrens.
The Polk County 911 Center relayed reports of penny-sized hail near Etna. Radar data supported that penny-sized or larger hail likely fell from Etna to the Floyd county border, just south of Cave Spring.
The public observed quarter-sized hail around Armuchee.
The Whitfield County 911 Center reported that a number of trees were down from Tilton, to the south side of Dalton, to Rocky Face and Tunnel Hill.
The Eatonton Messenger reported that lightning struck Oconee Porter Fireplace and Insulation Building, a warehouse off Sammons Industrial Boulevard on the northwest side of Eatonton, was destroyed when a lightning strike set the roof and piles of insulation on fire.
The public observed nickel-sized hail in far southwest White county.
The Calhoun Times reported that lightning struck a substation adjacent to an Omnova Solutions Chemical Plant. This caused a power failure that resulted in leakage of a toxic chemical solution used to make latex adhesives. Plant employees contained the spill within a few minutes.
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, June 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: 112509, 112511, 112515, 122129, 112521, 112704, 114393, 112702, 114395, 114372, 112705, 114339, 114341, 114343, 114413, 114414, 112691, 114362, 114349, 114351, 114365, 114357, 114361, 114377, 114373, 122130, 114368, 114366, 114384, 114385, 114400, 114397, 114396, 114408, 122131, 114410, 122132.