An intense upper ridge, which had been drifting eastward across the southeast United States, was beginning to shift east of the region. This was allowing deep Gulf moisture to surge northward into 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.
An intense upper ridge, which had been drifting eastward across the southeast United States, was beginning to shift east of the region. This was allowing deep Gulf moisture to surge northward into Georgia. The presence of the upper ridge had allowed afternoon temperatures to soar into the 95 to 100 degree range. This resulted in a very unstable atmosphere. Consequently, isolated to scattered thunderstorms strong to severe thunderstorms developed quickly in the afternoon and continued up until midnight. Initially the activity was mainly across the northern areas, but developed into central areas during the evening.
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 9, 10:20 AM EST, 2 hours 39 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1120 AM EDT MON JUN 9 2008 .UPDATE... NO CHANGES NEEDED TO THE MORNING FORECAST PACKAGE. VERY OPTIMISTIC SLIGHT CHANGES OF TSTMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING OVER NORTH AND WEST CENTRAL GA. OTHERWISE RECORD HIGH TEMPS EXPECTED IN SOME LOCATIONS LATER TODAY. 16 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 530 AM EDT MON JUN 9 2008/ LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... REMNANTS OF BOUNDARY APPEAR TO MEANDER ACROSS THE CAROLINAS INTO NORTHEAST GEORGIA THURSDAY/FRIDAY AS A SURFACE HIGH BUILDS DOWN THE EASTERN SEABOARD. SOMEWHAT OF AN OVER-RUNNING PRECIP PATTERN SETS UP WITH LATEST GFS KEEPING DEEPER MOISTURE ACROSS MUCH OF THE COUNTY WARNING AREA THROUGH THIS PERIOD. CENTER OF THE HIGH SHIFTS OFF THE EAST COAST FRIDAY NIGHT/SATURDAY AS ANOTHER COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. EXTENDED PROGS BRING THIS FRONT ACROSS OUR AREA SATURDAY/SATURDAY NIGHT. SOMEWHAT DRIER AIR SPREADS INTO NORTH SECTIONS SUNDAY...BUT WILL KEEP SLIGHT CHANCE POPS ACROSS CENTRAL GEORGIA AS THE FRONT SLIPS INTO SOUTH GEORGIA. MODELS STILL ADVERTISING A COOL DOWN DURING THE EXTENDED PERIOD...WITH TEMPS BACK TO MORE NORMAL LEVELS. AVIATION... NOT MUCH CHANGE IN THE AVIATION WEATHER PATTERN OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS. THE BERMUDA RIDGE CONTINUES ACROSS THE REGION KEEPING GA IN MOIST SOUTHERLY FLOW. WINDS WILL CONTINUE OUT OF THE SW TODAY AT 5 KTS OR LESS WITH SPEED INCREASING TO 8 OR 9 KTS BY 18Z. CEILINGS WILL BE MOSTLY FEW050 TO SCT080 ISOLATED SHRA/TSRA IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE REGION BUT IT WILL BE SO ISOLATED THAT I WILL NOT INCLUDE ANY POPS IN THE TAF FORECAST. THERE WILL BE SOME PATCHY MORNING HAZE BUT THAT SHOULD BURN OFF BY 12-13Z. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 99 71 92 67 91 / 10 10 30 20 30 ATLANTA 96 72 89 69 89 / 20 20 30 20 30 BLAIRSVILLE 94 64 84 61 83 / 20 20 50 30 50 CARTERSVILLE 95 68 90 65 89 / 20 20 40 30 50 COLUMBUS 99 74 92 70 92 / 20 20 30 20 30 GAINESVILLE 96 71 90 67 88 / 20 20 40 20 50 MACON 100 72 94 69 93 / 10 10 30 20 30 ROME 96 71 91 67 90 / 20 20 40 30 50 PEACHTREE CITY 95 67 88 66 90 / 20 20 30 20 30 VIDALIA 99 71 93 69 92 / 10 10 30 20 30 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 49
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 618 AM EDT MON JUN 9 2008 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-101030- 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- 618 AM EDT MON JUN 9 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS NORTH AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA. .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO DOMINATE THE REGION TODAY. INCREASED LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL ALLOW SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... THE PRIMARY HAZARD ASSOCIATED WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WILL BE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. .DISCUSSION... GOOD SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW UNDER THE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE IS BRINGING IN WARM GULF MOISTURE ACROSS THE REGION. THIS MOISTURE IS CONFINED TO THE LOWEST LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE WITH DRY CONDITIONS ABOVE 800 MILLIBARS. AS TEMPERATURES INCREASE TO THE 90S ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA TODAY...CAPES ARE EXPECTED AROUND 1200...WITH LIFTED INDICES IN THE MINUS 2 TO MINUS 5 RANGE. WHILE THERE IS VERY LITTLE UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT TO ALLOW STORMS TO BECOME ORGANIZED...THE INSTABILITY WILL ALLOW FOR ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON. WITH VERY WARM TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TODAY...HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL INCREASE TO BETWEEN 100 AND 105 DEGREES THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED EACH DAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 149 PM EDT MON JUN 9 2008 GAZ001-002-091815- 149 PM EDT MON JUN 9 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR PEA SIZED HAIL IN DADE AND WALKER COUNTIES UNTIL 215 PM EDT... AT 145 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN...MOVING NORTH AT 11 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 DADE AND WALKER COUNTIES THROUGH 215 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE WILDWOOD...HINKLES...HIGH POINT... ROSSVILLE...FAIRVIEW...CHATTANOOGA VALLEY...LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN AND LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN. BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 67 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:59 UTC.
9 thunderstorm wind, 5 hail, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
The public reported that nickel-sized hail covered the ground in the Rossville area.
The Gordon County Emergency Management Director reported penny-sized hail northwest of Ranger.
The Dade County 911 Center reported that a tree was blown down onto a power line on Burkhalter Gap Road near Lookout Mountain Scenic Highway northeast of Trenton.
The Gordon County Emergency Management Director reported that some trees were down on Pleasant Hill Road and Taylor Town Road in the northeast part of the county, along with some power lines down on Red Bone Ridge Road and Covington Bridge Road.
The Troup County 911 Center reported that several trees were down along Towns Road south and southeast of Louise. One of the trees fell on a car on the roadway.
The public reported that four trees were blown down near the intersection of Reese Road and Marcella Road in Sharpsburg and another tree was blown down onto a vehicle in Newnan.
A storm spotter reported that more than two dozen trees were down across the county. At least 20 roads were blocked and closed because of downed trees. One home sustained minor damage to gutters and outside lighting fixtures. The majority of the damage seemed to be in the Douglasville area.
At least two reports of penny-sized hail were received from the public in the Douglasville area.
The public observed penny to nickel-sized hail. The hail lasted for up to five minutes and nearly covered the ground along Old Cartersville Road. The cooperative observer, six miles northeast of Dallas, reported that one tree was blown down.
The Cobb County 911 Center reported that a power line was down at the intersection of Midway Road and Due West Road.
The public observed penny-sized hail on the southwest side of LaGrange.
The Gordon County 911 Center reported that a tree was blown onto a power line near Fairmount igniting a fire. A couple of power lines were also down northeast of Calhoun.
The Murray County 911 Center reported that lightning struck a home in the Carters Lake area. No significant damage was reported.
The Murray County 911 Center reported that many trees were down in the Carters Lake area in the far southeast corner of the county.
The Gilmer County 911 Center reported that from six to ten trees were blown down between Ollie and the Murray county line in western Gilmer county.
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: 111978, 111980, 111979, 111981, 112204, 112206, 112220, 112224, 112227, 112226, 112230, 112232, 112235, 112234, 112233.