A weak upper low pressure area was meandering through the mid-south. Warm, moist unstable air remained across the southeast states with a large high pressure system off the mid-Atlantic coast.
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 weak upper low pressure area was meandering through the mid-south. Warm, moist unstable air remained across the southeast states with a large high pressure system off the mid-Atlantic coast. Scattered thunderstorms develop during the late afternoon across central Georgia. Outflow boundaries from these thunderstorms pushed north during the evening, causing additional thunderstorms to develop in north Georgia. A few of these thunderstorms became strong producing strong winds gusts. Frequent cloud-to-ground lightning was also observed, resulting in some house fires.
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 Aug 26, 6:31 PM EST, 19 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 731 PM EDT WED AUG 26 2009 .UPDATE... CONVECTION CONTINUES TO PERSIST OVER PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA...SO HAVE ADJUSTED EVENING/OVERNIGHT POPS AND QPF ACCOUNT FOR LINGERING ISOLATED ACTIVITY. OTHERWISE...THE FORECAST SEEMS TO BE ON TRACK WITH NO CHANGES NECESSARY. 31/39 && .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... MODELS INITIALIZED WELL WITH RESPECT TO THE CUT OFF UPPER LOW CURRENTLY SPINNING OVER THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF REGION. LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS A SLIGHT REFLECTION OF THIS FEATURE...WITH A SUBTLE INVERTED TROUGH NOSING UP INTO SW GA. RADAR SHOWS MOISTURE AND SEA BREEZE INDUCED CONVECTION CREEPING UP FROM THE SOUTH- SE...AND EXPECT THIS ACTIVITY TO PUSH UP INTO THE FAR SOUTH- SE REACHES OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. MODELS ARE WAY OVERDONE IN TERMS OF OVERNIGHT CONVECTION SPREADING UP FROM THE SOUTH... SO HAVE BACKED OFF ON OVERNIGHT POPS A BIT...ESPECIALLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. EXPECT CLOUDS AND GREATER RAIN CHANCES TO SPREAD IN OVER THE REGION ON THURSDAY AND CONTINUE ON FRIDAY AS THE AFOREMENTIONED UPPER LOW LIFTS TO THE NE. INSTABILITIES (1500-2000 CAPES) AND MOISTURE (2.0 INCH PWS) SUGGEST A MORE TROPICAL TYPE AIRMASS IN PLACE FOR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. THEREFORE... EXPECTING SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS WITH ISOLATED TO SCATTERED EMBEDDED MODERATE THUNDERSTORMS. MAIN THREAT WOULD BE BRIEF WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WITH ANY TRAINING OF CELLS ACROSS THE SAME AREA. AS T.S. DANNY DRAWS CLOSER TO THE GA/SC COASTS ON FRIDAY... SUSPECT SOME SUBSIDENCE ON THE WESTERN SIDE WILL BATTLE THE SYNOPTIC LIFT ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER LOW AS IT TRACKS UP OVER GA. NEVERTHELESS...WILL CONTINUE TO SHOW HIGH CHANCE POPS FOR MOST AREAS ON FRIDAY...WITH DECREASING POPS FROM WEST TO EAST FRIDAY NIGHT AS THE UPPER LOW LIFTS OUT AND T.S. DANNY ALSO BEGINS TO LIFT OFF TO THE NE. AS FOR TEMPS...EXPECT ANOTHER ROUND OF LOW- MID CLOUDS TO DEVELOP OVER THE SOUTHERN REACHES AND SPREAD NORTHWARD IN THE MORN. THIS WILL WARRANT LEANING A BIT ON THE WARM SIDE FOR MOST LOWS TONIGHT... AT LEAST ATLANTA SOUTHWARD. INCREASING CLOUDS AND RAIN CHANCES SUGGEST GOING A BIT COOLER THAN THE WARMER MAV HIGHS FOR THURSDAY...BELIEVE THE MET IS TOO COOL. OTHERWISE...HAVE LEANED TOWARD THE WARMER MAV NUMBERS FOR THE REMAINING PERIODS. .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... MADE NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE EXTENDED PERIODS AS GFS CONTINUES TO SHOW A COLD FRONT APPROACHING ON SATURDAY...THEN PUSHING ACROSS THE AREA ON SUNDAY. HELD ONTO THE CHANCE POPS FOR THOSE DAYS...THEN LOW CHANCE ACROSS THE FAR SOUTHERN REACHES ON MONDAY AS THE FRONT CREEPS SOUTH. COOL/DRY HIGH PRESSURE THEN BUILDS OVER THE SOUTHEAST AND DOMINATES THE WEATHER PATTERN THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE EXTENDED...RESULTING IN COOLER HIGHS IN THE LOW-MID 80S AND OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE LOW-MID 60S FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY MORNS. ENJOY. && .AVIATION...WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD DISSIPATE AFTER SUNSET. VFR CONDITIONS UNTIL AROUND 10Z WHEN MVFR STRATOCU DEVELOPS OVER MUCH OF NORTH AND CENTRAL GA. CLOUDS GRADUALLY LIFTING ABOVE 3 THSD FT AFTER 15Z. SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING LATE MORNING THURSDAY AND CONTINUING INTO AFTERNOON AS LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS VICINITY OF N CENTRAL GULF. NO VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS EXCEPT LOCALLY 3 TO 5SM IN FOG 10Z TO 13Z. WINDS LIGHT AND VARIABLE OVERNIGHT...EAST TO SOUTHEAST 5 TO 10KT AFTER SUNRISE. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 67 88 68 82 65 / 5 40 40 60 30 ATLANTA 71 87 69 83 68 / 5 40 40 50 20 BLAIRSVILLE 62 85 66 76 62 / 5 30 40 60 30 CARTERSVILLE 66 89 67 82 63 / 5 40 40 50 20 COLUMBUS 71 87 69 87 70 / 20 50 40 40 20 GAINESVILLE 69 86 68 77 66 / 5 40 40 60 30 MACON 71 87 70 86 67 / 20 50 40 40 20 ROME 68 90 68 85 65 / 5 30 40 40 20 PEACHTREE CITY 68 86 67 84 61 / 10 40 40 40 20 VIDALIA 71 89 71 86 68 / 20 50 40 50 20 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 39/41/31
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 651 PM EDT WED AUG 26 2009 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-272300- 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- 651 PM EDT WED AUG 26 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS EVENING. .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED OVER WEST VIRGINIA WILL CONTINUE TO WEAKEN TODAY AS A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY MEANDERS ACROSS SOUTH-CENTRAL GEORGIA. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL BE THE PRIMARY HAZARD...MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF A ROME TO GAINESVILLE LINE UNTIL AROUND 10 PM. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO POSSIBLE. .DISCUSSION... A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY STRETCHING FROM EASTERN SOUTH CAROLINA INTO SOUTH-CENTRAL GEORGIA...ALONG WITH AFTERNOON HEATING...WILL AID IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL GEORGIA INTO THIS EVENING. INSTABILITY IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN WEAK WITH CAPES AROUND 1000 AND LIFTED INDICES OF ZERO TO MINUS ONE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED ON TUESDAY AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 637 PM EDT WED AUG 26 2009 GAZ032-033-043-044-262300- 637 PM EDT WED AUG 26 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN DOUGLAS...COBB AND FULTON COUNTIES UNTIL 700 PM EDT... AT 636 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER FAIRBURN...MOVING NORTH AT 10 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 45 MPH ARE LIKELY AS THIS STORM MOVES ACROSS DOUGLAS... COBB AND FULTON COUNTIES THROUGH 700 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE UNION CITY...FAIRBURN...SANDTOWN... BANKHEAD...CAMPBELLTON...CASCADE HEIGHTS...SWEETWATER CREEK STATE PARK...LITHIA SPRINGS AND SIX FLAGS OVER GEORGIA.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 639 PM EDT WED AUG 26 2009 GAZ078-079-089>091-262315- 639 PM EDT WED AUG 26 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN CHATTAHOOCHEE...MARION...MUSCOGEE...HARRIS AND TALBOT COUNTIES UNTIL 715 PM EDT... AT 638 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER BOX SPRINGS...MOVING NORTH AT 10 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 45 MPH ARE LIKELY AS THESE STORMS MOVE ACROSS CHATTAHOOCHEE...MARION...MUSCOGEE...HARRIS AND TALBOT COUNTIES THROUGH 715 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE MARION ESTATES...OAKLAND...JUNIPER...EELBECK/WEST FORT BENNING...NORTH FORT BENNING...BOX SPRINGS...UPATOI...GENEVA... MIDLAND...PO BIDDY CROSSROADS...OLIVE BRANCH...BAUGHVILLE... TALBOTTON...ELLERSLIE AND WAVERLY HALL.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 659 PM EDT WED AUG 26 2009 GAZ032-033-043-044-262330- 659 PM EDT WED AUG 26 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN DOUGLAS...COBB AND FULTON COUNTIES UNTIL 730 PM EDT... AT 659 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER SANDTOWN...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 10 MPH. THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE PEA SIZED HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH AS IT MOVES ACROSS DOUGLAS...COBB AND FULTON COUNTIES THROUGH 730 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE SANDTOWN...CASCADE HEIGHTS...SIX FLAGS OVER GEORGIA...SWEETWATER CREEK STATE PARK...LITHIA SPRINGS... MABLETON AND AUSTELL. BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 717 PM EDT WED AUG 26 2009 GAZ078-079-089>091-262345- 717 PM EDT WED AUG 26 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN CHATTAHOOCHEE...MARION...MUSCOGEE...HARRIS AND TALBOT COUNTIES UNTIL 745 PM EDT... AT 717 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER NORTH FORT BENNING...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 15 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 45 MPH ARE LIKELY AS THESE STORMS MOVE ACROSS CHATTAHOOCHEE...MARION...MUSCOGEE...HARRIS AND TALBOT COUNTIES THROUGH 745 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE MARION ESTATES...OAKLAND...ZELLOBEE...BRANTLEY...JUNIPER... CHRISTOPHER...JAMESTOWN/SOUTH FORT BENNING...EELBECK/WEST FORT BENNING...MANTA...CUSSETA...BOX SPRINGS...NORTH FORT BENNING...BATTLE PARK...CUSTER ROAD TERRACE AND SAND HILL.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 726 PM EDT WED AUG 26 2009 GAZ032-033-270000- 726 PM EDT WED AUG 26 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN COBB AND FULTON COUNTIES UNTIL 800 PM EDT... AT 725 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 10 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 45 MPH ARE LIKELY AS THIS STORM MOVES ACROSS COBB AND FULTON COUNTIES THROUGH 800 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE...SMYRNA...JIM R MILLER PARK...WHITE WATER PARK...MARIETTA...SANDY PLAINS...DUE WEST... KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY...LOST MOUNTAIN PARK AND KENNESAW.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 746 PM EDT WED AUG 26 2009 GAZ053-067-270015- 746 PM EDT WED AUG 26 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN MERIWETHER AND COWETA COUNTIES UNTIL 815 PM EDT... AT 745 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER LUTHERSVILLE...MOVING NORTH AT 5 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 45 MPH ARE LIKELY AS THIS STORM MOVES ACROSS MERIWETHER AND COWETA COUNTIES THROUGH 815 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE LUTHERSVILLE...LONE OAK...GRANTVILLE...THOMAS CROSSROADS...ARNCO-SARGENT...MADRAS...SHARPSBURG...MORELAND AND NEWNAN.
The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 74 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:50 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
The Cobb County 911 Center reported that two trees were blown down in the northeast part of the county. One fell on and caused damage to a home.
The Clayton County 911 Center reported that lightning strikes resulted in two house fires in the Riverdale area. Specific damages were not provided. One tree was also blown down by thunderstorm winds.
The Fulton County 911 Center reported that a tree was blown down on a power line.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, August 2009
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: 194087, 194088, 194089.