Unstable northwest flow aloft persisted across the area. A cold front continued to slowly approach from the northwest.
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.
Unstable northwest flow aloft persisted across the area. A cold front continued to slowly approach from the northwest. However, a pre-frontal trough was located across northeast and north central Georgia. This feature served as a focusing mechanism for scattered showers and thunderstorms to develop during the afternoon and evening, especially across east central and central Georgia. A few of the thunderstorms became marginally severe and produced penny-sized hail and damaging wind gusts.
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 5, 4:45 AM EST, 9 hours 10 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 545 AM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 .SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... MODELS INDICATE A SOUTHEASTWARD MOVING SHORT WAVE CROSSING THE CWA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THIS...COMBINED WITH VARIOUS OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES LEFT FROM OVERNIGHT MCS COULD AID IN SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND TONIGHT. HAVE GONE WITH LIKELY FOR THE NORTH AND CHANCE ELSEWHERE. SOME DRYING SHOWN FOR THURSDAY AS UPPER TROUGH BEGINS MOVING OFF THE EAST COAST. HAVE SHADED POPS BACK TO SLIGHT CHANCE MOST AREAS...EXCEPT CHANCE FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL. TEMPERATURES GENERALLY LOW TO MID 90S TODAY...HOWEVER ANY CLOUDINESS FROM MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY MCS COULD AFFECT HIGHS. OTHERWISE HIGHS IN THE LOW TO MID 90S THROUGH THE SHORT TERM EXCEPT FOR UPPER 80S IN THE NORTHEAST. .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... UPPER RIDGE BUILDING OVER THE SOUTHEAST. HOT TEMPERATURES AND MAINLY DIURNAL CONVECTION SHOULD BE THE DOMINANT FEATURES. && .AVIATION... CURRENT RADAR LOOP SHOWS SHOWS A LARGE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY SWEEPING SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE STATE THIS MORNING. THIS BOUNDARY WILL ACT AS A FOCUSING MECHANISM FOR SHRA/TSRA DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS THE REGION. CURRENTLY THERE ARE NO ISSUES WITH MORNING FOG BUT STILL THINK THERE MAY BE SOME ISOLATE AREAS JUST BEFORE SUNRISE. NOT EXPECTING VSBYS TO GET LOWER THAT 4-5SM...AND SHOULD DISSIPATE SHORTLY AFTER SUNRISE. WINDS WILL CONTINUE OUT OF THE WEST TO NW AT 5-10 KTS. SHOULD KEEP MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS THROUGH THE DAY EXCEPT IN AND AROUND ANY TSRA DEVELOPMENT. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 93 68 93 67 92 / 40 30 20 10 20 ATLANTA 91 71 91 70 90 / 40 30 20 10 20 BLAIRSVILLE 83 66 90 62 87 / 60 20 20 10 20 CARTERSVILLE 89 66 90 63 91 / 60 20 20 10 20 COLUMBUS 94 74 93 71 94 / 30 30 20 10 20 GAINESVILLE 88 69 90 68 89 / 50 30 20 10 20 MACON 94 71 94 70 95 / 30 30 20 20 20 ROME 91 68 91 65 94 / 60 20 20 10 20 PEACHTREE CITY 91 68 91 67 91 / 40 30 20 10 20 VIDALIA 94 70 92 71 94 / 30 30 30 20 30 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 41
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 608 AM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-061015- 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- 608 AM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS EXPECTED TONIGHT ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .SYNOPSIS... WIDESPREAD CONVECTION ACROSS THE MID MISSISSIPPI AND TENNESSEE VALLEYS IS PUSHING AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY SOUTHWARD ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA AND GEORGIA THIS MORNING. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... THE PRIMARY HAZARD FROM THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. THE BEST CHANCES FOR STRONGER THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WILL BE OVER NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .DISCUSSION... WIDESPREAD CONVECTION ACROSS THE MID MISSISSIPPI AND TENNESSEE VALLEYS IS PUSHING AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY SOUTHWARD ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA AND GEORGIA THIS MORNING. THIS BOUNDARY AND THE MID-LEVEL TROUGH CROSSING THE REGION SHOULD COMBINE TO FOCUS CONVECTIVE REDEVELOPMENT THE AFTERNOON ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. WHILE DEEP-LAYER SHEAR WILL REMAIN WEAK...CAPES WILL GET INTO THE 1500 TO 3000 RANGE ALONG WITH LIFTED INDICES AROUND -4 TO -5. THESE CONDITIONS ALONG WITH A VERY MOIST ATMOSPHERE WILL HELP TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT PRIMED FOR SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY...ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS 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 219 PM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 GAZ074-084-051900- 219 PM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR WIND GUSTS OF 40 MPH AND OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING IN PARTS OF WILKINSON AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES UNTIL 300 PM EDT... AT 218 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER MCINTYRE...AND MOVING EAST AT 15 TO 20 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 40 MPH AND OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE LIKELY AS THIS STORM MOVES ACROSS EASTERN WILKINSON AND WESTERN WASHINGTON COUNTIES THROUGH 300 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE MCINTYRE...TOOMSBORO...HEBRON AND OCONEE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 220 PM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 GAZ092-093-095-105-051900- 220 PM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN SCHLEY... MACON...HOUSTON AND DOOLY COUNTIES UNTIL 300 PM EDT... AT 219 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR HENDERSON TO LA CROSSE...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. THESE STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE PEA SIZED HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH AS THEY MOVE ACROSS SCHLEY...MACON...HOUSTON AND DOOLY COUNTIES THROUGH 300 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE WINCHESTER... WHITEWATER STATE PARK...FOUNTAINVILLE...MONTEZUMA...OGLETHORPE...LA CROSSE...BUMPHEAD...MOSS OAK...GROVE PARK...FIVE POINTS...DOOLING... BYROMVILLE...CLINCHFIELD...GROVANIA AND HAYNEVILLE. BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. 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.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 247 PM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 GAZ038-039-051930- 247 PM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR PEA SIZED HAIL AND 45 MPH WINDS IN WILKES AND OGLETHORPE COUNTIES UNTIL 330 PM EDT... AT 245 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER VESTA...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 45 MPH...PEA SIZED HAIL...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING ARE LIKELY AS THIS STORM MOVES ACROSS NORTHERN WILKES AND NORTHWEST OGLETHORPE COUNTIES THROUGH 330 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE POINT PETER...VESTA...JACKSONS CROSSROADS... MALLORYSVILLE...DELHI...NORMAN AND TIGNALL.
The Robins AFB radar (KJGX), 107 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:54 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
The Sumter County 911 Center reported that a few power lines were blown down in the Americus area as a line of thunderstorms moved through.
The Bibb County 911 Center reported that several trees were down in the northeast portion of the county, near Cross Keys.
The public observed penny-sized hail between Oak Park and Stillmore.
The Emanuel County 911 Center reported that lightning struck a power pole and set it on fire.
The public and the Bibb County 911 Center reported that numerous trees, some large, were down generally on the south side of Macon.
The public observed penny-sized hail in the north central part of the county, near and just west of Norwood.
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: 193066, 193067, 193068, 193069, 193070, 193071.