A backdoor cold front was edging westward across Georgia as a deep closed upper low remained anchored off the mid-Atlantic coast. The front served as a focusing mechanism for scattered thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours.
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 backdoor cold front was edging westward across Georgia as a deep closed upper low remained anchored off the mid-Atlantic coast. The front served as a focusing mechanism for scattered thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours. Many of these storms produced frequent cloud-to-ground lightning. A few became severe and produced marginally severe 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 Jul 23, 4:18 PM EST, 23 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 518 PM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL MOVE TO CENTRAL GA TONIGHT AND FRIDAY AND BECOME STATIONARY. IT LOOKS LIKE THE FRONT WILL DISSIPATE ON SATURDAY. ISOLATED-SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CURRENTLY ACROSS THE AREA. THEY ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH DURING THE NIGHT BUT YOU CAN NOT RULE OUT A SHOWER AFTER MIDNIGHT MAINLY ACROSS CENTRAL GA. BEST BET FOR SHOWERS/STORMS FRIDAY WILL BE ACROSS CENTRAL GA ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT AS DRIER AIR WILL MOVE OVER THE N. THINGS LOOKS SIMILAR ON SATURDAY WITH SLIGHTLY LESS CHANCES ACROSS CENTRAL GA AND SMALL CHANCES ACROSS THE FAR N AS A WEAK SHORT WAVE COULD CAUSE SOME CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY IF THERE IS ENOUGH MOISTURE. LOW TEMPERATURES NEAR NORMAL TONIGHT AND SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL FRIDAY NIGHT. HIGH TEMPERATURES NEAR NORMAL FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. OVERALL CONFIDENCE IS MODERATE TO HIGH. .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... ANOTHER FRONT TRIES TO MOVE INTO N GA ON SUNDAY THAT WILL CAUSE INCREASING POTENTIAL FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS. IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THE FRONT WILL HAVE THE PUSH TO GET VERY FAR S. INCREASING SOUTHERLY FLOW DURING THE REST OF THIS PERIOD WILL CALL FOR CONTINUED CHANCES FOR MORE SUMMER-LIKE SHOWERS AND STORMS WITH THE MODELS INDICATING A MORE ACTIVE UPPER FLOW...ESPECIALLY TUESDAY INTO THURSDAY. && .AVIATION... CONVECTION ASSOCIATED WITH WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY OVER NORTH GEORGIA WILL DIMINISH IN THE METRO ATL AREA BY EVENING AS THE FRONT STALLS ACROSS CENTRAL GA. BEST ACTIVITY WILL BE OVER CENTRAL GA...SOUTH OF THE FRONT...INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AND AGAIN FRI 18-00Z. VFR CIGS EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD...ALTHOUGH SOME AREAS MAY SEE 5SM VIS 09-12Z. NW WINDS WILL REMAIN LIGHT THROUGH THE PERIOD. LEG && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 67 92 66 93 69 / 20 5 10 5 10 ATLANTA 69 89 69 91 71 / 20 5 10 5 10 BLAIRSVILLE 60 82 62 85 65 / 10 10 10 20 20 CARTERSVILLE 63 90 62 92 65 / 20 10 10 10 10 COLUMBUS 71 91 70 93 72 / 30 10 10 10 10 GAINESVILLE 67 87 67 90 70 / 20 10 10 10 10 MACON 69 93 68 94 70 / 30 20 10 10 10 ROME 64 89 63 92 67 / 10 10 10 10 10 PEACHTREE CITY 65 90 61 91 65 / 30 5 10 5 10 VIDALIA 73 91 71 93 72 / 30 40 20 20 20 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && BDL/LEG
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 622 AM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-241030- 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- 622 AM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS EVENING ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .SYNOPSIS... A WEAK COLD FRONT OVER NORTHWEST GEORGIA WILL SLOWLY DRIFT SOUTHWARD TO CENTRAL CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON AND SOUTH GEORGIA OVERNIGHT. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... THE PRIMARY HAZARD FROM ANY THUNDERSTORM THAT DEVELOPS WILL BE LIGHTNING. BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. .DISCUSSION... AS THE SURFACE FRONT DRIFTS SOUTHWARD...THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BECOME MORE UNSTABLE WITH CAPE INCREASING TO 900 TO 1200...AND LIFTED INDICES OF -1 TO -3. THIS WILL BE ENOUGH TO PRODUCE ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. THE LACK OF DEEP LAYER WIND SHEAR AND STRONG UPPER FORCING SHOULD HINDER SEVERE STORM DEVELOPMENT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE CENTRAL GEORGIA FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...A CHANCE OF AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 449 PM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 GAZ059-060-071-072-082-232115- 449 PM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAIN IN BIBB...JONES...MONROE...PUTNAM AND JASPER COUNTIES UNTIL 515 PM EDT... AT 447 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER DAMES FERRY...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE PEA SIZED HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AS IT MOVES ACROSS BIBB...JONES...MONROE...PUTNAM AND JASPER COUNTIES THROUGH 515 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE PLANT SCHERER...JULIETTE...BOLINGBROKE...FORSYTH...DAMES FERRY...JARRELL PLANTATION...CLINTON...ROUND OAK...HILLSBORO...WAYSIDE...BRADLEY AND GRAY. BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 511 PM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 GAZ071-072-232145- 511 PM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAIN IN JONES AND MONROE COUNTIES UNTIL 545 PM EDT... AT 508 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER DAMES FERRY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE PEA SIZED HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AS IT MOVES ACROSS JONES AND MONROE COUNTIES THROUGH 545 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE DAMES FERRY...PLANT SCHERER...JARRELL PLANTATION...CLINTON...WAYSIDE...ROUND OAK...GRAY AND BRADLEY. BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 35 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:41 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
The Pike County 911 Center reported that a home on Fossett Road was struck by lightning. No fire was reported and damage was minimal.
The Lamar County 911 Center reported that a structure suffered minor damage from thunderstorm winds. One power line was also blown down.
The Lamar County 911 Center observed penny-sized hail in the Barnesville area.
The Walton County 911 Center relayed a report that two trees and one power line were down in the Loganville area near the Gwinnett county 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, July 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: 190095, 190094, 190093, 190096.