S. The cold front had moved to near Athens and Atlanta by the morning of May 17th.
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 broad upper trough and associated cold front continued to move slowly east into the Tennessee Valley and southeast U.S. The cold front had moved to near Athens and Atlanta by the morning of May 17th. Scattered thunderstorms continued to develop in the warm, moist air mass ahead of the front. Some of these storms became strong to severe during the afternoon and the cold front continued to move southeast.
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 May 17, 4:00 AM EST, 7 hours 43 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 500 AM EDT SUN MAY 17 2009 .SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... COLD FRONT NEAR A TYS TO BHM LINE EARLY THIS MORNING...STILL PROGGD TO PUSH INTO/ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA AND BE NEAR AN ATL-AHN LINE BY MID MORNING...THEN PUSH INTO CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON AS A WEAK WAVE DEVELOPS AND MOVES NORTHEASTWARD ALONG IT. MODELS SHOW BOUNDARY DRIFTING INTO SOUTH GEORGIA THIS EVENING...THEN MEANDERING SOMEWHERE NEAR THE GA/FL BORDER INTO MONDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS SOUTHEAST FROM THE GREAT LAKES REGION...BRINGING DRIER AND COOLER AIR ESPECIALLY TO NORTH GEORGIA. FOCUS FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTH GEORGIA TODAY AS THE FRONT MOVES ACROSS THAT AREA AND PLAN TO SHOW HIGHEST POPS THERE TODAY INTO TONIGHT. PRECIP CHANCES CONFINED TO MAINLY EXTREME SOUTHEAST COUNTIES MONDAY WITH BOUNDARY NEAR THE GA/FL BORDER. THINK ANY THREAT OF STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL BE OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF GEORGIA TODAY WHERE MODEL CAPES IN THE 1000 TO 1500 RANGE AND SPC PUTTING ITS 5% PROBABILITY OF LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM DEVELOPING ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST GULF OF MEXICO TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY TIME FRAME...AND DRIFTING SLOWLY NORTHWARD TOWARD THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE BY THE END OF THE WEEK. ALL MODELS NOW ON BOARD WITH DEEPER MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FEATURE SPREADING NORTHWARD AND AFFECTING MUCH OF OUR CWA BY THURSDAY/FRIDAY. WILL FOLLOW THIS TREND WITH LOW POPS MAINLY OVER CENTRAL GEORGIA WEDNESDAY...BUT THEN CHANCE TO GOOD CHANCE POPS FOR MUCH OF THE AREA THURSDAY INTO SATURDAY. && .AVIATION...UPDATE... LOW CONFIDENCE FORECAST AS CEILINGS WILL BE A CRAP SHOOT POTENTIALLY RANGING FROM 500 TO 10,000 FEET. WILL NEED TO BE CONCERNED WITH SOME POTENTIAL FOR IFR CEILINGS FOR A WHILE THIS MORNING AND THEN MVFR TO LOWER VFR CEILINGS. PRECIP POTENTIAL WILL INCREASE TODAY FROM APPROACHING UPPER TROUGH. ANY VSBY RESTRICTIONS SHOULD BE MAINLY ASSOCIATED WITH SHOWER ACTIVITY. BEST CHANCE FOR T-STORMS WILL BE ACROSS THE CSG AND MCN TAFS AS SURFACE FRONT MOVES TO CENTRAL GA. SURFACE WINDS BECOMING NORTH TO NORTHEAST DURING DAY AND INCREASING 10-15 KTS. BDL && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 70 47 69 44 75 / 60 40 0 0 0 ATLANTA 69 48 68 47 73 / 60 20 0 0 0 BLAIRSVILLE 64 45 68 39 73 / 60 20 0 0 0 CARTERSVILLE 68 45 72 43 76 / 60 20 0 0 0 COLUMBUS 75 53 71 49 76 / 60 40 10 0 0 GAINESVILLE 67 47 70 47 72 / 60 20 0 0 0 MACON 77 54 70 46 75 / 60 50 20 0 0 ROME 70 46 73 43 79 / 40 10 0 0 0 PEACHTREE CITY 70 49 69 40 74 / 60 20 0 0 0 VIDALIA 81 55 70 49 74 / 60 60 40 20 20 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 49
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 500 AM EDT SUN MAY 17 2009 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-180900- 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- 500 AM EDT SUN MAY 17 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED ACROSS PARTS OF CENTRAL GEORGIA TODAY AND POSSIBLY EARLY THIS EVENING. .SYNOPSIS... A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON AND MOVE SOUTH OF THE AREA BY EARLY EVENING. AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA LATE TODAY AND TONIGHT. STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE TO THE OHIO VALLEY THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... THE PRIMARY HAZARD FROM ANY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLY HAIL. LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAIN CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED. THE MOST LIKELY AREA FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE THE AREA GENERALLY EAST AND SOUTH OF MACON TODAY. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM ATLANTA AND ATHENS SOUTH. .DISCUSSION... A MOIST AIRMASS WILL CONTINUE OVER THE AREA. THE AIRMASS SOUTH OF THE FRONT WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE WITH CAPES OF 1500 TO 2000 AND LIFTED INDICES AROUND MINUS 5. THE INSTABILITY COMBINED WITH THE APPROACH OF A FRONT AND UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL ALLOW FOR ISOLATED STORMS TO BECOME SEVERE. THE LACK OF VERTICAL WIND SHEAR WILL BE AN INHIBITING FACTOR FOR MANY STORMS BECOMING SEVERE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... DUE TO THE ISOLATED NATURE OF ANY SEVERE WEATHER TODAY...SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. BDL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1117 AM EDT SUN MAY 17 2009 GAZ107>109-171600- 1117 AM EDT SUN MAY 17 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR SMALL HAIL AND 35 MPH WINDS IN WILCOX...PULASKI AND DODGE COUNTIES UNTIL 12 PM EDT... AT 1115 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THAT STRETCHED FROM NEAR OCMULGEE BANKS TO NEAR ROCHELLE...AND MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 35 MPH...PEA SIZE HAIL AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE AS THESE STORMS MOVE ACROSS PORTIONS OF WILCOX...PULASKI AND DODGE COUNTIES THROUGH 12 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE ROCHELLE...WALLACE...CEDAR CREEK...OCMULGEE BANKS...ANTIOCH CHURCH...GODWINSVILLE...RHINE... CHAUNCEY... EASTMAN...BROWNING...UNION ...FIVE POINTS AND ABBEVILLE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1148 AM EDT SUN MAY 17 2009 GAZ097-171645- 1148 AM EDT SUN MAY 17 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR PEA SIZED HAIL AND 35 MPH WINDS IN LAURENS COUNTY UNTIL 1245 PM EDT... AT 1147 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CADWELL...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND WIND GUSTS OF 35 MPH ARE LIKELY AS THIS STORM MOVES ACROSS LAURENS COUNTY THROUGH 1245 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE CADWELL...RENTZ...CEDAR GROVE AND LOWERY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1150 AM EDT SUN MAY 17 2009 GAZ110-171645- 1150 AM EDT SUN MAY 17 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR SMALL HAIL AND 35 MPH WINDS IN TELFAIR COUNTY UNTIL 1245 PM EDT... AT 1150 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR TEMPERANCE...AND MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. PEA SIZED HAIL...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND WIND GUSTS OF 35 MPH ARE LIKELY AS THIS STORM MOVES ACROSS TELFAIR COUNTY THROUGH 1245 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE TEMPERANCE...WORKMORE...HELENA AND MCRAE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1222 PM EDT SUN MAY 17 2009 GAZ108-171700- 1222 PM EDT SUN MAY 17 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR SMALL HAIL AND 35 MPH WINDS IN WILCOX COUNTY UNTIL 100 PM EDT... AT 1221 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER BROWNING...AND MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. PEA SIZED HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND WIND GUSTS OF 35 MPH ARE LIKELY AS THIS STORM MOVES ACROSS SOUTHEAST WILCOX COUNTY THROUGH 100 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE ANTIOCH CHURCH AND BROWNING.
The Robins AFB radar (KJGX), 92 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:42 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
The public reported that at least five trees were down just southwest of Workmore. Fence damage was damaged from the downed trees as well.
The public observed golf ball-sized hail just southwest of Workmore. Radar data suggests that large hail likely continued to the southeast side of Workmore.
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, May 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: 173011, 173012.