A stalled front was located across the Tennessee Valley westward into Texas. A series of weak disturbances were traversing the area in a mean westerly flow aloft in the warm, humid air mass south of the front.
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 stalled front was located across the Tennessee Valley westward into Texas. A series of weak disturbances were traversing the area in a mean westerly flow aloft in the warm, humid air mass south of the front. This led to scattered showers and thunderstorms across north and central Georgia for several days. One non-severe thunderstorm moving through Atlanta and central Fulton county produced wind gusts that blew down a large tree causing structural damage.
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 2, 2:53 PM EST, 13 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 353 PM EDT SAT MAY 2 2009 .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... CURRENT RADAR LOOP SHOWS A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EAST ACROSS NORTH GA. THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A LARGE FRONTAL SYSTEM EXTENDING FROM THE MID ATLANTIC STATES DOWN THROUGH CENTRAL TX. RIGHT NOW THE BEST SEVERE WEATHER ALONG THIS FRONT IS BACK ACROSS MS/AR/OK/TX AND IT CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST. THERE IS STILL A WEAK RIDGE AXIS ACROSS N FL WHICH IS NOT ALLOWING THE FRONTAL SYSTEM TO MOVE SOUTH OUT OF THE TN/MS VALLEYS. THE MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT SHOWING A BROAD UPPER TROUGH ACROSS THE NE U.S. GRADUALLY SINKING SOUTHWARD THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR INCREASING DYNAMICS AND SLIGHTLY BETTER SHEAR AS THE FRONTAL SYSTEM MOVES CLOSER TO THE STATE THROUGH TUE. AS FOR TONIGHT AND SUN THE MOST FAVORABLE AREA FOR CONVECTION WILL REMAIN ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA...CLOSEST TO THE FORCING ASSOCIATED WITH THE STALLED FRONT. SHEAR DOES NOT LOOK TO MUCH OF AN ISSUE WITH THIS SYSTEM BUT CAPES ARE EXPECTED IN THE 2000-3000 RANGE AND LIS EXPECTED AROUND -1 TO -3. THIS USUALLY RESULTS IN SCATTERED PULSE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WITH THE GREATEST THREAT BEING STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL AND CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. TEMPS SHOULD STAY NEAR OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE SEASONAL NORMS. .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE NEXT 7 DAYS. THE RIDGE FINALLY WEAKENS AND SINKS FAR ENOUGH SOUTH THAT THE SOUTHERN TIP OF THE LINGERING FRONTAL SYSTEM ACROSS THE TN VALLEY SWEEPS THROUGH GA MON/TUE MORNING. THE FRONT APPEARS TO BE VERY WEAK BY THIS POINT BUT THERE STILL APPEARS TO BE A DECENT AMOUNT OF INSTABILITY WITH IT. ONCE IT MOVES THROUGH ANOTHER WEAK RIDGE TRIES TO BUILD IN FROM THE GREAT LAKES REGION TUE BUT IT GETS PUSHED OUT QUICKLY BY A SECOND FRONT WHICH PUSHES INTO NE GA WED/THU. ALL IN ALL LOOKING FOR CONTINUED AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHRA/TSRA THROUGH DAYS 7. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 62 81 62 75 60 / 60 30 60 60 30 ATLANTA 62 81 64 73 60 / 60 30 60 60 30 BLAIRSVILLE 58 74 59 69 54 / 80 70 80 60 30 CARTERSVILLE 61 78 59 71 56 / 70 50 80 60 20 COLUMBUS 64 86 67 79 63 / 30 20 50 60 30 GAINESVILLE 61 77 61 71 59 / 70 50 70 60 30 MACON 62 87 65 82 63 / 40 10 40 60 30 ROME 64 80 63 73 58 / 70 60 80 60 20 PEACHTREE CITY 61 82 61 74 59 / 50 20 60 60 30 VIDALIA 62 88 63 85 65 / 20 10 10 40 30 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: CATOOSA...CHATTOOGA...DADE...FLOYD...GORDON...MURRAY...WALKER... WHITFIELD. && 01
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1117 AM EDT SAT MAY 2 2009 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-031215- 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- 1117 AM EDT SAT MAY 2 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. .SYNOPSIS... A SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES WILL MOVE EAST THROUGH THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AND NORTH GEORGIA THROUGH TONIGHT. THE COMBINATION OF UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS...DIURNAL HEATING AND OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES WILL CAUSE AREAS OF THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE INTO GEORGIA THROUGH TONIGHT. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... THE PRIMARY HAZARDS WILL BE PENNY TO QUARTER SIZED HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAINFALL. THE MAIN THREAT AREA IS NORTH OF A LINE FROM FORT BENNING...TO PERRY...TO LOUISVILLE. .DISCUSSION... THE COMBINATION OF UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS...DIURNAL HEATING AND OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES WILL CAUSE AREAS OF THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE INTO AND DEVELOP OVER GEORGIA THROUGH TONIGHT. CAPES WILL INCREASE TO AROUND 3000 AND LIFTED INDEX VALUES WILL DECREASE TO MINUS 4. THIS ENVIRONMENT WILL LIKELY PRODUCE SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTH GEORGIA ON SUNDAY. OTHERWISE THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS SHOULD MONITOR THE LATEST INFORMATION FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ALSO 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 1036 AM EDT SAT MAY 2 2009 GAZ001>007-011-021530- 1036 AM EDT SAT MAY 2 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAIN IN CHATTOOGA...GILMER...FANNIN...DADE...WALKER...WHITFIELD...CATOOSA AND MURRAY COUNTIES UNTIL 1130 AM EDT... AT 1026 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM TENNGA TO 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CEDAR GROVE...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. THESE STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH AS THEY MOVE ACROSS CHATTOOGA...GILMER...FANNIN...DADE...WALKER...WHITFIELD...CATOOSA AND MURRAY COUNTIES THROUGH 1130 AM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE CEDAR GROVE...CISCO... GREGORY...TENNGA... TUNNEL HILL...BEAVERDALE...VARNELL...COHUTTA...WOOD STATION...BLUE SPRING...BEAUMONT...RINGGOLD...LAFAYETTE...LINWOOD AND ROCK SPRING. 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 243 PM EDT SAT MAY 2 2009 GAZ031-032-041>043-021930- 243 PM EDT SAT MAY 2 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR 35 MPH WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN IN DOUGLAS...CARROLL...HARALSON...PAULDING AND COBB COUNTIES UNTIL 330 PM EDT... AT 240 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM HIRAM TO BOWDON...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. THESE STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE PEA SIZED HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH AS THEY MOVE ACROSS DOUGLAS...CARROLL...HARALSON...PAULDING AND COBB COUNTIES THROUGH 330 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE UNION...DUE WEST...LOST MOUNTAIN PARK...ACWORTH...DALLAS... NEW HOPE...YORKVILLE...CROSS ROADS...BREMEN...WACO...DRAKETOWN... BOWDON JUNCTION...MOUNT ZION...TEMPLE AND HIRAM. 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 248 PM EDT SAT MAY 2 2009 GAZ027-036>038-021930- 248 PM EDT SAT MAY 2 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR PEA SIZED HAIL AND 35 MPH WINDS IN OCONEE...OGLETHORPE...CLARKE AND MADISON COUNTIES UNTIL 330 PM EDT... AT 247 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM WATSON MILL BRIDGE STATE PARK TO WATKINSVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. THESE STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE PEA SIZED HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH AS THEY MOVE ACROSS OCONEE...OGLETHORPE...CLARKE AND MADISON COUNTIES THROUGH 330 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE HARRISON...SMITHONIA...BEECHWOOD HILLS...STATE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF GEORGIA...JAMES HOLLAND YOUTH SPORTS COMPLEX...WINTERVILLE... WHITEHALL...OCONEE HEIGHTS...BARRETTS MILL...ATHENS...WATKINSVILLE... PAOLI...DIAMOND HILL...HULL AND COLBERT. 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 331 PM EDT SAT MAY 2 2009 GAZ031>033-042>045-052-053-022030- 331 PM EDT SAT MAY 2 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR PEA SIZED HAIL AND 40 MPH WINDS IN HEARD...COWETA...DOUGLAS...CARROLL...DEKALB...PAULDING...COBB AND FULTON COUNTIES UNTIL 430 PM EDT... AT 328 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM ROSWELL TO FROLONA...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. THESE STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE PEA SIZED HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AS THEY MOVE ACROSS HEARD...COWETA...DOUGLAS...CARROLL...DEKALB...PAULDING...COBB AND FULTON COUNTIES THROUGH 430 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE ROSWELL...FROLONA...ROOSTERVILLE...EPHESUS... BILL ARP...WINSTON...DOUGLASVILLE...LITHIA SPRINGS...LAKE VAL-DO-MAR...TREASURE LAKE...ABILENE...TYUS...CLEM...ROOPVILLE AND CARROLLTON. 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 402 PM EDT SAT MAY 2 2009 GAZ024-025-027-022045- 402 PM EDT SAT MAY 2 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR PEA SIZED HAIL AND 40 MPH WINDS IN MADISON...JACKSON AND BANKS COUNTIES UNTIL 445 PM EDT... AT 401 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM FIVE POINTS TO CENTER...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. THESE STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE PEA SIZED HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AS THEY MOVE ACROSS MADISON...JACKSON AND BANKS COUNTIES THROUGH 445 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE FIVE POINTS... NICHOLSON...CENTER...POCATALIGO...ILA...SANFORD...NEESE... DANIELSVILLE AND HARRISON. BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 50 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:04 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Atlanta metropolitan television stations reported that a large tree was blown down during a thunderstorm on Virginia Circle, about two miles north-northeast of downtown Atlanta. The tree fell across a power line and onto two cars.
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: 170401.