A short wave embedded in a fast zonal flow was traversing the southern states. A comparatively warm air mass, with respect to many previous winter events, was in place across the region as the associated cold front swept into the southeast states.
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 short wave embedded in a fast zonal flow was traversing the southern states. A comparatively warm air mass, with respect to many previous winter events, was in place across the region as the associated cold front swept into the southeast states. A strong line of thunderstorms accompanied the front and moved into the Georgia during the pre-dawn hours. The thunderstorms brought considerable lightning, brief heavy rain, and some small hail. None of the thunderstorms reached severe limits.
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 Feb 22, 3:09 AM EST, 40 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 309 AM EST MON FEB 22 2010 .SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... LOW PRESSURE AS OF 07Z LOCATED NEAR PADUCAH WITH A WARM FRONT EXTENDING NORTHEAST ALONG THE OHIO RIVER AND A COLD FRONT TO THE SOUTH ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI. WELL AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...A SOLID LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS ADVANCING EASTWARD ACROSS ERN TN...NWRN GA...CENT AL...BACK TO SERN MS ALONG THE LOW LEVEL JET/THERMAL RIDGE AXIS. THE NORTHERNMOST CG LIGHTNING ACTIVITY HAS DROPPED OFF CONSIDERABLY OVER THE LAST FEW HOURS...AND EXPECT THIS GENERAL LESSENING TREND TO CONTINUE AS THE LINE TRACKS ACROSS GA TODAY GIVEN A DRIER LOCAL AIRMASS AND A WEAKENING LLJ. BEST THUNDER POTENTIAL WILL BE OVER CENT GA TODAY WHERE DEWPOINTS HAVE CLIMBED INTO THE 40S...AND SOMEWHAT MORE VIGOROUS CONVECTION WAS APPROACHING FROM ALABAMA THIS MORNING. MODEL SOLUTIONS BEGIN TO DIVERGE QUICKLY...STARTING WITH SLIGHT DIFFERENCES IN TIMING OF FROPA THROUGH GA THIS AFTERNOON. MODEL DIFFERENCES GROW THROUGH THE ENTIRE 7 DAY FORECAST...AS THEY STRUGGLE TO HANDLE THE DETAILS OF MULTIPLE/SUCCESSIVE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN U.S. AND GULF OF MEXICO THE FIRST OF WHICH IS IMPACTING GEORGIA TODAY AND THE SECOND EARLY WEDNESDAY. WEST TO NORTHWEST FLOW IN THE WAKE OF TODAYS FROPA WILL BRING SOMEWHAT COOLER AND DRIER AIR INTO THE LOCAL AREA AS A SURFACE HIGH REMAINS ANCHORED OVER THE PLAINS STATES AND OUR DEPARTING LOW BEGINS CRANKING UP OVER NEW ENGLAND. OUR SECOND UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE CROSSING ALABAMA TUESDAY EVENING SHOULD REACH GA AFTER MIDNIGHT WEDNESDAY. MODEL THERMAL FIELDS ARE GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF -SN INITIALLY IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN NW OF A CEDARTOWN TO JASPER TO HELEN LINE...THOUGH CONTINUED LOW LEVEL COLD ADVECTION AND EVAPORATIVE COOLING MAY LOWER TEMPS/WET BULB TEMPS CLOSER TOWARD FREEZING NW OF A CARROLLTON TO CUMMING TO HELEN LINE BY SUNRISE WEDNESDAY MORNING. EXPECT PRECIP TO BE A MIX OF RA/SN AT LOWER ELEVATIONS...BUT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 1500-2000 HAVE A BETTER SHOT AT SEEING PREDOMINANTLY -SN. THE BIGGER CHALLENGE THAN P-TYPE IS FIGURING OUR WHETHER OR NOT PRECIP WILL OCCUR. MODEL QPF REMAINS VERY LIGHT OR NON-EXISTENT...THOUGH THE GFS IS FINALLY STARTING TO COME ONBOARD WITH THE OTHER MODELS WHICH SHOW AT LEAST SOME PRECIP...BUT NOT ENOUGH TO WARRANT MORE THAN THE CURRENT 20 POPS. PRECIP SHOULD END QUICKLY WEDNESDAY MORNING...AND WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A BETTER SURGE OF NORTHWEST FLOW COLD ADVECTION COMMENCING BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... H8 TEMPS DIP TO AROUND -15C FAR NORTH AND -7C SOUTH BY THURSDAY MORNING...RESULTING IN TEMPERATURES A GOOD 15 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL BY THURSDAY. WE REMAIN CAUGHT IN A COLD AND DRY PATTERN BETWEEN A HIGH EXTENDING THROUGH THE PLAINS STATES AND A PERSISTENT AND THE DEEPENING NEW ENGLAND UPPER LOW THROUGH SUNDAY...THOUGH AIRMASS MODIFICATION SLOWLY NUDGES TEMPERATURES UPWARD EACH DAY FROM THEIR COLDEST ON THURSDAY. RRH && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 62 41 61 37 51 / 80 10 5 20 20 ATLANTA 63 41 55 36 48 / 80 10 5 20 20 BLAIRSVILLE 54 36 50 31 42 / 70 10 10 20 20 CARTERSVILLE 61 37 54 32 48 / 60 10 5 20 20 COLUMBUS 66 44 61 39 53 / 80 10 5 20 20 GAINESVILLE 58 41 56 36 48 / 80 10 10 20 20 MACON 65 42 65 38 53 / 90 10 5 20 20 ROME 63 41 56 33 48 / 40 10 10 20 20 PEACHTREE CITY 64 39 57 36 49 / 80 10 5 20 20 VIDALIA 65 49 67 41 57 / 90 20 5 10 20 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 601 AM EST SUN FEB 21 2010 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-221100- 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- 601 AM EST SUN FEB 21 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE TONIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .SYNOPSIS... AN UPPER-LEVEL SHORT WAVE WILL APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE WEST TONIGHT AND MOVE ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY. WEAK SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE ALIGNED ALONG THE EAST COAST WILL SHIFT SLOWLY EAST TODAY. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... THE PRIMARY HAZARD FROM ANY THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY WILL BE ISOLATED CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN. THE BEST CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND 10 AM EST. THE MOST LIKELY AREA FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM LA GRANGE...TO CANTON...TO BLUE RIDGE. .DISCUSSION... ZONAL FLOW DOMINATES THE SOUTHERN STATES AT THIS TIME. LOW PRESSURE...INTENSIFYING ACROSS THE WESTERN U.S...WILL GRADUALLY SHIFT EAST TOWARD MID-WEEK. IN ADVANCE OF THIS SYSTEM...A STRONG SHORT WAVE WILL MOVE QUICKLY EAST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN STATES. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE ONGOING OVERNIGHT ACROSS THE MID-SOUTH. A FEW OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS GEORGIA TONIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY. MINOR INSTABILITY AND A 45 TO 50 KNOT LOW-LEVEL JET TRACKING ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA EARLY MONDAY WILL ALSO SUPPORT ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. BRIEF HEAVY RAIN CAN BE EXPECTED...BUT RAINFALL IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT. 19
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1245 AM EST MON FEB 22 2010 GAZ001-002-220630- 1245 AM EST MON FEB 22 2010 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR 40 MPH WINDS IN DADE AND WALKER COUNTIES UNTIL 130 AM EST... AT 1141 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM COLE CITY TO 37 MILES SOUTHWEST OF RISING FAWN...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 40 MPH AND OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES ARE LIKELY AS THESE STORMS MOVE ACROSS DADE AND WALKER COUNTIES THROUGH 130 AM EST. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE COLE CITY...HOOKER...MORGANVILLE...STEPHENSVILLE... MORGANVILLE...WILDWOOD. ..NEW ENGLAND...TRENTON...LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN...RISING FAWN...CLOUDLAND CANYON STATE PARK...ROSSVILLE... COOPER HEIGHTS...CHATTANOOGA VALLEY AND FAIRVIEW.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 118 AM EST MON FEB 22 2010 GAZ011-220700- 118 AM EST MON FEB 22 2010 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR 40 MPH WINDS IN CHATTOOGA COUNTY UNTIL 200 AM EST... AT 113 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FROM 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF CLOUDLAND TO MENLO...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS ACTIVITY AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE COUNTY...ESPECIALLY AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 2000 FEET. OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. THESE WIND GUSTS MAY PRODUCE MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND BLOW LIGHT...UNSECURED OBJECTS AROUND. 19
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 143 AM EST MON FEB 22 2010 GAZ019-220730- 143 AM EST MON FEB 22 2010 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR 40 MPH WINDS IN FLOYD COUNTY UNTIL 230 AM EST... AT 140 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF HEAVY SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS FROM COOSA TO CAVE SPRING...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS ACTIVITY...ESPECIALLY ACROSS SOUTHERN FLOYD COUNTY. BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. THESE WIND GUSTS MAY PRODUCE MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS...CAUSE POWER INTERRUPTION...AND BLOW ABOUT LIGHT UNSECURED OBJECTS. 19
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 224 AM EST MON FEB 22 2010 GAZ007-012-013-020-021-030-220745- 224 AM EST MON FEB 22 2010 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR 40 MPH WINDS IN EASTERN POLK...CHEROKEE...BARTOW...PICKENS...EASTERN GORDON...AND GILMER COUNTIES UNTIL 245 AM EST... AT 215 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS FROM WESTERN FANNIN COUNTY...TO NEAR CALHOUN...TO NEAR CEDARTOWN...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 35 TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS ACTIVITY AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE INDICATED COUNTIES. BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED. THESE WIND GUSTS MAY PRODUCE MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND BLOW ABOUT LIGHT...UNSECURED OBJECTS. A FEW POWER OUTAGES MAY RESULT. 19
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 244 AM EST MON FEB 22 2010 GAZ030-041-042-220830- 244 AM EST MON FEB 22 2010 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR 40 MPH WINDS IN NORTHWEST CARROLL...HARALSON AND SOUTHERN POLK COUNTIES UNTIL 330 AM EST... AT 138 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ESOM HILL TO 24 MILES SOUTHWEST OF TALLAPOOSA...OR FROM JUST SOUTHEAST OF PIEDMONT ALABAMA TO JUST SOUTHWEST OF HEFLIN ALABAMA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS ACTIVITY AS IT MOVES ACROSS NORTHWEST CARROLL...HARALSON AND SOUTHERN POLK COUNTIES THROUGH 330 AM EST. IN ADDITION...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED. THESE WIND GUSTS MAY PRODUCE MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND BLOW ABOUT LIGHT...UNSECURED OBJECTS AROUND. SOME POWER OUTAGES MAY RESULT. 19
The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 85 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:49 UTC.
2 lightning, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
The Beacon Newspaper of Johns Creek reported that lightning struck a gas line adjacent to a home on Hillgate Crossing near Abbotts Bridge Road. The home caught fire and sustained damage as a result.
The Times Herald of Newnan reported that lightning struck a home on Welcome-Sargent Road, west of Newnan, and blew out part of the kitchen wall, kitchen cabinets, and the some of the porch floorboards. The crawl space was also set on fire by the lightning strike.
The public reported penny-sized hail in the Thomaston area.
Two reports of penny-sized hail were received from the public, one in Warner Robins and the other in Kathleen.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, February 2010
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: 218188, 218187, 218185, 218186.