A deep closed upper low was moving southeast from the middle Tennessee Valley into the southeast United States. S.
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 deep closed upper low was moving southeast from the middle Tennessee Valley into the southeast United States. An associated frontal system and low pressure area was moving from the eastern Gulf coastal region northeastward along the southeastern U.S. seaboard. An unusually warm, moist atmosphere was present across the southeast U.S. in advance of this weather system. Although overall instability was marginal, strong shear was present with this weather system. Bands of showers and thunderstorms tracked across north and central Georgia throughout the day. While most of the storms were non-severe, one storm in northwest Georgia produced a significant downburst. The storm simultaneously produced large hail, which when combined with the downburst winds produced a significant path of damage across Whitfield county. Another storm during the evening spawned a brief EF0 tornado in the central Georgia county of Dooly, with very minimal damage noted.
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 Mar 12, 9:50 AM EST, 2 hours 13 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 950 AM EST FRI MAR 12 2010 .UPDATE... DENSE FOG DISSIPATING LATE THIS MORNING. I HAVE GONE AHEAD AND CANCELLED THE DENSE FOG ADVISORY. INSTABILITY REMAINS LIMITED ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA THIS MORNING...BUT SHOULD INCREASE SOME THROUGH THE DAY WITH LOW AND MID LEVEL WINDS INCREASING TO MODERATE LEVELS. I WILL NOT BE MAKING ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE CURRENT GRIDS OR FORECAST PRODUCTS BEYOND A FEW TWEAKS HERE AND THERE TO FIT CURRENT TRENDS. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 507 AM EST FRI MAR 12 2010/ SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... STRONG SYSTEM SPINNING OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS CURRENTLY HAS A COLD FRONT EXTENDING SOUTH ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY. WEAK CAD RIDGING DOWN THE EASTERN SEABOARD WILL CONTINUE TO BRING COOL...STABLE FLOW INTO NORTH GEORGIA...WITH WIDESPREAD LOW CLOUDS AND FOG. NAM AND GFS HAVING SOME ISSUES...ESPECIALLY THE GFS DEVELOPING A SURFACE LOW OFF THE COAST ONCE THIS SYSTEM MOVES EAST. NAM AND ECMWF NOT REALLY BUYING INTO THE GFS SOLUTION. OVERALL...ECMWF SEEMS MOST CONSISTENT...SO HAVE TRIED TO ADJUST GRIDS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO LINE UP WITH IT. TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN PAIN LOOKING BACK AT THE LAST COUPLE OF NIGHTS...MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE WEDGE FRONT. ODDLY ENOUGH MAV (EVEN WITH THE NON-PREFERENCE OF THE GFS MASS FIELDS) SEEMS TO HAVE DONE A REASONABLE JOB WITH TEMPS. HAVE TAKEN A BLEND AND ADJUSTED FOR BIASES...AND WILL HOPE FOR THE BEST! FIRST CONCERN IS THE FOG FOR THIS MORNING. ISENTROPIC LIFT OVER THE SOUTHEAST WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT. WIDESPREAD VISIBILITIES BELOW 1/4 MILE ACROSS NORTHEAST GEORGIA...SO HAVE ISSUED A DENSE FOG ADVISORY. DO NOT EXPECT A QUICK BURNOFF THIS MORNING AS WINDS WON'T BEGIN PICKING UP UNTIL LATER THIS MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON AHEAD OF THE FRONT...SO ADVISORY IS IN PLACE UNTIL 11AM. NEXT CONCERN...POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER. NOT ALL THAT IMPRESSED AT THIS TIME. SWATH OF CAPE ACROSS ALABAMA THIS MORNING WILL MOVE EAST WITH THE FRONT. COLD DOME FROM THE CAD WILL KEEP NORTH AND EAST GEORGIA QUITE STABLE TODAY...AND OF COURSE SHEAR IS HIGHEST IN THESE AREAS. SOME INSTABILITY CREEPS INTO CENTRAL GEORGIA ESPECIALLY THIS AFTERNOON...AVERAGING ABOUT 500 J/KG SBCAPE WITH SIMILAR MLCAPE VALUES. EVEN IN THE MORE STABLE AIRMASS...ENOUGH SYNOPTIC LIFT MOVING IN TO WARRANT AT LEAST SOME THUNDER. BEST CHANCE OF SEVERE IS ACROSS CENTRAL GEORGIA WHERE HIGHEST INSTABILITY BRIEFLY OVERLAPS BETTER SHEAR PARAMETERS. NOT IMPRESSED WITH THE TORNADO THREAT...BUT OF COURSE ONE CANNOT BE RULED OUT. THE BIGGER CONCERN IS THE WINDS...STRONG LOW LEVEL JET WILL CONTINUE AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND SOME OF THOSE STRONGER WINDS MAY GET MIXED DOWN IN ANY CONVECTION THAT DEVELOPS. THE STRONGEST PORTION OF THE LLJ LOOKS TO BE IN THE MOUNTAINS AND INTO EASTERN TENNESSEE...SO AGAIN IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE PARAMETERS JUST WON'T LINE UP QUITE PERFECTLY FOR A MORE WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER EVENT. MAIN LIMITING FACTOR IS DEFINITELY INSTABILITY. SPC HAS DAY1 SLIGHT RISK OUT ALREADY WITH WIND THE MAIN THREAT...BUT OF COURSE WITH LAPSE RATES INCREASING HAIL IS A POSSIBILITY AS WELL. HAVE SEEN REPORTS OF GOLFBALLS IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI/NORTHWEST ALABAMA AT AFD TIME. THIS CONVECTION WILL MOST LIKELY DECREASE IN INTENSITY AS IT REACHES OUR MORE STABLE ATMOSPHERE...BUT WILL STILL NEED WATCHING. HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED THE STRONG LLJ MOVING INTO PLACE. BECAUSE OF THIS AND LIKELIHOOD THAT STRONGER WINDS WILL MIX DOWN EVEN IN NON-CONVECTIVE CELLS...HAVE ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE NORTHEAST MOUNTAINS. WILL HAVE TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THIS...IF THE LLJ DECREASES IN ALTITUDE OR INCREASES IN SPEED A HIGH WIND WARNING MAY BE REQUIRED AND WIND ADVISORY MAY NEED TO BE EXPANDED. OTHER CONCERN...HEAVY RAIN. PERHAPS THIS ONE IS THE BIGGEST CONCERN. HPC QPF PAINTS A 1" BULLSEYE THIS AFTERNOON (18Z-00Z) OVER THE MOUNTAINS...WITH ADDITIONAL RAIN BEFORE 18Z AND AFTER 00Z. WITH THE RAIN OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS...FEEL IT BEST TO ISSUE A FLOOD WATCH FOR THE AREAS WITH HIGHEST QPF. WATCH MAY NEED TO BE EXPANDED SOUTH TO INCLUDE SOME OF THE METRO AREA...IT WON'T TAKE MUCH MORE RAIN TO PUSH CREEKS BACK UP...AGAIN...BUT FOR NOW WILL HOLD OFF UNTIL WE CAN GET A BETTER HANDLE ON LOCATION OF HEAVIEST RAIN. WELL...AFTER ALL THAT...WE STILL HAVE THE REST OF THE SHORT TERM TO CONSIDER! THANKFULLY IT SHOULD NOT BE QUITE AS ACTIVE AS TODAY. UPPER LOW CONTINUES TO SPIN TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST. ECMWF STILL THE PREFERRED MODEL...JUST A TAD FURTHER NORTH AND WEST WITH THE UPPER LOW AND NOT QUITE SO AGGRESSIVE WITH THE LOW ALONG THE EAST COAST (PLUS THE ECMWF HAS THE LOW INLAND VS. THE OFFSHORE GFS SOLUTION). WILL SEE A CONTINUED CHANCE OF SHOWERS AS THE UPPER LOW MOVES ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST. WITH INCREASING LAPSE RATES AS THE COLD CORE MOVES ALOFT...MAY SEE SOME ELEVATED INSTABILITY ON SATURDAY BUT HAVE LEFT GRIDS AS SHOWERS FOR NOW. SOME INFLUENCE OF THE UPPER LOW WILL REMAIN OVER NORTH GEORGIA THROUGH THE SHORT-TERM...WITH COOLER POST-FRONTAL TEMPERATURES EXPECTED OVER THE WEEKEND. LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... CONTINUE TO PREFER THE ECMWF FOR THE EXTENDED. GFS MOVES THE UPPER LOW OFFSHORE A LITTLE FASTER...BUT OVERALL THE TWO AREN'T ALL THAT DIFFERENT INITIALLY. WILL CONTINUE TO SEE SOME WEAK IMPULSES IN THE NORTHWEST FLOW MOVE ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST AFFECTING MAINLY NORTH GEORGIA. SHORTWAVE MOVES THROUGH THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY...BRINGING ANOTHER CHANCE OF SHOWERS AS AN UPPER LOW CLOSES OFF AND DEEPENS ACROSS THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND SOUTHEAST. MORE UNCERTAINTY TOWARD THE END OF THE PERIOD AS GFS PUSHES THE SYSTEM OFF THE COAST AND BUILDS IN WEAK RIDGING... WHEREAS ECMWF MUCH SLOWER. HAVE PULLED BACK JUST SLIGHTLY ON MEX TEMPS BUT TOO MUCH UNCERTAINTY TO FIDDLE AROUND WITH THE GRIDS MUCH MORE THAN THAT. TDP IFR/LIFR CIGS/VSBSY ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA THIS MORNING WILL NOT CHANGE MUCH UNTIL THE CONVECTION NEARS THE STATE WHICH AT CURRENT SPEED AND ACCORDING TO BOTH GFS/NAM...CONVECTION SHOULD BE ENTERING THE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE BETWEEN 15 AND 17Z...REACH THE ATL AREA AROUND 18Z...AND THE AHN AREA AROUND 20Z. THE CONVECTION WILL END AFTER THE FROPA WITH WINDS BECOMING SOUTHWEST AND THEN WEST. THERE COULD BE SOME CLEARING BEHIND THE FRONT THIS EVENING...HOWEVER AS THE UPPER LOW MOVES INTO ALABAMA AND GEORGIA...A STRATO CU DECK WILL SPREAD INTO THE STATE BRINGING CIGS AROUND 1500 TO 2500 FT LATE THIS EVENING AND INTO SATURDAY MORNING. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 64 45 57 39 60 / 80 40 20 20 5 ATLANTA 62 43 55 40 57 / 80 30 30 20 5 BLAIRSVILLE 59 39 50 37 53 / 80 50 30 30 20 CARTERSVILLE 62 40 54 38 57 / 80 30 30 20 5 COLUMBUS 66 44 60 42 58 / 80 20 20 10 5 GAINESVILLE 62 43 56 40 58 / 90 40 30 20 5 MACON 68 44 61 41 61 / 80 30 20 10 5 ROME 61 42 54 40 57 / 80 30 40 30 20 PEACHTREE CITY 63 40 56 38 57 / 80 30 20 20 5 VIDALIA 70 48 63 45 62 / 60 40 10 5 5 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: CATOOSA...DADE...DAWSON...FANNIN...GILMER...GORDON...LUMPKIN... MURRAY...PICKENS...TOWNS...UNION...WALKER...WHITE...WHITFIELD. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: DAWSON...FANNIN...GILMER...LUMPKIN...PICKENS...TOWNS... UNION...WHITE. && 20
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1121 AM EST FRI MAR 12 2010 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-131630- 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- 1121 AM EST FRI MAR 12 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE TODAY ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .SYNOPSIS... A STRONG COLD FRONT OVER PORTIONS OF ALABAMA WILL MOVE ACROSS GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...AND SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... THE PRIMARY HAZARDS FROM THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES...MAINLY THROUGH 6 PM THIS EVENING .OTHER HAZARDS... STRONG GRADIENT WINDS IN THE NORTHEAST MOUNTAINS COULD PRODUCE DOWNED TREE LIMBS. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE HIGH WINDS...SEE THE LATEST WIND ADVISORY STATEMENT. .DISCUSSION... AS THE COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE STATE...CAPES WILL INCREASE TO 400 - 600 OVER WEST GEORGIA BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...AND SPREAD ACROSS THE STATE INTO EASTERN GEORGIA. AT THE SAME TIME WIND SHEAR WILL BE INCREASING. ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL DIMINISH AFTER 6 PM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR ACTIVATION THROUGH 6 PM.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
1104 AM EST FRI MAR 12 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1055 AM HAIL TYRONE 33.47N 84.60W
03/12/2010 E0.25 INCH FAYETTE GA PUBLIC
PEA SIZED HAIL REPORTED IN THE TYRONE AREA.
&&
KFRANTZPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
1113 AM EST FRI MAR 12 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
&&
GRIFFITHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
1114 AM EST FRI MAR 12 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1100 AM HAIL 1 SE PEACHTREE CITY 33.39N 84.57W
03/12/2010 E0.25 INCH FAYETTE GA NWS EMPLOYEE
&&
GRIFFITHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1118 AM EST FRI MAR 12 2010 GAZ033-034-044-045-055-121700- 1118 AM EST FRI MAR 12 2010 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR PEA SIZED HAIL IN CLAYTON... DEKALB...GWINNETT AND FULTON COUNTIES UNTIL NOON EST... AT 1116 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CENTERED NEAR FOREST PARK...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE PEA SIZED HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH AS IT MOVES ACROSS NORTHERN CLAYTON... DEKALB...GWINNETT AND EASTERN FULTON COUNTIES THROUGH NOON EST.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
1147 AM EST FRI MAR 12 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1130 AM HAIL 2 SW HAPEVILLE 33.64N 84.43W
03/12/2010 E0.50 INCH CLAYTON GA OFFICIAL NWS OBS
ONE QUARTER TO ONE HALF INCH SIZED HAIL REPORTED AT THE
ATLANTA HARTSFIELD JACKSON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
1132 AM HAIL NORTH DRUID HILLS 33.82N 84.33W
03/12/2010 E0.25 INCH DEKALB GA PUBLIC
PEA SIZED HAIL REPORTED IN THE NORTH DRUID HILLS AREA.
&&
KFRANTZThe Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 70 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:02 UTC.
11 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 heavy rain, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
The public observed nickel to quarter-sized hail from between LaFayette and Cooper Heights northeast to near Chickamauga.
The Chattooga County Emergency Management Director observed nickel-sized hail. There were several other reports of hail received, but no size was given.
The public observed penny to quarter-sized hail west of Ringgold.
A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that extensive damage to trees and property southwest of Tunnel Hill was the result of a thunderstorm downburst with wind gusts estimated to be 70 mph. The wind was also accompanied by 1/4 to 1/2 inch-diameter hail and very heavy rain. The hail lasted up to five minutes at several spots along the path of the downburst and accumulated up to a depth of 12 to 18 inches at some locations. Some of the hail was still on the ground up to 6 hours later. The downburst affected a 3-mile long and 1-mile wide area, beginning near the intersection of Dogwood Valley Road and Houston Valley Road and ending near the intersection of Cottonwood Mill Road and Mount Vernon Road. At least 100 trees were down along the path of the downburst. Two mobile homes suffered extensive damage as a result of the downed trees. Tin roofs were torn off a few barns. Several homes sustained at least minor shingle damage.
The former Emergency Management Director for Oconee County observed penny to nickel-sized hail southwest of Bogart near the intersection of U.S. Highway 78 and Georgia Highway 53.
A trained storm spotter observed penny-sized hail near Ellerslie.
The public observed penny to nickel-sized hail across the north part of the county, especially in the Klondike Road area.
The public observed nickel-sized hail in Cordele and the Crisp County Emergency Management Director observed penny-sized hail near the intersection of U.S. Highway 41 and U.S. Highway 280.
Amateur radio operators relayed reports of nickel-sized hail, mostly south of Warner Robins.
The Houston County Emergency Management Director reported that rainfall of 2.0 to 2.5 inches over a 2-hour period had resulted in six to seven inches of water on some roads, particularly in the Bonaire area. Street flooding was observed at the intersection of Georgia Highway 96 and Georgia Highway 247.
Employees at the Rising Fawn Post Office observed nickel to quarter-sized hail for up to 30 minutes.
A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that a very weak and brief EF0 tornado caused minor damage just south of Unadilla. The tornado touched down near the intersection of Taylor Street just west of Interstate-75 and continued approximately one mile east-northeast to a point on the east side of Interstate-75 near the intersection of 3rd District Road and Browns Chapel Road. The maximum path width was determined to be 100 yards wide with maximum winds estimated to be 75 mph. Near the touchdown point of the tornado, a tree fell causing minor damage to the corner of a home. Another nearby home lost a few shingles. As the tornado continued east, it crossed through a horse arena, where some tin roofing was torn from a portion of one row of horse stalls. A large adjacent billboard was blown over on a car. At the end point of the tornado, a tree top was broken out.
The Bleckley County Emergency Management Director reported penny-sized hail just southwest of Cochran.
A National Weather Service Cooperative observed reported penny-sized hail from the Sautee area. The hail lasted for up to five minutes.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Georgia, 2010Warnings in Georgia, March 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: 220392, 220391, 220390, 220394, 220395, 220415, 220396, 220414, 220617, 220619, 220128, 220618, 220620, 220716.