S. A pattern which became all too familiar during the later half of the winter continuing into the spring.
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.
Strong zonal flow with vigorous embedded short waves continued across the southern U.S. A pattern which became all too familiar during the later half of the winter continuing into the spring. A relatively benign short wave, compared to those that impacted the area earlier in April, rapidly traversed the region during the early morning hours of April 20th. A stationary front extended from North Carolina back west into Texas. This front served as the focusing mechanism for the development of mesoscale convective complexes. This systems developed in the Arklatex region and rapidly tracked eastward during the overnight hours, reaching north Georgia during the predawn hours. However, the storms rapidly weakened as they moved into north Georgia. A couple of trees were blown down in Walker county and one in Gilmer county. Pea-sized hail fell near Tunnel Hill in Whitfield county. None of these events met local severe weather criteria.
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 Apr 20, 6:10 AM EST, 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 710 AM EDT WED APR 20 2011 .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 221 AM EDT WED APR 20 2011/ ..SEVERE STORMS LIKELY TODAY... SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... LATEST MSAS ANALYSIS SHOWS HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO SHIFT OFFSHORE THE ATLANTIC COAST WITH LESS AND LESS INFLUENCE UPON LOCAL WEATHER. THIS COMBINED WITH STORM SYSTEM TO THE WEST HAS ALLOWED FOR A SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW REGIME TO CONTINUE OVER THE AREA. DESPITE THIS...RESIDUAL DRY AIR IS HANGING ON WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE UPPER 40S IN SOME CASES BUT APPEARS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THEY ARE OVERTAKEN BY MID 60S DEWPOINTS WHICH ARE CURRENTLY ON OUR DOORSTEP. OTHER BYPRODUCT OF LOW LEVEL SOUTHERLY FLOW IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOW CIGS AND VSBY ACROSS THE GULF COAST. CURRENT TRAJECTORIES SUGGEST THESE WILL MAKE IT TO THE CSG AREA BUT FEEL WITH INCREASING FLOW...THIS WILL BE MORE IN THE FORM OF THE LOW CLOUDS THAN FOG. THIS LEAVES THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ASPECT OF THE SHORT TERM WHICH IS THE EVOLUTION OF CURRENT SQUALL LINE OVER MISSISSIPPI AND TENNESSEE AND THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER LOCALLY. TIMING TOOLS SUGGEST MODELS ARE BEHIND WITH THE FORWARD PROPAGATION OF SQUALL LINE ALTHOUGH DO EXPECT SOME SLOWING AS IT ENCOUNTERS LESS FAVORABLE AIRMASS OVER THE AREA. STILL...THE MOMENTUM SHOULD ALLOW SYSTEM TO REACH NORTHWEST ZONES PRIOR TO 12Z AND MAINTAIN AT LEAST A PORTION OF ITS LINEAR STRUCTURE THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. HAVE BEEN DOWNPLAYING THE LOW LEVEL SHEAR WITH THIS SYSTEM AS PERTAINS TO TORNADO POTENTIAL BUT STILL A HEALTHY LOW LEVEL JET INITIALLY AND EXPECT THIS TO AID IN ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS OVER THE FAR NORTHWEST EARLY THIS MORNING. INTERESTINGLY...MODELS ARE ALL DOWNPLAYING POPS WITH THIS SYSTEM...ESPECIALLY BY AFTERNOON AS ALL DISSIPATE TO SOME EXTENT THE COVERAGE OF STORMS. SOME OF THE VARIOUS WRF MODELS ARE MOST BULLISH IN THIS REGARD...WEAKENING THE LINE INTO NOTHING MORE THAN SCT SHOWERS BY AFTERNOON. LOOKING AT THE GFS BUFR DATA HOWEVER...INSTABILITY LOOKS TO BE HIGHER THAN IN QUITE SOME TIME DESPITE THE INCREASE IN DEBRIS CLOUDS. WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE VALUES EXCEED 3000 J/KG...ESPECIALLY THE FURTHER SOUTH YOU GO WHERE MORE ABUNDANT INSOLATION IS EXPERIENCED. PUTTING THIS ALTOGETHER...EXPECT LINE TO SLOW AND WEAKEN SOME BUT THEN RE- DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AS INSTABILITY INCREASES. SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL CONTINUE INTO CENTRAL GA BUT TRANSITION FROM A LINEAR WIND THREAT TO MORE OF A DOWNWARD MOMENTUM AND ASSOCIATED DOWNBURST THREAT THIS AFTERNOON TO GO ALONG WITH LARGE HAIL FROM COLD MID LEVEL TEMPS AND MODERATE WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT. AS FAR AS POPS...HAVE GONE AS HIGH AS 50 PERCENT ABOVE GUIDANCE BASED ON EXPECTED CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT AHEAD OF SQUALL LINE. FRONT LOOKS TO SETTLE OVER CENTRAL GEORGIA ON THU AND DEBRIS CLOUDS SHOULD DELAY THE ONSET OF CONVECTION UNTIL THE AFTERNOON HOURS. MODELS STILL INDICATE HEALTHY INSTABILITY TO FEED STORMS AND STEEP LAPSE RATES SHOULD SUPPORT A CONTINUED HAIL THREAT AND DOWNBURSTS WITH JUST ENOUGH DRY AIR ALOFT TO AID IN THIS REGARD. MODELS AGAIN SEEM TO BE OUT TO LUNCH ON POPS AND WILL GO CLOSE TO LIKELY ACROSS CENTRAL SECTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA. UPPER RIDGE TRIES TO BUILD IN ON FRIDAY WHILE AT THE SURFACE...WEDGE DEVELOPS OVER THE CAROLINAS. THIS WILL SHIFT THE FOCUS FOR CONVECTION TO EASTERN ZONES BUT GENERALLY IN THE LOW END SCT CATEGORY. LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... BEGINNING TO SHAPE UP AS AN OUTSTANDING EASTER WEEKEND AS UPPER HIGH CONTINUES TO BUILD AND MOISTURE DECREASES OVER THE AREA LEADING TO WARM TEMPS AND LIMITED RAIN CHANCES. DISAGREEMENT ON TIMING OF NEXT MAJOR WEATHER SYSTEM INTO THE AREA NEXT WEEK AND FOR NOW WILL GO WITH GENERIC CHANCE POPS UNTIL MODELS HONE IN ON A SOLUTION. && .AVIATION... 12Z UPDATE... LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS N GA THIS MORNING AFFECTING THE ATL/AHN AREAS. OTHERWISE MAINLY MVFR CEILINGS THIS MORNING GENERALLY IMPROVING TO VFR CEILINGS DURING THE DAY. SURFACE WINDS WSW AROUND 10 KTS EXCEPT GUSTY AROUND THUNDERSTORMS. LOW CONFIDENCE ON TIMING AND EXTENT OF THUNDERSTORMS LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. //ATL CONFIDENCE... 12Z UPDATE... MEDIUM CONFIDENCE FOR CEILINGS/VSBYS/WINDS/THUNDERSTORMS THIS MORNING. LOW CONFIDENCE ON TIMING AND EXTENT OF THUNDERSTORMS AFTER THIS MORNING. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 84 61 79 60 / 60 40 60 40 ATLANTA 79 62 78 62 / 60 50 50 40 BLAIRSVILLE 74 55 75 55 / 70 30 50 40 CARTERSVILLE 81 59 77 59 / 70 40 40 40 COLUMBUS 83 66 83 64 / 30 30 50 30 GAINESVILLE 78 60 76 59 / 60 30 60 40 MACON 87 61 83 61 / 30 30 40 40 ROME 82 59 78 60 / 80 40 40 40 PEACHTREE CITY 81 58 78 59 / 60 50 50 40 VIDALIA 87 66 84 65 / 5 20 50 40 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 33
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 400 AM EDT WED APR 20 2011 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-210900- 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- 400 AM EDT WED APR 20 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE OVER NORTH AND PARTS OF CENTRAL GEORGIA TODAY INTO THE EVENING. .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO NORTH GEORGIA LATE TODAY OR THIS EVENING AND BECOME STATIONARY ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... THE PRIMARY HAZARDS FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. THE MOST LIKELY AREA FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE COLUMBUS TO WILKES COUNTY AND NORTH LATER THIS MORNING INTO THE EVENING. ISOLATE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TO THE SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .DISCUSSION... PLENTY OF MOISTURE WILL BE AVAILABLE AS INSTABILITY INCREASES ACROSS THE AREA. CAPES WILL INCREASE TO 1500 TO 2500 WITH LIFTED INDICES OF MINUS 6 TO MINUS 7 AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT. A LIMITING FACTOR WILL BE A LACK OF UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...AND MONDAY AND TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVATION LATER TODAY. BDL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 633 AM EDT WED APR 20 2011 GAZ001>003-201130- 633 AM EDT WED APR 20 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR PEA SIZED HAIL AND 40 MPH WINDS IN WALKER...CATOOSA AND DADE COUNTIES UNTIL 730 AM EDT... AT 630 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 12 MILES WEST OF STEPHENSVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 40 MPH ARE LIKELY AS THIS STORM MOVES ACROSS WALKER... CATOOSA AND DADE COUNTIES THROUGH 730 AM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE COLE CITY...TRENTON...STEPHENSVILLE... CLOUDLAND CANYON STATE PARK...MORGANVILLE...NEW ENGLAND...COOPER HEIGHTS...HOOKER...WILDWOOD...CHICKAMAUGA...CHATTANOOGA VALLEY... FAIRVIEW...LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN...BLUE SPRING AND BEAUMONT.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 711 AM EDT WED APR 20 2011 GAZ003>008-201215- 711 AM EDT WED APR 20 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR PEA SIZED HAIL AND 45 MPH WINDS IN WHITFIELD...UNION...MURRAY...CATOOSA...FANNIN AND GILMER COUNTIES UNTIL 815 AM EDT... AT 708 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER ROCKY FACE...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 45 MPH ARE LIKELY AS THIS STORM MOVES ACROSS WHITFIELD...UNION...MURRAY...CATOOSA...FANNIN AND GILMER COUNTIES THROUGH 815 AM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE DALTON...ROCKY FACE...TUNNEL HILL...VARNELL...DAWNVILLE...ETON... BEAVERDALE...SUMAC...CRANDALL...CISCO...GREGORY...TENNGA...CONASAUGA LAKE...COHUTTA WILDERNESS AND COLWELL.
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 76 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:31 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained storm spotter reported that two large cedar trees were uprooted Round Pond Road a couple of blocks before the Lafayette High School. The Walker County 911 Center reported that two trees were also down just east of Cedar Grove.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, April 2011
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: 301102.