A quasi-stationary frontal boundary extended from north Texas to north Georgia early on the 26th. The front took two to three days to move from north Georgia southward to the Gulf Coast.
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 quasi-stationary frontal boundary extended from north Texas to north Georgia early on the 26th. The front took two to three days to move from north Georgia southward to the Gulf Coast. The upper flow was highly zonal, but embedded with numerous vigorous short waves. An unseasonably warm, unstable air mass presided south of the frontal boundary. Numerous areas and complexes of thunderstorms developed in waves repeatedly along the front boundary and plagued north and central Georgia for two to three days. Many counties across the area were impacted by golf ball and larger hail. There was one report of hail over four inches in diameter in west central Georgia near Newnan. While hail was the predominate severe weather type with this outbreak, there were several reports of damaging winds and even one tornado in central Georgia. In addition, there were several lightning incidents as many of the storms produced intense cloud-to-ground lightning.
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 26, 7:40 AM EST, 56 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 840 AM EDT SAT MAR 26 2011 .UPDATE... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE WORKING THEIR WAY ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA THIS MORNING. HAVE MADE A FEW CHANGES TO POP...WX...AND QPF GRIDS BASED ON THE CURRENT RADAR TRENDS. WILL BE MAKING PERIODIC UPDATES TO THE FORECAST THROUGH THE DAY TO ACCOUNT FOR LATEST MODEL AND RADAR DATA. NO SIGNIFICANT REVISIONS ARE EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. 31 && .SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH MONDAY/... /ISSUED 439 AM EDT SAT MAR 26 2011/ FOCUS DURING THE SHORT TERM CONTINUE TO BE ON THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE STORMS AS A COMPLEX STORM SYSTEM LIFTS NORTHEAST FROM TEXAS...INTO THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY REGION TODAY. MODELS SHOW ASSOCIATED WARM FRONT ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA BECOMING STATIONARY ACROSS THAT AREA THROUGH THIS EVENING...BEFORE LIFTING NORTHEAST OUT OF THE STATE AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES INTO EXTREME NORTHWEST GEORGIA AFTER MIDNIGHT. MODELS SIMILAR WITH THE COLD FRONT PUSHING INTO CENTRAL GEORGIA SUNDAY MORNING THEN INTO SOUTH GEORGIA BY THE END OF THE DAY. GFS AND NAM SHOWING SURFACE CAPE VALUES IN THE 500 TO 1000 RANGE OVER THE COUNTY WARNING AREA TODAY WITH BEST VALUES OVER WEST AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. NAM HOLD CAPE VALUES IN THIS RANGE TONIGHT...BUT GFS A TAD WEAKER KEEP VALUES AROUND 500. SPC STILL PROGGING MUCH OF AREA UNDER SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS TODAY/TONIGHT WITH HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS BEING THE MAIN THREAT...HOWEVER ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. PRECIPITATION THREAT LESSENS BY SUNDAY NIGHT AS THE FRONT PUSHES ACROSS SOUTH GEORGIA...BUT MODELS SHOWING A WEAK IMPULSIVE MOVING ACROSS THE COUNTY WARNING AREA LATE SUNDAY NIGHT/MONDAY AND WILL NEED TO KEEP SLIGHT CHANCE/CHANCE POPS GOING. WITH CLOUDS AND PRECIP DOMINATING MUCH OF THE SHORT TERM PERIOD...LOOK FOR AFTERNOON TEMPS TO BE NEAR OR SLIGHT BELOW NORMAL. .LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... /ISSUED 439 AM EDT SAT MAR 26 2011/ EXTENDED PROGS SIMILAR WITH ANOTHER FRONT APPROACHING THE STATE LATE TUESDAY...THEN PUSHING ACROSS THE COUNTY WARNING AREA TUESDAY NIGHT/WEDNESDAY TIME FRAME...SO CHANCE TO GOOD CHANCE POPS SEEM IN ORDER. GFS SHOWS YET ANOTHER SYSTEM SPREADING DEEP MOISTURE INTO OUR AREA THURSDAY/FRIDAY. ECMWF MUCH DRIER. WILL COMPROMISE FOR NOW...KEEPING POPS GENERALLY IN THE SLIGHT CHANCE RANGE. NEAR NORMAL TEMPS LOOK TO BE THE RULE THROUGH MUCH OF THE PERIOD. && .FIRE WEATHER... /ISSUED 439 AM EDT SAT MAR 26 2011/ RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN ABOVE 25 PERCENT THROUGH SUNDAY...AND WITH THE THREAT OF PRECIP BOTH DAY FUELS SHOULD BE TOO WET FOR FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS. HOWEVER... THIS WILL NEED TO BE WATCHED...ESPECIALLY ACROSS EXTREME SOUTHERN COUNTIES. 49 && .AVIATION... /ISSUED 747 AM EDT SAT MAR 26 2011/ 12Z UPDATE... MVFR CEILINGS TO INVADE ATL SHORTLY WITH SW WINDS. PRECIP AND W-SW WINDS ARRIVING AROUND 15Z WITH CB APPEARING BY 18Z. TS EXPECTED THIS EVENING AFTER 22Z WITH 15 KT E-NE WINDS GUSTING UP TO 20 KT. AFTER 09Z ON THE 27TH...START OF IFR CONDITIONS AND E-SE WINDS AS PRECIP CONTINUES. //ATL CONFIDENCE...12Z UPDATE... HIGH CONFIDENCE ON CIGS AND VSBYS. MODERATE CONFIDENCE ON WINDS AND TIMING OF PCPN. 10 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 62 47 63 43 / 100 100 60 20 ATLANTA 67 54 67 45 / 100 100 50 20 BLAIRSVILLE 53 46 56 41 / 100 100 70 20 CARTERSVILLE 63 51 63 40 / 100 100 50 20 COLUMBUS 77 62 78 53 / 50 70 50 30 GAINESVILLE 59 47 61 44 / 100 100 70 20 MACON 77 59 82 52 / 60 70 60 30 ROME 62 56 63 40 / 100 100 40 20 PEACHTREE CITY 71 53 70 44 / 90 90 50 20 VIDALIA 79 63 82 58 / 50 50 70 30 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 31/49/10
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 610 AM EDT SAT MAR 26 2011 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-271015- 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- 610 AM EDT SAT MAR 26 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS STRONG THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT...MAINLY OVER NORTH GEORGIA. .SYNOPSIS... A SURFACE LOW OVER TEXAS AND ASSOCIATED WARM FRONT ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE NORTHEAST TODAY AND TONIGHT THROUGH THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH STRONG WINDS...DAMAGING HAIL...DANGEROUS CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING...AND THE ISOLATED CHANCE OF TORNADOES. .DISCUSSION... THE WARM FRONT BOUNDARY COMBINED WITH GULF MOISTURE IS CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT RIPE FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT...ESPECIALLY OVER NORTH GEORGIA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY. FLOODING FROM HEAVY RAINS REMAINS A THREAT TO MONITOR THROUGH AT LEAST SUNDAY NIGHT. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY THROUGH THURSDAY...EXCEPT FOR MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED BUT SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER THROUGH THE WEB BY GOING TO WEATHER.GOV/ATLANTA. 10
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1158 AM GMT SAT MAR 26 2011 GAZ002-004-005-007-012-013-261230- 759 AM EDT SAT MAR 26 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR DIME SIZED HAIL AND 35 MPH WINDS IN WHITFIELD...WALKER...PICKENS...MURRAY...GILMER AND GORDON COUNTIES UNTIL 830 AM EDT... AT 756 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER VILLANOW...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 35 MPH AND DIME SIZED HAIL ARE LIKELY AS THIS STORM MOVES ACROSS WHITFIELD...WALKER...PICKENS...MURRAY...GILMER AND GORDON COUNTIES THROUGH 830 AM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE MILL CREEK...VILLANOW...SUTTLES MILL...NAOMI...LAFAYETTE...LINWOOD...RESACA...SUGAR VALLEY...TILTON...NORTH GEORGIA SPEEDWAY...NICKELSVILLE...REDBUD...AUDUBON...RANGER AND OAKMAN.
The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 110 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:34 UTC.
68 hail, 9 thunderstorm wind, 4 lightning, 3 funnel cloud, 3 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
The Forsyth County Emergency Management Director reported that two homes were struck by lightning in the northern part of the county. One of the homes was on John Burris Road and the other was along Matt Highway. No fires were observed, and damage was confined to minor electrical damage.
The Harris County Sheriff's Department, amateur radio operators, and the public observed quarter to golf ball-sized hail across northern Harris county from just east of Whitesville-Pine Lake, to Pine Mountain Valley, to Shiloh.
The Douglas County Emergency Management Director reported that a middle-aged male was shocked indirectly by a nearby lightning strike while on a riding lawn mower just outside Douglasville. Although fire and emergency medical personnel were dispatched to the scene, no medical treatment was provided.
The Treutlen County 911 Center and the public reported considerable wind damage in the Lothair community in the southwest part of the county. Most of the damage was along Rosemont Church Road. Here, two barns were destroyed, one of which was a 3-sided barn with a metal roof. The other, a large barn, completely lost its metal roof. Three homes had sustained moderate roof damage, and a mobile home sustained serious damage. On Georgia Highway 46, one home sustained major roof damage and broken windows from large hail. Many large trees were either blown down, splintered, or uprooted from Lothair to Soperton. Some roadways were blocked from downed trees.
The Treutlen County 911 Center reported that quarter-sized hail fell across the county from Lothair in the southwest to near Gillis Springs in the northeast part of the county. Damage was observed to roofs and windows of homes in the Lothair community from strong winds and hail combined.
The public observed quarter-sized hail across the far southern part of Meriwether county. This was from the same thunderstorm cell that brought golf ball-sized hail to north central and northeast Harris county.
Literally dozens of reports of large damaging hail were received from the public across southern Coweta county from Grantville, Moreland, eastward to Senoia. Most of the hail was the size of golf balls, but hail the size of baseballs, tennis balls, and even isolated reports of grapefruit-sized hail were received from the Grantville area eastward to just south of Moreland. Hail decreased in size to half-dollars by the time it reached areas just south of Senoia. Significant accumulations of hail were noted on the ground in the area and much of the region was blanketed with a hail cover for an hour or more. Extensive damage was observed to vehicles and roofs of homes in the area.
The public observed a funnel cloud near Grantville. This was well supported by radar data and a tornado warning was in effect for the area at the time. Doppler indicated rotational velocities were briefly near 50 knots at this time.
The Coweta County 911 Center reported two lightning-related house fires between Grantville and Moreland in southern Coweta county. No further details or information were provided regarding damages.
The public observed that several power lines were blown down around Moreland.
The Upson County Emergency Management Director reported quarter-sized hail near Roland in west central Upson county to nickel-sized hail in east central Upson county, just south of Logtown.
The Spalding County Emergency Management Director and the public observed quarter to golf ball-sized hail along Georgia Highway 16 near Griffin. Quarter to golf ball-sized hail was also observed in Coweta county near the Spalding county line. Radar data suggested that similar-sized hail continued across much of central Spalding county along Georgia Highway 16.
The public observed quarter-sized hail west of Senoia. This was from a second a weaker storm that tracked across southern Coweta county in the wake of the large, damaging baseball to grapefruit-size hail storm that tracked across the southern part of Coweta county one hour prior.
The Crawford County Emergency Management Director reported nickel-sized hail in extreme northeast Crawford county between Sandy Point and the Bibb county line. This storm intensified as it moved into Bibb county and produced golf ball to tennis ball-sized hail near Lizella.
Several reports of golf ball-sized hail were received from the western half of Bibb county from Lizella and Lake Tobesofkee to near Macon. There was even one report of tennis-ball-sized hail near Lizella. The hail decreased to quarter size as the storm moved into the western suburbs of Macon and to nickel size as it moved further into Macon. However, there were several reports within the city of Macon of hail covering the ground like snow. Nickel-sized hail was observed at the terminal station in downtown Macon. There was also one report of a damaged camper at a campground near Macon caused by a downed tree.
A trained storm spotter and the public observed quarter-sized hail across the far southeastern part of Bibb county from Rutland to just northeast of the Macon airport. Radar data suggests that similar-sized hail likely continued to near Franklinton. This hail occurred from a separate thunderstorm that tracked across the southeast part of the county shortly after another thunderstorm had dumped damaging golf ball-sized hail across west central and north central Bibb county.
The public observed quarter-sized hail in the Columbus area and half-dollar-sized hail in extreme northeast Muscogee county near Upatoi.
Amatuer radio operators relayed reports of quarter-sized hail across northern Twiggs county, especially near Dry Branch.
The public observed quarter-sized hail in the far southwest corner of Talbot county between Upatoi and Geneva near the Muscogee county line.
A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service and the Sumter and Crisp County Emergency Management Offices confirmed that a brief EF0 tornado touched down on the Sumter county side of Lake Blackshear, approximately two miles south-southwest of Georgia Veterans Memorial State Park and lifted on the Crisp county side of Lake Blackshear. The tornado traveled a total length of 3/4 mile from Sumter into Crisp county, with approximately 0.4 mile of this tornado path length within Sumter county. The maximum path width was estimated to be 200 yards with maximum wind gusts estimated to be 80 mph. Within Sumter county, two homes on the west shore of Lake Blackshear were damaged from downed trees. A few docks on the west side also suffered minor damage. No damage was observed on the Crisp county side of the lake as the tornado lifted before reaching the east shore of the lake. Note, this was the first tornado to touch down within the Peachtree City, Georgia county warning area during 2011.
[03/26-03/27/11: Tornado #1, County #1-2, EF0, Sumter-Crisp, 2011:001].
An amateur radio operator relayed a report of quarter-sized hail from extreme northeast Harris county near the Meriwether county line and Georgia Highway Alternate 85.
The public observed quarter to golf ball-sized hail near Georgia Veterans Memorial State Park in the far western part of the county, then quarter-sized hail further east toward Cordele.
A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia in conjunction with the Sumter and Crisp County Emergency Management Offices confirmed that the brief EF0 tornado that touched down in extreme southeast Sumter county on the west shore of Lake Blackshear lifted 3/4 mile across the Crisp county side of Lake Blackshear, approximately two miles south-southwest of Georgia Veterans Memorial State Park. No damage was observed from this tornado on the Crisp county side of the lake as the tornado lifted before reaching the eastern shore. The total tornado path length was 3/4 mile with a maximum path width of 200 yards. Maximum winds gusts in the tornado were estimated to be 80 mph.
[03/26-03/27/11: Tornado #1, County #2-2, EF0, Sumter-Crisp, 2011:001].
The public observed quarter-sized hail across far southern Meriwether county near Warm Springs. This was from a separate cell than the one which tracked across the northern part of the county an hour or so earlier.
A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia in conjunction with the Crisp County Emergency Management Office confirmed that straight-line thunderstorm outflow winds up to 75 mph caused considerable damage to a mobile home on Brock Road approximately five miles east of Arabi in the southeast part of the county. A few trees were also down in the area, but no other damage of significance was noted. The thunderstorm outflow winds were from a severe thunderstorm producing quarter to golf ball-sized hail across north central Crisp county near Cordele.
An amateur radio operator relayed a report of quarter-sized hail on the south side of Thomaston. WSR-88D radar data suggests that hail of this size, possibly larger, likely fell from Sprewell Bluff State Park on the Talbot county border to just southeast of Thomaston.
An amateur radio operator relayed a report of penny-sized hail near Irwinton.
The Johnson County Emergency Management Director reported that quarter-sized hail covered the ground north of Swainsboro. The public and amateur radio operators provided several reports of penny-sized hail in this same area. Golf ball-sized hail was observed near Kite along the Emanuel county line as the storm moved out of Johnson county. WSR-88D suggests that two separate hail storms moved across the county during this time frame. On the first storm produced hail as large as quarters and tracked from between Kite and Blundale to near Garfield. The second storm produced only penny-sized hail and tracked from just east of Meeks to near Twin City.
The public observed golf ball-sized hail across east central Johnson county near Kite.
The Crawford County Emergency Management Director reported half dollar-sized hail across east central Crawford county between Sandy Point and Jack Brown Estates.
A storm spotter observed golf ball-sized hail just north of the Macon Regional Airport on Hartly Bridge Road. An amateur radio operator relayed a report of half-dollar-sized hail from southern Bibb county and a trained spotter observed quarter-sized hail in southern Bibb county, just west of Rutland.
The Stewart County Emergency Management Director reported that several trees were down along Canyon Road or Georgia Highway 39C between Lumpkin and Providence Canyon State Park. The Emergency Manager thought the damage might have been from a tornado and strong rotation was indicated in the area at the time. However, no tornado damage was confirmed from this event.
The public observed quarter-sized hail across far northern Walker county near Rossville. WSR-88D suggests that hail of similar size likely occurred across much of the northern one-third of the county.
A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia in conjunction with the Peach County Emergency Management Director confirmed that straight-line thunderstorm wind gusts of 75 mph removed approximately 40 percent of a secondary roof of the Days Inn Motel in Byron. This roof was a secondary structure installed over the original roof, which was not damaged. A nearby billboard also sustained minor damage.
The public observed ping-pong ball-sized hail near Fort Oglethorpe and quarter-sized hail near Lakeview. WSR-88D data suggests that similar-sized hail likely continued southeastward across the county toward Tunnel Hill.
A storm spotter observed a funnel cloud just south of the Macon Regional Airport. WSR-88D radar data detected a mesocyclone that traversed the area from Jack Brown Estates in extreme eastern Crawford county to near Elberta in Houston county during this time frame.
The public observed penny-sized hail near Dawnville. WSR-88D radar data suggests that similar-sized hail, possibly even larger, likely fell from west to east across the county from Tunnel Hill to Dawnville.
An amateur radio operator relayed a report of quarter to half-dollar-sized hail hail near Eton. Radar data suggests that similar-sized hail was likely across much of the county from the west central to the southeast areas near Fort Mountain State Park.
A trained storm spotter observed half dollar-sized hail west of Calhoun in western Gordon county. As the thunderstorm progressed eastward across Calhoun, the storm began to weaken and the public observed only quarter-sized hail across Calhoun. The storm weakened further as it moved east-southeast toward Fairmount, producing nickel-sized hail in the far southeast part of the county.
The Sumter County Emergency Management Director reported that one home and a barn, approximately five miles east of Americus along Georgia Highway 27, sustained at least moderate damage from strong thunderstorm winds gusts. Dozens of trees were also down in the vicinity.
The Sumter County Sheriff observed a funnel cloud approximately five miles east of Americus. WSR-88D indicated weak rotation in the area at the time.
An amateur radio operator relayed a report of penny-sized hail east of Dublin near Brewton. This is the same thunderstorm cell that spawned an EF1 tornado near Brewton.
The public observed penny-sized hail southwest of Winston. WSR-88D suggests that similar-sized hail continued across the southern half of the county.
A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that an EF1 tornado touched down in northeast Laurens county, approximately 1.8 miles west of Brewton, then traveled 3.5 miles to the east, lifting approximately 1.7 miles east of Brewton. The tornado had a maximum path width of 500 yards with maximum winds estimated to be 90 mph. Thirty structures were damaged along the path of the tornado, mostly residential homes. The damage was mostly the result of large trees blown down onto the structures. A few homes sustained minor roof and siding damage independent of the downed trees. A front porch was also blown off one of the homes. Several hundred trees were blown down, snapped, or uprooted along the path of the tornado.
[03/26-03/27/11: Tornado #2, County #1-1, EF1, Laurens, 2011:002].
The public observed quarter-sized hail across the Rome area. WSR-88D suggests that similar-sized hail likely fell from northwest of Rome to east of Lindale. The public also reported that wind gusts were on the order of 45 mph and were strong enough to blow over an outdoor cooking grill.
The public observed quarter-sized hail near Dahlonega. Minor damage to vehicles was noted in the area.
The Cherokee County Emergency Management Director observed quarter-sized hail approximately five miles northeast of Waleska.
An amateur radio operator relayed a report of wind gusts to 50 mph at Midway school. A few power lines were blown down in the area.
The public observed quarter-sized hail across southern Bartow county.
An amateur radio operator relayed a report of penny-sized hail and wind gusts of 50 mph, possibly greater, across northeast Polk county between Aragon and Taylorsville.
The public observed quarter-sized hail in the Lawrenceville area. WSR-88D radar data suggests that most of this occurred south and southeast of Lawrenceville.
The public observed quarter-sized hail in eastern Forsyth county from Cumming eastward to the Hall county line.
The public observed golf ball-sized hail west of Kennesaw and near Due West, with quarter-sized hail southwest of Acworth and near Marietta. WSR-88D suggests that at least quarter-sized hail continued southeast across the county toward Smyrna and Vinings. Wind gusts of 45 mph were also noted at two separate locations in the county during this storm.
The public observed golf ball-sized hail in Flowery Branch. Otherwise, mostly quarter-sized hail was observed elsewhere across the southern part of Hall county near Oakwood and Flowery Branch. WSR-88D radar data suggests that quarter-sized hail likely continued eastward toward Chestnut Mountain.
The public observed penny-sized hail near Winder.
The public observed hail slightly less than quarter-size east of Alpharetta.
The public observed quarter-sized hail in far southern Forsyth county, in the Brookwood vicinity.
The public reported that a large pine tree was blown down across their privacy fence and also scraped the side of the house. The tree tore off two screens and broke one window on the home. Pea-sized hail was also observed at the time.
The public observed quarter-sized hail near Rome.
An amateur radio operator relayed a report of penny-sized hail around Fairplay. WSR-88D radar data suggests that similar-sized hail likely fell across much of far southern Douglas county from west of Fairplay to east of Hannah.
Amateur radio operators relayed reports of quarter-sized hail from Thomaston to just east of Thomaston.
The Bibb County Emergency Management Director observed penny-sized hail in downtown Macon.
The Greene County 911 Center reported that a structure on Fuller Road was struck by lightning and set on fire. No further specific details were provided.
The public observed quarter-sized hail across the northern part of the county, just south of Maysville.
The Greene County 911 Center relayed reports of quarter-sized hail in the far southeastern part of the county between Siloam and White Plains.
A storm spotter observed nickel-sized hail in western Upson county between Crest and Thomaston. WSR-88D radar data suggests that penny to quarter-sized hail likely continued eastward to Redbones Crossroads.
The Upson County 911 Center relayed reports of widespread quarter-sized hail across the southern part of the county. The hail lasted from 10 to 15 minutes across the southern sections from Sprewell Bluff State Park, to south of Thomaston, to east of Logtown, near the Crawford county line. This hail occurred with a separate thunderstorm cell from the one which produced, nickel-sized hail across the northern part of the county earlier.
An amateur radio operator relayed a report of quarter-sized hail across northern Crawford county just south of Musella. WSR-88D radar data suggests that similar-sized hail likely fell from where it ended in Upson county just east of Logtown to the Bibb county line east of Sandy Point.
An amateur radio operator relayed a report of quarter-sized hail across western Bibb county, approximately two miles south of Lizella. WSR-88D radar data suggests that similar-sized hail occurred from the Crawford county line west of Lizella to a point approximately four miles east-southeast of Lizella.
The Crawford County Emergency Management Director reported golf ball-sized hail just north of Roberta. This hail fell from a separate thunderstorm cell from that which tracked across the northern part of the county producing quarter-sized hail near Musella, 40 to 45 minutes prior. WSR-88D radar data suggests that quarter to golf ball-sized hail likely fell from just northwest to immediately east of Roberta.
A storm spotter observed quarter-sized hail across northern Laurens county just south of Tuckers Crossroads. WSR-88D radar data suggests that similar-sized hail fell from this area east-southeast to the Johnson county line near Scott, where nickel-sized hail was reported.
Amateur radio operators relayed reports that several trees were down across far northern and northeastern Laurens county from just southwest of Tuckers Crossroads to Brewton and Lovett. Trees were down on Georgia Highway 319 near Lovett. An amateur radio operator estimated that winds were sustained at 40 mph with gusts to 60 mph approximately four miles southeast of Tuckers Crossroads or about eight miles north of Dublin.
The Johnson County Emergency Management Director reported nickel-sized hail from the Scott area. As the thunderstorm moved east-southeast it intensified. The public and a trained spotter observed half-dollar-sized hail to golf ball-sized hail in Adrian along the Emanuel county line.
A trained spotter observed golf ball-sized hail from Adrian to Nunez. WSR-88D radar data suggests that quarter-sized hail likely continued to Lexsy before the storm weakened below severe limits.
The public observed quarter-sized hail across northern Stewart county between Omaha and Louvale. WSR-88D radar data suggests that quarter-sized hail likely fell across much of northern Stewart county, eastward toward Brooklyn.
The public and the Treutlen County 911 Center reported quarter-sized hail across the southern part of Treutlen county from Lothair, to Soperton, to Zaidee.
The public observed quarter-sized hail across northern Webster county near Preston.
Several reports of quarter to golf ball-sized hail were received from the Dooly County 911 Center and the public across northern Dooly county, especially from the Pinehurst area. Hail was observed from Byromville in the west to southeast of Unadilla in the east part of the county.
Several reports of large damaging hail, ranging in size from golf balls to baseballs, were received from the public and the Sumter County 911 Center from across the county. While the hail initially began as quarter-sized hail is it entered the northwestern part of the county north of Plains, it grew to golf ball and baseball size as it moved across Americus.
A storm spotter observed nickel-sized hail near Fort Valley.
The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office observed golf ball-sized hail approximately five miles south of Hawkinsville. WSR-88D radar data suggests that quarter to golf ball-sized hail likely fell across the county from west of Hawkinsville to southeast of Hawkinsville.
The public observed quarter-sized hail between Eastman and Plainfield.
The Wheeler County 911 Center reported hail of unknown size across the county. However, quarter-sized hail was supported by WSR-88D radar data in conjunction with reports from adjacent counties.
The Montgomery County 911 Center reported quarter-sized hail near Mount Vernon.
The public observed quarter-sized to half-dollar-sized hail across the northern part of the county near Vidalia.
The public observed quarter-sized hail in extreme western Coweta county, east of Powers Crossroads and well west of Newnan.
Quarter-sized hail was observed by the Fort Benning military police at Lawson Army Air field and by the public in Fort Benning elsewhere within Fort Benning. WSR-88D radar data suggests that similar-sized hail likely continued eastward to just north of Cusseta before the thunderstorm dissipated.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Georgia, 2011Warnings in Georgia, March 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: 288615, 289973, 290007, 289976, 289977, 289974, 289990, 289998, 290005, 289996, 290002, 290006, 290012, 292971, 290009, 290010, 290232, 292993, 292970, 290235, 292984, 290233, 290236, 290231, 290234, 292994, 292995, 290268, 290266, 290281, 290280, 290277, 290709, 290284, 290707, 292996, 292947, 290708, 290710, 290727, and more.