Tropical Storm in Georgia, September 4 to 5, 2011

Name: Tropical Storm in Georgia, September 4 to 5, 2011
Start: 2011-09-04T11:00
End: 2011-09-05T23:00
Location: Georgia

September 4 to 5, 2011 · NWS FFC · 97 events in 97 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 97 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 97

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS FFC wrote it up.

Tropical Storm Lee moved slowly onshore the Louisiana coast on Friday September 2nd and then grudgingly moved northeast through Sunday September 4th before finally becoming caught up in an eastward advancing upper trough and associated frontal system. The remnants of Lee tracked across central Mississippi, central and northern Alabama, and into northern Georgia on the 5th before moving northeast of the area early on September 6th. The remnants brought beneficial modest rainfall amounts to the northwestern half of Georgia, with the heaviest rainfall falling in northwest Georgia, mainly northwest of a Rome to Dalton line. In this corner of the state, rainfall of five to seven inches was common over the two-day period, resulting in minor flooding. During the afternoon of the 5th, daytime heating combined with a pocket of strong shear associated with the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee and spawned numerous strong thunderstorms across north and central Georgia. Many of these exhibited strong low-level rotation prompting numerous tornado warnings during the afternoon and evening hours of the 5th. However, only one of these actually netted a tornado, an EF1 that tracked across much of eastern Cherokee county causing extensive damage to homes and businesses in that area. Damages were likely in excess of $11 million across eastern Cherokee county.

Tornado, thunderstorm wind, and flash flood damages related to Tropical Storm Lee are provided via those individual damage reports.

What forecasters said that day

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 Sep 4, 6:35 AM EST, 4 hours 25 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 4, 6:35 AM EST, 4 hours 25 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
735 AM EDT SUN SEP 4 2011

.SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
ALL EYES ON TROPICAL STORM LEE AS IT MEANDERS ACROSS SOUTHERN
LOUISIANA TODAY/TONIGHT...THEN TURN NORTHEAST MOVING INTO
MISSISSIPPI MONDAY. MODELS AND LATEST HURRICANE CENTER TRACK SHOWS
REMNANTS OF LEE CONTINUING TO DRIFT NORTHEAST MOVING INTO
NORTHEAST ALABAMA MONDAY NIGHT...REACHING NORTHWEST GEORGIA EARLY
TUESDAY. HEAVY RAIN/FLOODING CONTINUE TO BE THE MAIN THREAT...BUT
SEVERE WEATHER (ISOLATED TORNADOES INCLUDED)...ALSO OF A CONCERN
AS FEEDER BANDS ASSOCIATED WITH LEE AS THEY MAKE THEIR WAY ACROSS
OUR AREA. MONDAY AFTERNOON-MONDAY NIGHT CONTINUE TO BE THE BEST
TIME FRAME FOR SEVERE STORMS WITH GREATEST SHEAR VALUES AT THAT
TIME. HOWEVER...CAN NOT RULE OUT AN ISOLATED TORNADO AT ANY OTHER
TIME AS THIS SYSTEM APPROACHES/THEN MOVES THROUGH. MODELS AND HPC
STILL PEGGING NORTH GEORGIA FOR THE GREATEST AMOUNTS OF RAINFALL.
RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 7 INCHES FAR NORTH...3 TO 5 INCHES REST
OF NORTH GEORGIA (AS FAR SOUTH AS LAGRANGE TO WASHINGTON)...AND 1
TO 3 INCHES ELSEWHERE. HAVE GONE WITH A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MUCH
OF NORTH AND PORTIONS OF CENTRAL GEORGIA FOR LATE TONIGHT INTO
TUESDAY MORNING. TEMPERATURES WILL BE A CHALLENGE...ESPECIALLY
AFTERNOON HIGHS. ANY HEATING/BREAKS IN CLOUDS COULD LEAD TO
READING WARMER THAN EXPECTED. NAM/GFS MOS FAIRLY SIMILAR AND PLAN
TO STAY CLOSE.

.LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
MODELS SHOW REMNANTS OF LEE CONTINUING TO LIFT NORTHEAST...MOVING
ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY TUESDAY NIGHT/WEDNESDAY...WEAKENING
FURTHER AND BECOMING ABSORBED INTO THE FLOW OFF OF KATIA. FORECAST
NOT VERY CLEAR CUT AS MODELS HOLD ON TO SOME DEEPER MOISTURE
ESPECIALLY ACROSS EXTREME NORTH GEORGIA INTO FRIDAY. FORECAST
COMPLICATED EVEN MORE FOR THE WEEKEND WITH GFS HINTING ANOTHER
TROPICAL SYSTEM OVER THE GULF LIFTING NORTHEAST TOWARD THE GULF COAST
SATURDAY/SUNDAY TIME FRAME.

49
&&

.AVIATION...
12Z UPDATE...
VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PREDOMINATE THROUGH 18Z WITH MVFR
CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES SPREADING NORTHEAST ACROSS THE FORECAST
AREA BETWEEN 18Z AND 24Z. AFTER 00Z CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES
CONTINUE DOWNWARD TREND AS STEADIER AND HEAVIER PRECIPITATION OVER-
SPREADS THE REGION...WITH MIXED MVFR AND IFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED
MOST AREAS BY AROUND 04Z. WINDS WILL REMAIN SOUTHEAST TO EAST. WIND
SPEEDS WILL REMAIN LIGHT...AROUND 03-07KTS...THROUGH 14Z-16Z THEN
INCREASE TO AROUND 08-12KTS...WITH HIGHER GUSTS...BY 18Z.

//ATL CONFIDENCE...12Z UPDATE...
HIGH CONFIDENCE FOR WIND DIRECTION AND SPEED. MEDIUM CONFIDENCE
OTHER ELEMENTS...ESPECIALLY CONCERNING TIMING OF TRANSITIONS BETWEEN
FLIGHT CATEGORIES.

20

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
ATHENS          84  70  80  72 /  60 100 100  80
ATLANTA         80  70  79  71 /  70 100 100  80
BLAIRSVILLE     78  67  74  66 /  60 100 100 100
CARTERSVILLE    81  69  80  70 /  70 100 100 100
COLUMBUS        82  70  84  73 /  80  90  90  80
GAINESVILLE     81  69  78  68 /  60 100 100  90
MACON           83  73  84  73 /  70  80  80  80
ROME            85  69  81  69 /  70 100 100 100
PEACHTREE CITY  80  70  80  72 /  70 100 100  80
VIDALIA         86  73  86  73 /  60  70  70  70

&&

.FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING FOR
THE FOLLOWING ZONES: BANKS...BARROW...BARTOW...BUTTS...CARROLL...
CATOOSA...CHATTOOGA...CHEROKEE...CLARKE...CLAYTON...COBB...
COWETA...DADE...DAWSON...DEKALB...DOUGLAS...FANNIN...FAYETTE...
FLOYD...FORSYTH...GILMER...GORDON...GREENE...GWINNETT...HALL...
HARALSON...HEARD...HENRY...JACKSON...JASPER...LUMPKIN...
MADISON...MERIWETHER...MORGAN...MURRAY...NEWTON...NORTH FULTON...
OCONEE...OGLETHORPE...PAULDING...PICKENS...PIKE...POLK...
PUTNAM...ROCKDALE...SOUTH FULTON...SPALDING...TALIAFERRO...
TOWNS...TROUP...UNION...WALKER...WALTON...WHITE...WHITFIELD...
WILKES.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 4, 9:45 AM EST, 1 hour 15 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
1045 AM EDT SUN SEP 4 2011

GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086-
089>098-102>113-051100-
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-
1045 AM EDT SUN SEP 4 2011

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS WITH A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO SPREAD NORTHEAST ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH AND WEST
CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

.SYNOPSIS...
TROPICAL STORM LEE IS EXPECTED TO MEANDER OVER SOUTHERN LOUISIANA
THIS AFTERNOON...AND THEN BEGIN MOVING NORTHEASTWARD BY THIS EVENING
THIS NORTHEAST MOVEMENT IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVERNIGHT.
ADDITIONALLY... A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH NORTH GEORGIA LATE
TONIGHT.

.PRIMARY HAZARDS...
THE PRIMARY HAZARDS WILL BE ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS OVER MAINLY WEST
CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST GEORGIA DURING THE AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT
HOURS. PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN ARE ALSO POSSIBLE THIS EVENING AND
OVERNIGHT AS HEAVIER RAINBANDS SPREAD UP FROM THE SOUTH AND
SOUTHWEST. AT THIS TIME...IT APPEARS THE GREATER ISOLATED TORNADO
THREAT WILL HOLD OFF UNTIL MONDAY AFTERNOON AND MONDAY NIGHT.
OTHERWISE... THE BEST CHANCES FOR HEAVY RAIN WILL BE GENERALLY NORTH
OF A LINE FROM LAGRANGE TO WASHINGTON AND MAINLY OVERNIGHT.

.DISCUSSION...
THE EFFECTS OF TROPICAL STORM LEE WILL BEGIN TO SPREAD NORTHEAST
ACROSS PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL AND NORTH GEORGIA LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE INCREASING TROPICAL MOISTURE WILL ALLOW
RAINFALL TO BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY UNDER STRONGER
RAINBANDS. WITH THE EXTENDED PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER EXPERIENCED
ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS SUMMER MOST OF THE INITIAL
RAINFALL WILL BE ABSORBED BY THE DRY GROUND...SO WIDESPREAD FLOOD
PROBLEMS ARE NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. WEAK INSTABILITIES
WILL HELP HOLD ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS BELOW SEVERE LIMITS THROUGH
TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY
HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED AND ISOLATED TORNADOES REMAIN POSSIBLE MONDAY
THROUGH TUESDAY. OTHERWISE THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS EACH
DAY WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

.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.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

97 tropical storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Tropical Storm, Banks

When: September 4, 11:00 AM EST to September 5, 11:00 PM EST
Where: Banks forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 34.354, -83.497 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The remnants of Tropical Storm Lee impacts north and central Georgia with one EF1 tornado and modest to heavy rainfall across the northwest half of the state. Rainfall ranged from near eight inches in parts of northwest Georgia to less than one inch in the southeast part of the county warning area. An EF1 tornado caused extensive damage in Cherokee county during the afternoon of September 5th. The annual Atlanta Motor Speedway event on Sunday September 4th was rained out and had to be postponed to a later date. Winds associated with the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee were generally less than 20 mph by the time it reached the region.