The upper trough over the Eastern Seaboard began to lift toward the northeast on the 3rd. The weak front responsible for thunderstorms on the 1st and 2nd dissipated as an upper ridge built in from the west, but left a boundary across the state that provided a focus for thunderstorm development.
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.
The upper trough over the Eastern Seaboard began to lift toward the northeast on the 3rd. The weak front responsible for thunderstorms on the 1st and 2nd dissipated as an upper ridge built in from the west, but left a boundary across the state that provided a focus for thunderstorm development. Like the previous days, several showers and thunderstorms developed in the afternoon and evening hours, and a couple of these became severe with damaging winds reported.
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 Aug 3, 2:03 PM EST, 4 hours 7 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 303 PM EDT FRI AUG 3 2012 .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... CURRENT RADAR LOOP SHOWS SHOWERS MOVING INTO THE AREA FROM THE NW. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD START MOVING INTO THE AREA AS SOON AS THINGS DESTABILIZE A BIT MORE THIS AFTERNOON. THE BIGGEST THREAT STILL APPEARS TO BE ISOLATED AREAS OF FLOODING AS PW VALUES ARE IN THE 2 TO 2.20 INCH RANGE THROUGH 00Z SUN. CAPES ARE IN THE 1500 TO 2000 J/KG RANGE WITH LIS NEAR -3 TO -4 THIS AFTERNOON. THE INSTABILITIES DROP OFF VERY QUICKLY AFTER SUNSET BUT THE PWS CONTINUE TO STAY UP. THE SHORTWAVE MOVING SE OUT OF MIDDLE TN WILL PUSH INTO NW GA LATTER TONIGHT AND STALL ACROSS N AND W GA THROUGH 00Z SUN. IT WILL STAY THERE BEFORE BEGINNING TO MAKE ITS WAY BACK NORTHWARD AS THE BERMUDA LIKE RIDGE BEGINS TO BUILD IN FROM THE ATLANTIC SAT/SUN. WILL CONTINUE WITH LIKELY POPS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WITH CHANCE POPS SAT/SAT NIGHT. TEMPS WILL STAY NEAR OR SLIGHTLY BELOW SEASONAL NORMS DUE TO THE PRECIP AND CLOUD COVER EXPECTED. 01 .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... DESPITE SLIGHT TIMING DIFFERENCES...MODELS ARE STILL IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH A COLD FRONT MOVING INTO NORTH GEORGIA ON MONDAY AND SINKING INTO CENTRAL GEORGIA ON TUESDAY. BASED ON CONSISTENCY OF MODELS WITH AFFECTS FROM FRONT EXPECTED ACROSS THE CWA MONDAY AND TUESDAY...HAVE INCREASED POPS CLOSER TO THE HIGHER END OF CHANCE. DIFFERENCES IN GFS AND ECMWF BECOME MORE APPARENT INTO MIDWEEK. 12Z GFS WANTS TO LINGER THE FRONT ACROSS THE CWA THROUGH THE LONG TERM WHILE THE 00Z ECMWF SLIDES THE BOUNDARY SOUTH OF THE AREA. WITH IT BEING SUMMER HAVE TRENDED TOWARD LOW END CHANCE POPS...CLOSER TO THE GFS SOLUTION. WITH LINGERING BOUNDARY SUGGESTED THOUGH BY THE GFS...POPS MAY BE A LITTLE ON THE LOW SIDE. 11 && .AVIATION... 18Z UPDATE... SHRA/TSRA MOVING INTO THE AREA FROM THE NW AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT. WINDS SHOULD STAY MAINLY OUT OF THE WEST TO SW THROUGH 06Z THEN TURN TO THE S TO SE SHORTLY AFTER THAT. WIND SPEEDS SHOULD STAY IN THE 5-10KT RANGE. CEILINGS WILL VFR TO MVFR THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH CEILINGS MAINLY IN THE 1000-4000FT RANGE. PRECIP WILL BE OFF AND ON THROUGH THE ENTIRE PERIOD WITH THIS FRONT MOVING IN AND IT BEING CONVECTIVE IN NATURE. VSBYS WILL ALSO BE IN THE VFR TO MVFR RANGE FOR THE SAME REASON. //ATL CONFIDENCE...18Z UPDATE... CONFIDENCE MEDIUM ON ALL ELEMENTS 01 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 72 89 71 91 / 40 40 30 30 ATLANTA 74 87 72 89 / 30 40 40 30 BLAIRSVILLE 68 83 68 85 / 70 50 30 40 CARTERSVILLE 71 89 70 90 / 60 50 30 40 COLUMBUS 75 91 73 91 / 30 40 40 30 GAINESVILLE 72 87 71 89 / 60 40 30 30 MACON 74 91 72 92 / 30 40 40 30 ROME 72 91 71 91 / 60 50 30 50 PEACHTREE CITY 71 89 70 90 / 30 40 40 30 VIDALIA 73 93 74 93 / 20 30 20 30 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SHORT TERM...01 LONG TERM....11 AVIATION...01
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1103 AM EDT FRI AUG 3 2012 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-041515- 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- 1103 AM EDT FRI AUG 3 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ACROSS CENTRAL GEORGIA. .SYNOPSIS... A SHORTWAVE WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA TODAY HELPING TO INCREASE THE CHANCE OF RAIN ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... THE PRIMARY HAZARDS WILL BE GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL AND LIGHTNING. .DISCUSSION... MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE TO BE PUSHED INTO THE AREA AROUND THE BACKSIDE OF THE HIGH OFF THE EAST COAST WHILE A SHORTWAVE TRACKS ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA...INCREASING THE RAIN CHANCES ACROSS THAT AREA. CAPES EXCEEDING 1000 J/KG...AN AMPLE SUPPLY OF MOISTURE AND THE AFTERNOON HEATING WILL ALL COMBINE TO AID THE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. ALTHOUGH RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL GENERALLY BE LESS THAN A HALF INCH...WITH AMPLE MOISTURE IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA AND HEAVY RAIN IN THUNDERSTORMS...POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR LOCALIZED HIGHER RAINFALL AMOUNTS. WILL MONITOR FOR POTENTIAL OF LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... WITH MOISTURE REMAINING IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE EACH DAY. A FRONT IS FORECAST TO MOVE INTO THE STATE LATE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. .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.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
515 PM EDT FRI AUG 03 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0630 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 ENE ATLANTA 33.77N 84.35W
08/02/2012 DEKALB GA BROADCAST MEDIA
A TREE WAS REPORTED DOWN ON A BUSINESS AT FOX BROTHERS
BARBEQUE IN NORTHEAST ATLANTA.
&&
DEESEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
524 PM EDT FRI AUG 03 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0630 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 ENE ATLANTA 33.77N 84.34W
08/02/2012 DEKALB GA BROADCAST MEDIA
MEDIA RELAYED REPORTS OF SEVERAL TREES DOWN ACROSS
NORTHEAST ATLANTA INCLUDING IVERSON AVENUE...HARDEE
STREET AND SINCLAIR AVENUE.
&&
DEESESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 535 PM EDT FRI AUG 3 2012 GAZ021-032>034-045-032215- 535 PM EDT FRI AUG 3 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR PEA SIZED HAIL AND 40 MPH WINDS IN CHEROKEE...COBB...DEKALB...GWINNETT AND FULTON COUNTIES UNTIL 615 PM EDT... AT 534 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER SANDY PLAINS...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE PEA SIZED HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AS IT MOVES ACROSS CHEROKEE...COBB...DEKALB...GWINNETT AND FULTON COUNTIES THROUGH 615 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY...WHITE WATER PARK...DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE... MARIETTA...KENNESAW...SANDY PLAINS...SWEAT MOUNTAIN...MOUNTAIN PARK...DORAVILLE...CHAMBLEE...DUNWOODY...SANDY SPRINGS...ROSWELL... ALPHARETTA AND MOUNT BETHEL. HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. && LAT...LON 3412 8426 3387 8426 3391 8463 3409 8463 TIME...MOT...LOC 2135Z 271DEG 7KT 3400 8452
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
611 PM EDT FRI AUG 3 2012
GAZ008-009-032245-
611 PM EDT FRI AUG 3 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR PEA SIZED HAIL AND 40 MPH WINDS
IN UNION AND TOWNS COUNTIES UNTIL 645 PM EDT...
AT 607 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER BLAIRSVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 5 MPH.
THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE PEA SIZED HAIL...FREQUENT
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AS IT MOVES ACROSS
UNION AND TOWNS COUNTIES THROUGH 645 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE
PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE OWLTOWN...BLAIRSVILLE...HIAWASSEE...
BRASSTOWN BALD...YOUNG HARRIS...ALEXANDERS MILL...TRACK ROCK...
NOTTELY DAM...IVY LOG AND GUMLOG. HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL CAUSE PONDING
OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
&&
LAT...LON 3493 8370 3476 8397 3488 8411 3491 8412
3492 8415 3494 8417 3495 8418 3499 8413
3499 8380
TIME...MOT...LOC 2211Z 208DEG 4KT 3489 8402SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
642 PM EDT FRI AUG 3 2012
GAZ034-045-046-032315-
642 PM EDT FRI AUG 3 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR DIME SIZED HAIL AND 40 MPH WINDS
IN ROCKDALE...DEKALB AND GWINNETT COUNTIES UNTIL 715 PM EDT...
AT 639 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM TUCKER TO BELMONT...MOVING EAST AT 5 MPH.
THESE STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE DIME SIZED HAIL...FREQUENT
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AS THEY MOVE
ACROSS ROCKDALE...DEKALB AND GWINNETT COUNTIES THROUGH 715 PM EDT.
SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE NORCROSS...
SNAPFINGER...PINE LAKE...SCOTTDALE...AVONDALE ESTATES...CLARKSTON...
TUCKER...BELMONT...STONE MOUNTAIN...LILBURN...CENTERVILLE...PLEASANT
HILL...LAKEVIEW ESTATES...CONYERS AND SNELLVILLE. HEAVY DOWNPOURS
WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
&&
LAT...LON 3397 8398 3381 8401 3365 8399 3368 8427
3382 8427 3397 8422
TIME...MOT...LOC 2242Z 270DEG 5KT 3388 8418 3381 8419
3374 8418The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 57 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:12 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
The DeKalb County police department reported that a tree was blown down on a house along Rockmoor Drive.
The public reported several trees down south of Snellville.
The Fayette County Emergency Manager reported that numerous power lines were blown down along Highway 85. Roofs were blown off five buildings at a U-Haul facility in the 1500 block of North Highway 85. Vehicles in the parking lot were also damaged.
The Fayette County Emergency Manager reported a lightning fire at a home along Woodbyne Drive, causing extensive damage.
The Fayette County Emergency Manager reported that several power lines were blown down in Brooks.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, August 2012
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: 403264, 403265, 403262, 403261, 403263.