The upper ridge across the middle of the country remained in place on the 5th. Similar to the past few days, shortwaves pushing down the east side of the ridge continued to provide lift to help enhance convection during the afternoon.
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 ridge across the middle of the country remained in place on the 5th. Similar to the past few days, shortwaves pushing down the east side of the ridge continued to provide lift to help enhance convection during the afternoon. A surface trough remained in place across the area as well. Widespread showers and thunderstorms developed, with numerous thunderstorms becoming severe. Most of the severe weather reported consisted of wind damage, but there were a few reports of large hail as well.
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 Jul 4, 7:01 PM EST, 29 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 801 PM EDT WED JUL 4 2012 .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 235 PM EDT WED JUL 4 2012/ SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... GEORGIA REMAINS UNDER THE EASTERN END OF THE CENTRAL U.S. RIDGE THROUGH THE PERIOD. RIDGE CONTINUES TO BE STRONG ENOUGH FOR ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES BUT NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO SUPPRESS SCATTERED... MAINLY DIURNAL...CONVECTION. PERSISTENT SURFACE TROUGH IN THE LEE OF THE APPALACHIANS WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SOME LOW LEVEL SUPPORT FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT AS WELL. ALTHOUGH STRONG SURFACE HEATING AND AMPLE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE ARE IN PLACE AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON...12Z FFC SOUNDING SHOWED MODERATE WARMING ABOVE 600MB WHICH HAS LIMITED INSTABILITY SOMEWHAT COMPARED TO YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. COMBINED WITH WEAK SHEAR AND A LACK OF A STRONG FOCUSING MECHANISM THIS SHOULD KEEP SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THREAT LIMITED TO ISOLATED. SOME COOLING IS INDICATED BY THE MODEL SOUNDINGS IN THIS SAME LAYER FOR THURSDAY... SO COVERAGE AND STRENGTH OF STORMS MAY INCREASE SOME THURSDAY...BUT NOT ENOUGH TO GO ABOVE CHANCE POPS AT THIS TIME. WITH AFTERNOON HIGH TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN THE MID TO UPPER 90S...AFTERNOON HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL REMAIN UNCOMFORTABLY HIGH...BUT ARE NOT EXPECTED TO REACH ADVISORY CRITERIA THROUGH THE PERIOD. 20 LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... NO CHANGES ARE PLANNED FOR THE LONG TERM. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS... /ISSUED 319 AM EDT WED JUL 4 2012/ THE MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT IN THE EXTENDED PERIODS. THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGING SHIFTS WEST OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS THROUGH THE WEEKEND. SEVERAL WEAK IMPULSES TRAVERSE THE SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE UPPER FLOW...PROVIDING FOCUS FOR MAINLY DIURNALLY DRIVEN CONVECTION. A BROAD LONGWAVE TROUGH SETS UP OVER THE EASTERN U.S. BY EARLY NEXT WEEK THROUGH THE END OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD. AT THE SFC...WEAK SURFACE BOUNDARY REMAINS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE FORECAST AREA...EVENTUALLY SAGGING SOUTH AS A BACKDOOR COLD FRONT SUN NIGHT...BECOMING STATIONARY ACROSS THE CENTRAL OR SOUTHERN GA THROUGH TUE. WITH GOOD MOISTURE TO TAP INTO...PRECIPITABLE WATER REMAINS NEAR 2 INCHES...AND PLENTY OF INSTABILITY...SURFACE CAPES GREATER THAN 1000 EACH AFTERNOON WILL CONTINUE CHANCE OF MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EVENING CONVECTION EACH DAY. DAYTIME TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE 5 DEGREES OR SO ABOVE NORMAL WITH NEAR NORMAL LOWS. ATWELL/17 .AVIATION... 00Z UPDATE... VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED DURING THE PERIOD WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ANY CONVECTION TOMORROW. PULLED BACK FROM MVFR CONDITIONS AT KAHN AND KMCN AS THEY DID NOT RECEIVE ANY PRECIPITATION TODAY. DID HOWEVER INDICATE SOME HZ AT THOSE SITES. TOMORROW EXPECT TYPICAL SUMMERTIME CONVECTION. I THINK THE CONVECTION TOMORROW WILL BE MORE WIDESPREAD AND COULD BE STRONGER THAN TODAY. //ATL CONFIDENCE...00Z UPDATE... MEDIUM CONFIDENCE ON TIMING OF CONVECTION. HIGH ON ALL OTHER ELEMENTS. ARG && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 72 97 72 98 / 30 30 30 30 ATLANTA 75 94 75 94 / 30 30 30 30 BLAIRSVILLE 67 91 67 89 / 30 30 30 30 CARTERSVILLE 68 96 69 98 / 30 30 30 30 COLUMBUS 75 95 74 94 / 30 40 40 30 GAINESVILLE 73 94 73 93 / 30 30 30 30 MACON 73 95 72 95 / 30 40 30 30 ROME 69 96 69 98 / 40 30 40 30 PEACHTREE CITY 69 94 70 95 / 30 30 30 30 VIDALIA 75 95 74 97 / 30 30 30 30 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SHORT TERM...ARG LONG TERM....17 AVIATION...ARG
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 543 AM EDT WED JUL 4 2012 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-050945- 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- 543 AM EDT WED JUL 4 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .SYNOPSIS... WEAK IMPULSES IN THE UPPER LEVEL FLOW OF AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST TODAY AS A WEAK TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE REMAINS STATIONARY ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL GEORGIA. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... THE PRIMARY HAZARDS FROM THE ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE QUARTER SIZED HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...LIGHTNING...AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN. THE BEST TIME FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WILL MID AFTERNOON THROUGH EVENING. .DISCUSSION... A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH AND HIGH INSTABILITY WILL ACT AS A FOCUS FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WITH ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE. CONTINUED COLD MID LEVEL TEMPERATURES AND JUST ENOUGH FLOW ALOFT WILL ALLOW FOR LARGE HAIL IN THE STRONGER STORMS. IN ADDITION...MOST STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG TO SEVERE WIND GUSTS DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF ENHANCED DOWNDRAFT PARAMETERS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... A SERIES OF SHORTWAVES WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE REGION... ENHANCING THE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL THURSDAY AFTERNOON. GENERALLY SCATTERED COVERAGE IS EXPECTED FOR MOST AREAS THIS WEEKEND WITH STORMS BECOMING FOCUSED IN THE VICINITY OF A SOUTHWARD SAGGING SURFACE BOUNDARY MONDAY AND 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.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
718 PM EDT WED JUL 4 2012
GAZ049-059-042345-
718 PM EDT WED JUL 4 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR 40 MPH WINDS IN MORGAN AND JASPER
COUNTIES UNTIL 745 PM EDT...
AT 715 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER REESE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH.
WIND GUSTS OF 40 MPH ARE LIKELY AS THIS STORM MOVES ACROSS MORGAN AND
JASPER COUNTIES THROUGH 745 PM EDT. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE
STORM INCLUDE REESE...FARRAR...SHADY DALE AND GODFREY. HEAVY RAIN
CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
&&
LAT...LON 3343 8351 3343 8353 3341 8353 3336 8359
3351 8369 3355 8368 3358 8368 3367 8354
3352 8341
TIME...MOT...LOC 2317Z 325DEG 3KT 3354 8357PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
721 PM EDT WED JUL 04 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0505 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 N CROSS ROADS 34.07N 84.76W
07/04/2012 PAULDING GA 911 CALL CENTER
6 TO 8 TREES DOWN ALONG CEDARCREST ROAD IN NORTHEAST
PAULDING COUNTY.
&&
DDARBEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
727 PM EDT WED JUL 04 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0510 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 N BREMEN 33.76N 85.15W
07/04/2012 HARALSON GA 911 CALL CENTER
6 TO 8 TREES DOWN JUST NORTH OF BREMEN ALONG HIGHWAY 1
AND ANOTHER 3 TREES DOWN NEAR WACO.
&&
DDARBEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
730 PM EDT WED JUL 04 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0515 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 NE MOUNT ZION 33.69N 85.13W
07/04/2012 CARROLL GA 911 CALL CENTER
1 TREE DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 1 NEAR BOWDON JUNCTION.
&&
DDARBEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
752 PM EDT WED JUL 04 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0600 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 SW LOVEJOY 33.38N 84.38W
07/04/2012 CLAYTON GA 911 CALL CENTER
6 TREES DOWN ALONG WOOLSEY ROAD IN FAR SOUTHWEST CLAYTON
COUNTY.
&&
DDARBEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
753 PM EDT WED JUL 04 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0620 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 NW GRIFFIN 33.30N 84.32W
07/04/2012 SPALDING GA 911 CALL CENTER
1 TREE DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 92 ABOUT 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF
GRIFFIN.
&&
DDARBEThe Atlanta radar (KFFC), 98 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:28 UTC.
20 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Amateur radio operators relayed reports of many trees and power lines down north of Cedartown.
The Middle Flint Regional 911 Center reported that several trees and power lines were blown down along Highway 26 just went of Buena Vista. Another tree was down across Pineville Road.
The Middle Flint Regional 911 Center reported a few trees down along Highway 45 north of Plains.
The Muscogee County 911 Center reported that 10 to 20 trees were blown down across the south side of Columbus, including on Wynnton Road and Matthew Street, where one tree fell on a house. At least 10 power lines were down as well, mostly across Fort Benning Road.
U.S. Forest Service firefighters relayed a report of several trees down just east of Villanow.
A trained spotter reported that numerous trees and power lines were blown down southwest of Conyers along Stockbridge Highway.
Numerous reports of quarter to golf ball sized hail were received from amateur radio operators and the public.
The Jasper County 911 Center reported that at least six trees and three power lines were blown down near Jackson Lake.
The Butts County 911 Center relayed reports of at least three trees down near Jackson Lake.
The Towns County 911 Center reported that a few trees were blown down in the Macedonia area.
The Union County 911 Center reported that a few trees were blown down east of Owltown.
The Fayette County Emergency Manager reported that six trees were blown down along and near the Georgia Highway 85 Connector.
The Gilmer County Emergency Manager reported that at least 50 trees were blown down, mainly along and near Carters Lake. The Carters Lake Marina was also damaged, with the roof of one of the covered docks completely collapsed, and many others had tin sheeting peeled from the roofs. One of the ramps was snapped and boards along the walkways were buckled. Almost a million dollars in damage was done to the marina alone. Numerous boats sustained minor to moderate damage, and some were blown off the lake. Several campers also sustained minor damage; some were blown over and others were damaged when trees fell on them. Gazebos, tents, and awnings were blown away as well. Five- to six-foot waves were observed on the lake during the storm. No injuries were reported.
The public reported that several trees were blown down, including one on a house.
The Spalding County Fire Department reported a few trees down across Griffin. Two of the trees fell on houses.
The public reported quarter sized hail in Griffin.
The Bartow County 911 Center reported that over a dozen trees were blown down countywide.
The Chattooga County 911 Center reported that six to seven trees and several power lines were blown down in Summerville.
The Monroe County 911 Center reported that several power lines were blown down across Highfalls Road west of Forsyth.
The Lamar County 911 Center reported that several power lines were blown down around Mott Road east of Barnesville.
The Monroe County 911 Center reported that a house was struck by lightning on Johnstonville Road. Only minor damage and no injuries were reported.
The Oglethorpe County 911 Center reported that four trees and a power line were blown down in the Maxeys area.
The Greene County 911 Center reported that a tree was down on Pinfield Road and another tree was down on Veazey Road.
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, July 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: 397205, 397200, 397201, 397202, 397203, 397204, 397198, 397206, 397207, 397214, 397213, 397217, 397208, 397209, 397218, 397199, 397216, 397212, 397210, 397211, 397223, 397220, 397215.