Despite a persistent upper-level ridge over the region, strong afternoon heating resulted in very unstable atmospheric conditions. Scattered to numerous reports of damaging thunderstorm winds were received during the afternoon and evening of the 17th and 18th.
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.
Despite a persistent upper-level ridge over the region, strong afternoon heating resulted in very unstable atmospheric conditions. Scattered to numerous reports of damaging thunderstorm winds were received during the afternoon and evening of the 17th and 18th.
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 Jun 17, 2:27 PM EST, 1 hour 18 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
327 PM EDT WED JUN 17 2015
.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/...
TODAY WAS ANOTHER DAY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE HIGH PRESSURE
SYSTEM BRINGING CONTINUED HOT TEMPERATURES. SOME ISOLATED CONVECTION
HAS DEVELOPED ACROSS SOUTHEAST PORTIONS OF THE AREA AND THE NORTHEAST
GEORGIA MOUNTAINS BUT OVERALL COVERAGE HAS CONTINUED TO BE
SUPPRESSED. THOUGH SOME AREAS HAVE HAD BRIEF REPRIEVE FROM THE HEAT
DUE TO AN ISOLATED SHOWER OR STORM...HEAT INDICES TODAY HAVE
APPROACHED OR REACHED HEAT ADVISORY CRITERIA ACROSS SOME LOCALES IN
CENTRAL GEORGIA. THE HEAT ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE IN EFFECT FOR THESE
LOCATIONS UNTIL 8 PM THIS EVENING.
TOMORROW WILL ONCE AGAIN BE HOT...BUT THE UPPER HIGH WILL BEGIN TO
SHIFT TO THE SOUTH AND EAST. THIS WILL ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO BE
SLIGHTLY COOLER TOMORROW AND THE COVERAGE OF CONVECTION WILL BE
HIGHER. HEAT INDEX VALUES LOOK TO BE BORDERLINE FOR HEAT ADVISORY
CRITERIA OF 105 ACROSS SOME LOCATIONS TOMORROW AFTERNOON. WILL ALLOW
THE EVENING AND MIDNIGHT SHIFTS TO EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL ISSUANCE
OF ANOTHER ADVISORY FOR TOMORROW.
RW
.LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
MEDIUM RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO REMAIN FAIRLY CONSISTENT WITH
PREVIOUS TRENDS. UPPER RIDGE BREAKS DOWN BY THE END OF THE WEEK...
THROUGH THE WEEKEND BUT REBOUNDS QUICKLY THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF
NEXT WEEK. THIS CONTINUES TO SUPPORT SOMEWHAT BETTER COVERAGE OF
CONVECTION WITH A GENERAL DIURNAL PATTERN AND SLIGHTLY MORE MODERATE
TEMPERATURES BY FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY WITH TEMPERATURES CLIMBING
AGAIN FOR THE NEW WORK WEEK. CURRENT EXTENDED FORECAST GRIDS SHOW
THIS PATTERN WELL...AND MINIMAL CHANGES WERE MADE FOR THIS UPDATE.
PLEASE SEE THE PREVIOUS LONG TERM FORECAST DISCUSSION BELOW.
20
PREV LONG TERM DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 332 AM EDT WED JUN 17 2015/
LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/...
UPPER RIDGE IS IN PLACE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LONG TERM. WITH THE
SHORTWAVE TRACKING FROM THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY TO THE OHIO VALLEY
FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY...THE UPPER RIDGE DOES WEAKEN LATE IN THE WEEK
AND IS NO LONGER A PERSISTENT FEATURE BY MID WEEKEND AS THE UPPER
SHORTWAVE PASSES. THE WEAKENING OF THIS UPPER RIDGE WILL TRANSLATE
TO HIGH TEMPERATURES A FEW DEGREES LOWER THAN WHAT WE HAVE OBSERVED
RECENTLY ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA...HOWEVER STILL ABOVE NORMAL. DIFFERENCE
IN HIGH TEMPS WILL BE EVEN MORE SUBTLE IN CENTRAL GEORGIA. WILL
SEE MORE COVERAGE IN TERMS OF CONVECTION IN AFTERNOON WITH THE
UPPER RIDGE NOT IN PLACE WORKING TO SUPPRESS THE ACTIVITY.
BY TUESDAY...ANOTHER UPPER RIDGE ATTEMPTS TO BUILD INTO THE
CWA...THIS TIME THOUGH FROM THE WEST.
11
&&
.CLIMATE...
RECORDS FOR 06-17
MAX TEMPERATURE MIN TEMPERATURE
STATION HIGH LOW HIGH LOW
------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
KAHN 100 1936 66 1927 74 1981 53 1974
1944
1918
KATL 102 1936 64 1961 75 1944 52 1974
1925
1881
KMCN 100 1944 65 1961 75 1944 56 2012
1912
KCSG 97 1950 65 1961 75 1990 57 1974
1981
RECORDS FOR 06-18
MAX TEMPERATURE MIN TEMPERATURE
STATION HIGH LOW HIGH LOW
------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
KAHN 100 1944 69 1963 76 1944 54 1974
1933 1914 1926
KATL 101 1944 67 1914 78 1881 56 1899
KMCN 101 1944 73 1955 76 1912 57 1995
1899
KCSG 99 1998 79 1961 75 2009 59 1961
1998
RECORDS FOR 06-19
MAX TEMPERATURE MIN TEMPERATURE
STATION HIGH LOW HIGH LOW
------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
KAHN 104 1933 71 1972 74 1944 56 1927
1924
1921
KATL 99 1933 72 1972 76 1952 55 1965
KMCN 100 1990 76 1972 76 1952 56 1961
1925
KCSG 99 1990 76 1995 75 2011 58 1961
1989 2004
1985 1990
&&
AVIATION...
18Z UPDATE...
VFR CONDITIONS THROUGH THE PERIOD. CU WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE
EVENING HOURS. ISOLATED CONVECTION IS ALSO POSSIBLE THROUGH ABOUT
02Z. WINDS SHOULD REMAIN FROM A WESTERLY DIRECTION WITH A MORE
SOUTHERLY COMPONENT THIS EVENING SHIFTING BACK TO A MORE
NW DIRECTION BY TOMORROW MORNING. PROB30 ACCOUNTS FOR HIGHER
EXPECTED PRECIP COVERAGE ON THURS AFTERNOON.
//ATL CONFIDENCE...18Z UPDATE...
HIGH CONFIDENCE ALL ELEMENTS.
RW
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
ATHENS 74 97 74 94 / 20 30 30 40
ATLANTA 77 93 75 91 / 20 30 30 40
BLAIRSVILLE 68 89 68 86 / 20 30 30 40
CARTERSVILLE 72 93 72 91 / 20 30 30 50
COLUMBUS 75 96 75 96 / 20 30 30 30
GAINESVILLE 74 93 74 90 / 20 30 30 40
MACON 73 97 73 97 / 20 30 30 30
ROME 72 93 72 91 / 20 30 30 40
PEACHTREE CITY 73 94 72 92 / 20 30 30 40
VIDALIA 75 98 75 97 / 30 30 30 30
&&
.FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: BALDWIN...BIBB...BLECKLEY...BUTTS...CHATTAHOOCHEE...
CLARKE...CRAWFORD...CRISP...DODGE...DOOLY...EMANUEL...GLASCOCK...
GREENE...HANCOCK...HOUSTON...JASPER...JEFFERSON...JOHNSON...
JONES...LAMAR...LAURENS...MACON...MADISON...MARION...MONROE...
MONTGOMERY...MORGAN...NEWTON...OCONEE...OGLETHORPE...PEACH...
PULASKI...PUTNAM...SCHLEY...STEWART...SUMTER...TALBOT...
TALIAFERRO...TAYLOR...TELFAIR...TOOMBS...TREUTLEN...TWIGGS...
UPSON...WALTON...WARREN...WASHINGTON...WEBSTER...WHEELER...
WILCOX...WILKES...WILKINSON.
&&
SHORT TERM...RW
LONG TERM....20
AVIATION...RWHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1200 PM EDT WED JUN 17 2015 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-181000- 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- 1200 PM EDT WED JUN 17 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... ...HOT TEMPERATURES CONTINUE TODAY... WEATHER HAZARDS EXPECTED... HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HEAT INDICES. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN AND LIGHTNING. DISCUSSION... HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HEAT INDICES CONTINUE TODAY. WITH HEAT INDEX VALUES AROUND 105-109 ACROSS PARTS OF EAST AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. A HEAT ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THAT AREA FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. PLEASE SEE THE HEAT ADVISORY /ATLNPWFFC/ FOR MORE DETAILS. REGARDLESS OF IF YOU ARE IN THE HEAT ADVISORY AREA OR NOT...IT WILL STILL BE HOT AND EVERYONE SHOULD FOLLOW HEAT SAFETY RULES. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. THE HIGHER CHANCES ARE ACROSS THE NORTHEAST GEORGIA MOUNTAINS AND IN EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA. A FEW STORMS COULD BE STRONG WITH GUSTY WINDS. OTHERWISE...THE PRIMARY HAZARDS INCLUDE LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAIN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE EACH DAY...MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE...BUT EVEN THOUGH HEAT INDICES WILL BE IN THE LOW 100S ACROSS EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA...THEY SHOULD REMAIN BELOW HEAT ADVISORY CRITERIA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED THROUGH TONIGHT.
The Robins AFB radar (KJGX), 62 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:44 UTC.
20 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
The Laurens County Emergency Manager reported several trees down near Highway 165 near the Laurens/Dodge County line and numerous trees down in the Dublin area. Several structure fires were reported in Dublin initiated by lightning strikes.
The Washington County 911 Center reported several trees down along Wommack and Brantley Roads west of Harrison.
The Dooley County Sheriff's Office reported several trees blown down across the county.
The Haralson County Emergency Manager reported around a dozen trees blown down.
The Baldwin County Emergency Manager reported several trees blown down in the Cox Road area. Lightning also initiated a fire in an unoccupied structure.
The Carroll County Emergency Manager reported trees and power lines blown down along Smithfield Road. One tree fell on a house, no injuries were reported.
The Forsyth County Emergency Manager reported numerous trees and power lines blown down from around Big Creek to south of Cumming and the Chattahoochee River Club. Several houses were hit by falling trees, no injuries were reported.
The Coweta County 911 Center reported numerous trees and power lines blown down across the northern portion of the county from Arnco-Sargent to Cannongate and south of Palmetto. Two trees fell on a workshop next to a residence in the 5400 block of U.S. Highway 29 north.
The Walker County 911 Center reported trees blown down from LaFayette to Rock Spring.
The Wilkes County Emergency Manager reported dozens of trees blown down and damage to two barns in the area around Lincolnton and Metasville Roads.
An Atlanta television news station reported significant damage to a home on Timberloch Court in Snellville due to a fire initiated by a lightning strike.
An Atlanta television news station reported around a dozen trees down in the vicinity of Deerfield Trail, Sturbridge Way and Jerome Road in College Park.
An Atlanta television news station reported a tree blown down at the Glenwood Elementary School in Decatur.
The Rockdale County 911 Center reported numerous trees down across the county with most concentrated area around Bailey Road and State Road 212.
The Newton County 911 Center reported several trees blown down across the county from Princeton Way west of Covington to North Emory Street in Covington to Highways 278 and 142 east of Covington.
The Crawford County 911 Center reported trees blown down around Walkers Chapel Road and Highway 128.
The Morgan County 911 Center reported trees blown down across the county. The most concentrated area of damage was in the Rutledge area.
The public reported numerous trees snapped or uprooted along Jim Daws Road and Snows Mill Road. A large barn and smaller shed were destroyed and a wooden swing set was flipped over.
A Macon area television news station reported trees blown down and a storage shed damaged along Highway 247.
The Dooly County Emergency Manager reported several pecan trees blown down in southwestern Dooly County. A center-pivot irrigation system was blown over in southeastern Dooly County. The concrete center anchor point was lifted out of the ground.
The Crisp County Emergency Manager reported several trees and power lines blown down in northern Crisp County.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, June 2015
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: 590916, 590920, 590922, 590924, 590925, 590926, 590931, 590933, 590951, 590959, 590964, 590966, 590968, 590969, 590971, 590972, 590973, 590987, 590974, 590977, 590980.