Moderate to heavy rainfall spread across southwest Georgia during the April 1-3 period with storm total estimates generally between 3 and 7 inches. There were a few road washouts reported, and one traffic accident due to hydroplaning which resulted in 2 fatalities and 1 injury in Miller County.
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 TAE wrote it up.
Moderate to heavy rainfall spread across southwest Georgia during the April 1-3 period with storm total estimates generally between 3 and 7 inches. There were a few road washouts reported, and one traffic accident due to hydroplaning which resulted in 2 fatalities and 1 injury in Miller County.
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 Tallahassee, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 1, 8:16 PM EST, 3 hours 44 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
916 PM EDT FRI APR 1 2016
.Near Term [Through Tonight]...
The afternoon forecast remains on track this evening. The first
batch of rain continues to slowly move east. A second line of
thunderstorms is moving into the western Panhandle. The tornado
watch has been extended until 4am EDT/ 3am CDT. We have also seen
some very heavy rain over the panhandle with instantaneous rates
up to 6 inches per hour. The flash flood watch continues until 8am
EDT/ 7am CDT.
&&
.Prev Discussion [812 PM EDT]...
.Short Term [Saturday Through Sunday Night]...
Most models have the cold front sweeping clear of the area quite
early in the morning, with chances of rain quickly diminishing.
Given that there has been a southeastward bias in model precip
forecasts thus far today, we did not clear rain out as fast as
some models indicate on Saturday, but the heaviest rain rates
associated with thunderstorms should be mostly clear of our area
by 15Z. In the wake of the front, slightly cooler and drier
conditions are expected with highs in the low-mid 70s and lows in
the upper 40s.
.Long Term [Monday Through Friday]...
Early in the week northwesterly flow will develop aloft due to the
upper trough axis along the eastern seaboard. This is expected
to lead to drier and more seasonable conditions through the first
half of the work week. Highs are expected in the upper 70s and
lows are expected in the upper 40s and lower 50s through
Wednesday. Another cold front is expected to rapidly pass through
the area on Thursday. Winds will gain a southerly component ahead
of the front, bringing humid from the Gulf of Mexico air into the
area. There will also be a chance of showers and the possibility
of a few thunderstorms associated with this front. After the front
passes, there should again be northwesterly flow promoting drier
and cooler conditions.
.Aviation...
[Through 00Z Sunday]...
Expect mostly IFR CIGs overnight as rain continues throughout the
night. A few pockets of LIFR CIGs are possible particularly in the
Panhandle Florida and Southeast Alabama. Some thunder is possible
particularly before midnight. Rain will move out from west to east
in the morning hours as a cold front moves through. VFR conditions
will likely return by late morning.
.Marine...
We issued a Small Craft Advisory for areas west of Apalachicola
from later tonight through Saturday morning. Model forecast wind
speeds were close to 20 knots in those areas. After a brief lull
during the afternoon in which northwest winds should be around 15
knots over most of the coastal waters, the winds will veer
slightly to the north and increase to advisory levels again on
Saturday Night. An advisory has not been issued for that timeframe
quite yet. After that, winds and seas should quickly subside as
high pressure builds into the region.
.Fire Weather...
Widespread showers and thunderstorms will further wet fuels.
Therefore, even though much drier air will arrive so a few days
starting Sunday, red flag criteria will not be threatened.
.Hydrology...
Local rivers are rising as heavy rain moves into the region. Most
area rivers were already high with the exception of the
Suwannee. Flooding is occurring on the Ochlockonee, Apalachicola,
Withlacoochee, and Choctawhatchee Rivers in Florida. Most rivers
will continue to rise this weekend and early next week. The
Kinchafoonee Creek and the Chipola River need to be monitored and
a warning may be issued later.
Several inches of rain has already fallen over Southeast Alabama
today. Light to moderate rain will continue to soak the region this
evening and overnight with heavy rain possible within thunderstorms.
Expect another two to four inches of rain with higher amounts in
thunderstorms.
The Flash Flood Watch remains in place for most of the region
through Saturday morning.
&&
.Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs...
Tallahassee 65 74 48 73 48 / 90 50 0 0 0
Panama City 61 70 52 70 54 / 100 40 0 0 0
Dothan 56 69 46 70 47 / 90 10 0 0 0
Albany 59 70 46 70 45 / 90 20 0 0 0
Valdosta 66 73 48 72 47 / 90 60 0 0 0
Cross City 70 77 49 75 49 / 50 80 10 0 0
Apalachicola 65 73 51 71 54 / 80 60 0 0 0
&&
.TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...Flash Flood Watch until 8 AM EDT /7 AM CDT/ Saturday FOR Calhoun-
Central Walton-Coastal Bay-Coastal Franklin-Coastal Gulf-
Coastal Jefferson-Coastal Wakulla-Gadsden-Holmes-Inland Bay-
Inland Franklin-Inland Gulf-Inland Jefferson-Inland Wakulla-
Jackson-Leon-Liberty-North Walton-South Walton-Washington.
High Rip Current Risk until 8 AM EDT /7 AM CDT/ Saturday FOR
Coastal Bay-Coastal Franklin-Coastal Gulf-South Walton.
GA...Flash Flood Watch until 8 AM EDT Saturday FOR Baker-Ben Hill-
Berrien-Brooks-Calhoun-Clay-Colquitt-Cook-Decatur-Dougherty-
Early-Grady-Irwin-Lee-Miller-Mitchell-Quitman-Randolph-
Seminole-Terrell-Thomas-Tift-Turner-Worth.
AL...Flash Flood Watch until 7 AM CDT Saturday FOR Coffee-Dale-Geneva-
Henry-Houston.
GM...Small Craft Advisory from 2 AM to 2 PM EDT Saturday FOR Coastal
waters from Apalachicola to Destin FL out 20 NM-Waters from
Apalachicola to Destin FL from 20 to 60 NM.
&&
NEAR TERM...WESTON
SHORT TERM...LAMERS
LONG TERM...LAMERS/KING
AVIATION...MCDERMOTT
MARINE...LAMERS
FIRE WEATHER...WOOL
HYDROLOGY...MCDERMOTTThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 flood, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
A picture was submitted showing portion of Carter Way Road washed out due to persistent moderate to heavy rainfall. Damage was estimated.
The Worth County E-911 facebook page reported that Hall Rd at Davis Mill Rd as well as Hamilton Hill Rd between Cuffie Town Rd and Jody Hoby Rd were washed out. Damage was estimated.
A traffic accident caused by hydroplaning resulted in two deaths and one injury in Miller county on Highway 91 between Colquitt and Newton.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Rain, Miller | 2016-04-02 | 30 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
| Heavy Rain, Miller | 2016-04-02 | 1 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, April 2016
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: 624278, 624285, 624280.